Has Islam lead to an increase in Atheism?

by nicolaou 71 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Abaddon

  Most of the muslims live off the government's support and don't speak the language nor seem interested in anything to do with their new country. It's a bit angering and eye-opening. The problem is really starting to move out to the other countries of the EU. They want their sharia law and not the country's laws in which they live to have prec

  If the author says that he is lying. I've lived here for seven years and amgetting a trifle bored with ignorant rubbish spouted about Europe by, such as the above

  Most Muslims have jobs, most speak Dutch (most speak it better than me), and the younger generation are far more interested in life in the West even if they have to put up with parental restictions and expectations.

  A small number want Sharia Law, but so what? Some Christians would support the restrictions of human rights due to religious dogma. Both groups are wrong.

  In the next twenty year if immigrant comunities have oportunities for true integration (i.e. their educational outcomes are such they are on average indistinguishable from the 'native' average and as able to find employment) then they will grow increasingly secular. It happened to Christians when exposed to the same stimuli.

  If integration isn't possible, then there will be religious idiots and political idiots who will exploit the discontent.

  Having been in the US and Europe, I'd say disenfranchisement of minority communities, lack of integration by minority communities, lack of equallity for members of minority communities and the violence and trouble that thi all causes are FAR worse in the USA
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  Mysterious

  Is it Islam or atrocities themselves that has lead to atheism? When thousands die in an act of terrorism it isn't surprising to me that some question god. And isn't the war on terrorism just turning into a holy war anyway with Bush calling them the evildoer?
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  greendawn

  There are some radically anti religious persons like Dawkins that would use anything to show all religion in bad light but that is painting with a very broad brash. Christianity and Islam are a world apart in the present time though in the past Christianity had its share of dreadful acts (not to include here the crusades against the Moslems that were in fact totally justified given 400 years of ruthless Islamic aggression against Christianity) at present it is the basis of the modern Western civilisation which is light years ahead of the Moslems who are intolerant, use torture on their citizens, are alien to democracy and have primitive rules such as stoning people to death for adultery. Their own rulers keep most of their subjects in poverty.

  Regardless of the past Christian failures it is not justified to put Christianity on the same level as Islam. And I don't think the average person will support atheism because of fundamentalist Moslems and their actions.
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  quietlyleaving

  If atheism tells us that religion/god is manmade then we have to recognise that it is a product of us i.e. humanity and also is a part of us. So we are really speaking about ourselves when we say stuff like 'religion poisins everything' etc.

  Whatever it is about ourselves that gave rise to religion and god will still be with us even if we get rid of religion/god.

  And who knows perhaps we humans would not be here today without religion. I don't think we would.to religion.
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  nvrgnbk

  Whatever it is about ourselves that gave rise to religion and god will still be with us even if we get rid of religion/god.

  And who knows perhaps we humans would not be here today without religion. I don't think we would.to religion.

  Good points ql. And interesting.

  Maybe religion has served it's purpose. Like a tutor. It's dropped us off at school.

  Knowledge now replaces superstition and ignorance.

  Is there "something" we are connected to?

  Is there a way of knowing, a way of experiencing it, in the absence of religion?
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  quietlyleaving

  NVR

  Knowledge now replaces superstition and ignorance.

  I'm kinda seeing superstition and ignorance being informed/modified by knowledge in the past and today - an ongoing process. Can't see one replacing the other but am open to debate.
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  nvrgnbk

  an ongoing process.

  Good and proper description of what I was trying to say ql.
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  greendawn

  There is nothing wrong with the theory of the Christian religion it's just that it has never been properly applied, if it had the world would have been a much more peaceful place. Not the same can be said about Islam which emerged through military conquest and coercion from the start.

  Not all religions can be placed in the same category.
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  quietlyleaving

  nvr

  Is there "something" we are connected to?

  I like the thought of us all being connected.

  Is there a way of knowing, a way of experiencing it, in the absence of religion

  I would like to think so but maybe we would call it religion - actually scientific philosophy sounds better.
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  nicolaou

  Regardless of the past Christian failures it is not justified to put Christianity on the same level as Islam.

  There are different kinds of evil and different ways of doing harm to people. You are right greendawn that Christianity does not currently bring terror to the planet in the same way that Islam does and yet it still is a force of evil. Why do I say that?

  Because Christianity teaches lies. It robs indoctrinated young minds of the freedom to follow their curiosities and intellects wherever they may go. It teaches young gays and lesbians that they are 'sinners'. It imposes false authority structures on individuals, families and communities stealing by stealth their independance to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong. Yes, you read that right!

  If Islam is a prickly and scratchy thornbush that we eagerly take a spade to, Christianity, by it's very moderateness and via all it's attempts to be peacable to all men is a beautiful ivy that has grown over many years to cover the face of an historic castle or Tudor mansion. It has insinuated itself into the fabric of thought that has spanned two thousand years. Underneath it's fresh green leaves it is eating away at the mortar and bricks of the building and may eventually scar it forever, even weaken sections of it to the point of collapse. People who don't look too deeply only see the beautiful creeper.

  Respectfully,