Though I consider myself confident in my opinions, I do worry about the effect of Atheism on a general population. I read a statistic that Atheists represent 10% of the general population and 1% of the prison population, and this would seem to suggest that, if anything, Atheist stengthens one's moral code. This is certainly true for me, I think that if you are forced to find your own answers, then you will tend to find better ones. The only problem I have is that that statistic may be indicative more of a transitive society than anything else. In today's religious world, Athiests typically grow up in a religious household, can't swallow it, and reject it. This more or less insures that the majority of Atheists are independent thinkers and intelligent people, since they are willing to depart from the norm and invent their own moral conduct for the sake of an idea that they themselves came up with. When I departed from the church, as far as I knew I was the only Atheist in the world. I had never met one, didn't have the Internet at the time, and was surrounded by Catholics. I think that this nature of our society, the hush-hush treatment of the Atheist community at large, provides a kind of acid test for Atheism that makes sure that only those who realize for themselves that religion is suspect depart from it. Agreed?

Now let's assume that Atheism becomes the dominant belief of the world. Now children who would under any other circumstances become devout worshippers are being raised as Atheists. Now followers and people who would have otherwise believed out of fear are Atheists. Now people who would have followed religion simply to get a reward are Atheists. Now there is no morality to the Universe. Now people held in check with the fear of damnation are turned lose in a world where they can do whatever they can get away with here. Now we're all in deep trouble.

I begrudgingly accept faith as a way to keep followers in line, and I'm not convinced that Atheism would be an acceptable opinion to hold on a large scale.

Any comments?

• On average atheists are smarter than theists - johnpowell - April 12, 2001 - 21:52 UTC
  • Could be - stormcrow - April 13, 2001 - 00:04 UTC