BURGESS HILL, England — Every morning on his walk to work, high school teacher Graham Wright recited a favorite Anglican prayer and asked God for strength in the day ahead. Then two years ago, he just stopped.Wright, 59, said he was overwhelmed by a feeling that religion had become a negative influence in his life and the world. Although he once considered becoming an Anglican vicar, he suddenly found that religion represented nothing he believed in, from Muslim extremists blowing themselves up in God’s name to Christians condemning gays, contraception and stem cell research.”I stopped praying because I lost my faith,” said Wright, 59, a thoughtful man with graying hair and clear blue eyes. “Now I truly loathe any sight or sound of religion. I blush at what I used to believe.”Wright is now an avowed atheist and part of a growing number of vocal nonbelievers in Europe and the United States. On both sides of the Atlantic, membership in once-quiet groups of nonbelievers is rising, and books attempting to debunk religion have been surprise bestsellers, including “The God Delusion,” by Oxford University professor Richard Dawkins.New groups of nonbelievers are sprouting on college campuses, anti-religious blogs are expanding across the Internet, and in general, more people are publicly saying they have no religious faith.More than three out of four people in the world consider themselves religious, and those with no faith are a distinct minority. But especially in richer nations, and nowhere more than in Europe, growing numbers of people are actively saying they don’t believe there is a heaven or a hell or anything other than this life.Many analysts trace the rise of what some are calling the “nonreligious movement” to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The sight of religious fanatics killing 3,000 people caused many to begin questioning — and rejecting — all religion.”This is overwhelmingly the topic of the moment,” said Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society of Britain. “Religion in this country was very quiet until September 11, and now it is at the center of everything.”
Thanks Johnathan for sending this encouraging article.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/14/AR2007091402501.html?referrer=emailarticle
Comment from: HeatheNZ
Hey Heathen…coming out of winter hibernation…?
Ignorant? Not at all…as someone has just mentioned…it’s through years of observation…
One can not claim to be opened minded enough to the possible existence of God and still claim to be an atheist…that’s like claiming to be fiscally conservative and socially liberal…they don’t mix…like viniger and water…
Please show me any “real” definition (not someone’s own definition) of the term atheism that does not include the absolute statement or belief that there is no God…
Oh Phreedm,
That has got to be the silliest thing (to me) that you have ever written on this blog.
Now…read closely…
I am an atheist, in that I do not hold a belief in God(s).
Let me say it again….I am an atheist in that I do not hold a belief in God(s).
Now….if Yalweh revealed himself in raptuous glory tommorow…I may become a believer very quickly.
Therefore, according to you, because I accept the possibility that Yalweh could exist (pink unicorns, polka dot swans etc.), I am not an atheist.
hmmmm OK
What about you Phreedm,
Do you accept the possibility (however remote), that your beliefs in God is just a load of superstitious iron-age nonsense??
PS viniger (sic) and water do mix.
phreedm
Etymology:
a: – without
theist: – god belief
Put them together and what do you get?
(Forgive me, I can’t stop myself.)
In Canada both major political parties are in fact, fiscally conservative and socially liberal. You are SO f*#cking stupid.
WHAT in the name of your Dog does this have to do with anything? If we all admit that we are not atheists would it amount to anything in your tiny little brain? Will you go away if we do?
We could go on and on about your obvious lack of Christian ethic but it would be meaningless, much like your existence.
That was the stupidest post I’ve ever seen from phreedm, and that’s really saying something.
Alatham,
You are letting your rational self get the best of you! You can never win against faith. Faith, as you know, is belief WITHOUT REASON. So trying to merge reason with faith won’t work.
Isn’t it amazing that, though, most religions teach humility, humility is one trait they seldom hold themselves.
Having humility is conceding that you may be wrong. No religious person will ever concede that his or her god doesn’t exist.
Yes, faith and reason are incompatible.
“I’m yet to be convinced that faith can move mountains, but I’ve seen what it can do to skyscrapers.”
Anyone know the originator of this line?
I’m not an atheist!! sure, I still don’t believe in the existence of god, but Phreedm says that’s not what an atheist is!!
What am I now?. . . . . .