Origins of popular Atheism?

[undone]

From a Christian worldview perspective, can anyone shed light on the origins of the popularized brand of atheism we see today?

I'm sure people have struggled with doubts since creation and according to atheists, you're born an atheist.

[apothanein kerdos]

It's been finding its way into our culture for a while. However, it hasn't become militant until the likes of Singer, Sagan, and Dawkins arrived.

[MorningGlory]

From a Christian worldview perspective, can anyone shed light on the origins of the popularized brand of atheism we see today?

I'm sure people have struggled with doubts since creation and according to atheists, you're born an atheist.

I believe the origins of today's brand of atheism lie in the watering down of the Word by churches.

No one is 'born' an atheist, IMO, as we all have the inherent need for God. Satan comes between some people and the Lord, convincing them that neither he nor God exists.

[undone]

It's been finding its way into our culture for a while. However, it hasn't become militant until the likes of Singer, Sagan, and Dawkins arrived.

Would it be safe to say it began with Darwin? That seems to be the obvious answer. I seem to recall Darwin stating something to the affect that he did not want his theory to lead to unbelief.

I concur with Glory2000 in that the social club environment that exists in many churches today turns people off to the point they are willing to abandon their faith. I spent enough time on atheist sites to realize many of them started out in the church only to become frustrated by the way they were treated and such. It seems that the church is partially responsible for creating this monster.

[forrestkc]

Atheists only make up a tiny percentage of the United States population. In terms of demographics, the group that is really growing in the United States is the Agnostics. In fact, some estimates now put Agnostics at almost 20% of the population. Personally, I don't know too many people who are atheists in that they just know (well think actually) that there is no God. I do know a lot of Agnostics. The few pure atheists I have ever personally known generally had some personality disorder type issues, and usually were not well educated. (However, I am sure that demographically this is not the case, just my personal experiences). The Agnostics I have known were all well educated, intelligent, decent and conscionable individuals. However, they just really did not know whether there was a God or not. If you talked to them about it without trying to proselytize at the same time, I found that without exception, it was their experience with fundamentalist Christians that turned them off of religion in general.

This will probably offend people on here, but I really don't know any other way of putting it. If you tell reasonable and intelligent people that the earth is but 6000 years old and that belief in a literal young earth creationism and in a literal worldwide flood where all animals on the earth were placed on a literal ark are absolutely essential beliefs for a Christian. And, when questioned, your proof for this is a couple of tracts and a sloppy homemade looking

[apothanein kerdos]

It's been finding its way into our culture for a while. However, it hasn't become militant until the likes of Singer, Sagan, and Dawkins arrived.

Would it be safe to say it began with Darwin? That seems to be the obvious answer. I seem to recall Darwin stating something to the affect that he did not want his theory to lead to unbelief.

I concur with Glory2000 in that the social club environment that exists in many churches today turns people off to the point they are willing to abandon their faith. I spent enough time on atheist sites to realize many of them started out in the church only to become frustrated by the way they were treated and such. It seems that the church is partially responsible for creating this monster.

Darwin made it available to be an intellectually fulfilled atheist - but he is not the cause of the militant atheism we see rising.

He also didn't care if it led to unbelief - he was an agnostic.

[The Lorax]

It's been finding its way into our culture for a while. However, it hasn't become militant until the likes of Singer, Sagan, and Dawkins arrived.

What does it mean to be a militant atheist? I fail to see how any of those men could be considered militant.

[apothanein kerdos]

It's been finding its way into our culture for a while. However, it hasn't become militant until the likes of Singer, Sagan, and Dawkins arrived.

What does it mean to be a militant atheist? I fail to see how any of those men could be considered militant.

Then you haven't dealt with their works.

A militant atheist is someone who takes a pro-active move to remove any religion, specifically Christianity, from the culture.

[The Lorax]

Then you haven't dealt with their works.

...But I have.

A militant atheist is someone who takes a pro-active move to remove any religion, specifically Christianity, from the culture.

Do you consider pressing for church-state separation to be militant? ...I consider it to be patriotic.

[Grandtheftcow]

Then you haven't dealt with their works.

A militant atheist is someone who takes a pro-active move to remove any religion, specifically Christianity, from the culture.

So you feel that the culture in your area is a Christian one?

In my area about 20% of the population describes themselves as non-religious, 43% Protestant, 25% Catholic and the rest belonging to other religious groups. Religion is generally considered a private matter here.