Atheism as defined by the group, American Atheists, is a lack of belief in gods. Contingents of atheists have existed since the advent of religion, and continue today, even in the Bible Belt.
In the lifespan of a teenager, a significant shift in the religious makeup of the U.S. has taken place.
The findings of a recent study, the American Religious Institution Survey observed that the number of people who claimed no religion, or "nones," nearly doubled from 8.2 percent to 15 percent from 1990 to 2008, a span of 18 years. In comparison, atheists and agnostics lingered at 0.9 percent and 0.7 percent.
Regardless of disassociation with religion or atheism, the study points to a rise in unbelief. In Europe, the numbers climb much higher. Sweden remains the poster child of "nones" as researchers place the percentage of non-believers between 69 percent and 85 percent.
No real statistics exist regarding the number of teenage "nones," atheists and agnostics. However, two vocal nonbelievers at Augusta Preparatory Day School hold interesting views on the subject of unbelief and religion.
Alex Shaw, 17, a senior, who attended church for the first 16 years of his life, cited its obvious benefit: "Well I get to sleep in now on Sundays."
He is not critical of his church experience.
"It was fine, we always had an awesome youth program. I liked church as a community I just never believed in what the community was based on."
He had called himself an agnostic until a week ago when he finished Sam Harris's Letter to a Christian Nation. Now he identifies as an atheist.
Joe Shively, 17, a senior, lived in the Netherlands from age 13 to 16. He has never been religious and has never faced any pressure to be. He recalled a moment in the first grade when he responded to another child talking about God's Creation with a fact from the Discovery Channel.
"It was something about prokaryotes on an asteroid," he remembers.
His take on religion is that of many atheists.
"I think it's a crutch in the context that it's an avoidance of dealing with the fact that reality sucks and there are questions we can't answer. That said, if it's something that helps you as a person, that's great, as long as it's not something you use to harm the rights, civil liberties, and well-being of others."
Among atheists, there are those who call for equal respect for all religions and those who are quick to denounce it as evil. An example of the former is outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins who goes so far as to call religions "mind viruses." Dubbed "new atheists," their intent is to counter religious teaching. Their books, such as Sam Harris' Letter to a Christian Nation top the bestseller charts. Many critics of the movement liken its intolerance of religions to the intolerance of fundamentalists.
Actions of these "new atheists" include "Blasphemy Day," an event celebrated with a litany of sacrilegious acts such as de-baptizing by using hairdryers and anti-religious art. Less offensive but as controversial is the tongue in cheek Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, created by Bobby Henderson in the wake of the decision by the Kansas State Board of Education to require schools to teach intelligent design alongside evolution.
Teen Board member Stefan O'Kula is a senior at Augusta Preparatory Day School
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Just signs of the end times. The Bible says the fool has said there is no God. It takes a ton of faith to believe there is no God and a creation without a creator. Lots of faith. Plenty of ministry opportunities out there; very exciting.
@soldout: But the Bible also says he who says fool is in danger of hell, so you're heading that way yourself...
It takes no faith to say there is no god - you don't believe in Thor, Zeus, Amun, etc, so you can easily see how little faith it takes to not believe in the misogynistic, violent, homophobic, tribal god Yahweh.
end of times? right! we have more to fear from the LHC than stories from a book
I dont call anyone a fool but God has the authority to do that.
@soldout: which god? There are over 2,000 to choose from. Please explain why yours is real and the others are not; the explanation has to include why you can't use the same reasoning against your own favored interpretation.
I see it as a sign that the human race is "growing up", or evolving, if you will. The idea of a god has been around since the dawn of man. It helped explain the things they couldn't understand, like the changing seasons, the stars in the sky, or anything else they couldn't figure out. We've come a long way since then, and like a child who has suddenly realized there is no Santa, we are coming to the realization that there is no "big eye" looking down on every move we make. One can be a spiritual person without believing in a god, just as one can follow the peaceful, compassionate life-style of Jesus without believing in God.
These posts are very encouraging to Christians. The fields are white. Never been a more exciting time to be a Christian.
I recomend to young atheists this blog - www.youngfreethought.blogspot.com
Submissions from writers aged 16-21 are acceted on issues such as atheism, philosophy, rationalism, humanism and science.
Well, soldout, we know what your selling. Elmer Gantry anyone?
I like that. "critics of the movement liken its intolerance of religions to the intolerance of fundamentalists."
Yup. We're "intolerant" of religions - oppressive, misogynistic, homophobic religions that try to jam dark age-mythology into science classes.
We're also intolerant of child abuse and other forms of domestic violence.
The word "intolerant" is used as a framing device to make it seem like it's a bad thing and make false equivalences.
i.e. Nazis are intolerant of jews
=
Atheists are intolerant of religion
When in reality, the equation looks more like this:
Religions across the world are intolerant of women's rights
=
Atheists are intolerant of religious bigots' intolerance of basic human rights.
I'm glad to see that they are reading books like Sam Harris' book, "Letter to a Christian Nation". His other book, "The End of Faith", is also fascinating. soldout, isn't this what free will is all about?
Amazing....the "Teen" section of the Augusta Chronicle shows greater intelligence and open mindedness than does the Editorial page. This is very encouraging thought from some of the young citizens of Augusta. Keep up the good work!!! I hope the adults in the community will listen and learn from today's young people, but they won't. Instead they will criticize and ridicule your rational thought. Don't let the hate, FEAR, and misunderstanding of these individuals keep you from the truth. We need more of our species to open their eyes and minds to what the FACTS show. It's time to end this disease called religion which has only served to separate and divide all of us. Religion has served it's purpose and now it is time to put an end to the greatest proliferator of hatred, bigotry, war, and mind control the world has ever seen. Let reason rule!!!!
You're right in that adults won't listen and learn. The ones who believe do so because they've probably had religion beaten, both literally and figuratively, into them from the time they were born, so they do the same to their kids. I know. They tried it on me. Fortunately, I saw the hypocrisy at an early age, so I've never told my kids what they should or should not believe in, never espoused the racial slurs that I heard day in and day out while growing up, and tried not to criticize others, at least while in their(the kids') presence. In other words, I did my best to learn from my parents' mistakes. Mine are grown now and doing just fine. So all of you, please, when you do go out into the world and have kids, think back to how you felt when your "all knowing" parents wouldn't listen to you. I'm not saying to let them run wild, but at least let them have their own beliefs. They're smart enough to figure it out.
Wow!
Google rationalist or skeptic griggsy to find many sites where you young people can discuss your views.
I saw the light at age 16. Now 61, I do just fine without the Ground of Being or Sky Pappy.
Um, Stefan. This article was great. It was educational and interesting. I liked hearing what the student from the Netherlands take was. Good job, man.
@soldout, So turns out I'm the Alex Shaw in the article and I identify with the New Atheist movement. I loved you saying this is the sign of the end times, because people have literally been thinking that ever since Jesus died. People a year after Jesus died were expecting his return to be in their lifetime. However I feel flattered that you think God would end the world because of my non-belief.
The religious industry is a lot like the tobacco industry: if they couldn't peddle their products to children and get them addicted before youths are 20 years old, they would never get them addicted.
This is why priests and pastors are so insistent on molesting children with religion, because they could never compete on a level ideological and philosophical playing field. Their arguments would never stand up.