Author claims "Atheism will replace Religion by 2041"

[Orphia Nay]

"In a new study, Irish author and biopsychologist Nigel Barber is claiming atheism will replace religion by the year 2041."

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/355204#ixzz2aDp8c3Y6

Barber's article in Psychology Today:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...hy-atheism-will-replace-religion-new-evidence

Barber's ebook:
Why Atheism Will Replace Religion: The triumph of earthly pleasures over pie in the sky

 

[AdMan]

"In a new study, Irish author and biopsychologist Nigel Barber is claiming atheism will replace religion by the year 2041."

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/355204#ixzz2aDp8c3Y6

Barber's article in Psychology Today:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...hy-atheism-will-replace-religion-new-evidence

Barber's ebook:
Why Atheism Will Replace Religion: The triumph of earthly pleasures over pie in the sky

It's too late here to start reading any of these links (I'll get to them tomorrow), but the thread title makes me smile, even though I think it's probably overly optimistic.

 

[Mudcat]

It's too late here to start reading any of these links (I'll get to them tomorrow), but the thread title makes me smile, even though I think it's probably overly optimistic.

I don't think it's overly optimistic at all. I personally believe that organized religion will be largely a thing of the past within the next fifty years.

 

[AdMan]

I don't think it's overly optimistic at all. I personally believe that organized religion will be largely a thing of the past within the next fifty years.

I hope you're right, my friend! Don't know where you live, but in some countries that worthwhile goal may be farther away than in others.

Can't wait till the last stone from the last church falls on the last priest.

 

[Aepervius]

It's too late here to start reading any of these links (I'll get to them tomorrow), but the thread title makes me smile, even though I think it's probably overly optimistic.

I seriously doubt that religion will ever die. What I am betting is that trditional religion will slow down and die out, and other stuff will replace it in a religion like fashion. All the woo we see cited in these forum, like Big foot and UFO=Alien believer, they all have religion like aspect to them. I am guessing that some of those or similar will resurge , it may not look or be flagged as religion (like UFO=Alien believer) by I would argue will be handled as one.

I am seriously doubting that the majority of the population will ever be able to abandon any kind of belief whatsoever, without an explosion of their society, especially in country where the conditions of life are so incredibly poor. Religion might make those condition for some people "acceptable", but without religion ? Doubtful.

Is the author saying that by 2041 earth will be an eden with all people on earth living in comfort ? No ? then religion will not die by then.

 

[MikeG]

Not 2040?...................or 2042? Eerily precise guess that.

I hope that the bulk of the work is done well before then, as I'll be in my 80's by the 2040s. I want to tell a lot of people "I told you so", and being old and doddery I'll have probably forgotten how to use the internet by then.

 

[Orphia Nay]

I think he might be a bit optimistic, but he's not saying all forms of woo will be gone. Religion is just one of them (a big one), which will hopefully be crossed off the list.

 

[MikeG]

I don't think it's overly optimistic at all. I personally believe that organized religion will be largely a thing of the past within the next fifty years.

You don't think the title is over optimistic in claiming 2041, but then go on to say you think it will be gone by (2013 + 50 =) 2063. So is the thread title optimistic or pessimistic?

 

[catsmate]

I don't think it's overly optimistic at all. I personally believe that organized religion will be largely a thing of the past within the next fifty years.

Personally I suspect organised religion, and religious belief in general, will exist in (say) 2063 but be irrelevant to most people's lives. Think UK, Scandinavia or the way Ireland's going.
However I'm concerned about the transition; I suspect that as they see their influence waning some religious leaders will cause more strife and harm.

 

[Acleron]

Personally I suspect organised religion, and religious belief in general, will exist in (say) 2063 but be irrelevant to most people's lives. Think UK, Scandinavia or the way Ireland's going.
However I'm concerned about the transition; I suspect that as they see their influence waning some religious leaders will cause more strife and harm.

Yes, I cannot see that such large organisations will just peacefully give up. As their income stream decreases only the more extreme adherents will be left with no one in the organisation to balance their views.

 

[bobwtfomg]

I also think Barber is being over optimistic but this

"In my new study of 137 countries, I also found that atheism increases for with a well developed welfare state (as indexed by high taxation rates," Barber writes. "Moreover, countries with a more equal distribution of income had more atheists."

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/355204#ixzz2aF7ME8Z3

might help explain why so many religious fundamentalists are so conservative.

 

[Arcade22]

I don't think it's overly optimistic at all. I personally believe that organized religion will be largely a thing of the past within the next fifty years.

Considering the population growth in Africa and across the Islamic world that's really unlikely.

 

[SusanB-M1]

I think he might be a bit optimistic, but he's not saying all forms of woo will be gone. Religion is just one of them (a big one), which will hopefully be crossed off the list.

I think it's likely that non-belief will become the majority in numbers of people and that there will still be many religious groups.

 

[Jono]

I don't think it's overly optimistic at all. I personally believe that organized religion will be largely a thing of the past within the next fifty years.

Apart from places like Scandinavia, where??

 

[rjh01]

Religion will slowly decrease in importance. It will not die out. Though some countries are further ahead than others. For example in Australia only a minority of people go to church at least once a month and being an atheist is not a barrier to being Prime Minister. The situation is different in the USA.

I do not think that other superstitions will replaced religion. I think they will die out too. Look at old newspapers and you will find all sorts of woo, especially medical treatments that do nothing. We will be more sensitive to woo though.

 

[Humes fork]

Unfortunately I think it is too optimistic. But I hope the research has it right, it can't happen too soon. The world would be a better place for sure.

I don't think it's overly optimistic at all. I personally believe that organized religion will be largely a thing of the past within the next fifty years.

These sorts of predictions have historically failed. Thinkers as diverse as Millians and Marxists have predicted that religion would fade soon, yet it didn't happen. Religion is actually surging in China if I'm not mistaken. Though China is a special case as it became irreligious due to political enforcement, not organically through education.

 

[Jono]

So, are societies become more secularised? Going by the past century, probably. Going by the past couple of decades... what the heck kind of country are you lookin' at?

 

[Mudcat]

Personally I suspect organised religion, and religious belief in general, will exist in (say) 2063 but be irrelevant to most people's lives.

Oh, I agree. The organized religions of the world will probably still be prevalent in more third world nations and they might have a small presence in the first world nations but won't be able to influence politics like they have so far. Religion will become largely a private thing, as it should be.

Think UK, Scandinavia or the way Ireland's going.
However I'm concerned about the transition; I suspect that as they see their influence waning some religious leaders will cause more strife and harm.

I agree. I can see bloodshed and turmoil as alternative organized religions (say Islam) trying to wrestle power from failing religions (say Christianity), in the end the petty squabbles will work to undo their power.

 

[Humes fork]

So, are societies become more secularised? Going by the past century, probably. Going by the past couple of decades... what the heck kind of country are you lookin' at?

China no, the Middle East no. The Western world yes.

 

[Orphia Nay]

Considering the population growth in Africa and across the Islamic world that's really unlikely.

Barber addresses that point here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nigel-barber/atheism-to-defeat-religion-by-2038_b_1565108.html

The notion that improving living conditions are associated with a decline in religion is supported by a mountain of evidence (1,2,3).

That does not prevent some serious scholars, like political scientist Eric Kaufmann (4), from making the opposite case that religious fundamentalists will outbreed the rest of us. Yet, noisy as they can be, such groups are tiny minorities of the global population and they will become even more marginalized as global prosperity increases and standards of living improve.

Moreover, as religious fundamentalists become economically integrated, young women go to work and produce smaller families, as is currently happening for Utah's Mormons.

However, I'd like to see stats.