Category Archives: religion

Atheists and anti-theists

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The distinction between atheist and anti-theist lies in their attitudes toward belief in God or gods.

Atheist. An atheist is someone who simply does not believe in the existence of a God or gods. Atheism is about a lack of belief, and it can range from passive non-belief to active disbelief, but it does not necessarily imply opposition to religion itself or to religious beliefs.

Anti-theist. An anti-theist, on the other hand, goes a step further. In addition to not believing in God or gods, an anti-theist actively opposes religion and religious belief. This stance often arises from the view that religion is harmful or detrimental to individuals or society. Anti-theists may be outspoken critics of religious institutions and practices, viewing them as misleading or morally problematic.

So, while all anti-theists are atheists, not all atheists are anti-theists.

Answer from ChatGPT

Religious service attendance dropping

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More than three-quarters of Americans say religion’s role in public life is shrinking, per a recent Pew Research Center survey — the highest level since the group first started tracking such sentiment in 2001.

A separate Gallup survey published this week found that Latter-day Saints are the only religious group wherein a majority say they attend services weekly, at 54%.

30% of Protestants say they attend services weekly, compared to 28% of Muslims, 23% of Catholics and 16% of Jews.

The Death Business

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“Religions are in the death business: preparing people for death, pretending to send them off after they’ve died, making believe they know what happens afterward, and explaining to the dead person’s relatives where they think their loved one might be now. Without death most religions don’t have a whole lot to live for.”

— Sit Down and Shut Up (Brad Warner)

More from Brad Warner here, here and here.