Falling birth rates in Europe and rising ones in Africa could spell decline in atheism - Polidicks

[quote] A combination of surging population growth in Christian Africa and population decline in Europe could signal the decline of atheism, a world-renowned geneticist has claimed. According to Steve Jones, a professor in genetics at University College London’s Galton Laboratory, population decline in religiously sceptical European countries combined with rapid population growth in central Africa could see a resurgence of Christianity, leaving sceptics in a minority. Speaking at the Hay Literary Festival he argued that religion grows rapidly during large population booms, particularly in poorer countries, while in Europe the Christian faith is stagnating as birth rates drop below the levels required to avoid population decline. Prof Jones, who is one of the world’s experts on the genetics of snails and regularly appears on television and radio, pointed out that Britain was the only Christian country in Europe that is “replacing its population” In comments at the festival reported by the Telegraph, he said, “We atheists sometimes congratulate ourselves that the incidence of religious belief is going down.” “But religious people have more children,” he added. “Where are people having the most children? It’s in the tropics and in Africa. It’s clearly the case that the future will involve an increase in religious populations and a decrease in scepticism. We may not need more scientists but more theologists.” [/quote] [url]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/steve-jones-at-the-hay-festival-falling-birth-rates-in-europe-and-rising-ones-in-africa-could-spell-decline-in-atheism-9436397.html[/url]

This is how the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper.

[QUOTE=seano12;44925679]This is how the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper.[/QUOTE] Sort of the opposite because technically they are banging a lot more

Figures we would be out bred of all things.

Can't wait for common depiction of Jesus to shift from western white guy to an African native.

And this is why I'm annoyed at people who advocate letting the population of the western world decline. It is very true that we are currently hogging the earth's resources, but a decline in population also means a decline in the comparatively quite enlightened (because let's be honest, the average person in Europe is quite enlightened compared to what is standard in the poorest parts of the world that are experiencing a population boom these days, especially with many of their governments actively maintaining bigotry and ignorance) attitude and society that allowed us to advance in civil matters to where we are today.

I thought declining birth rates was just a side effect of a country's development? This just seems like trying to imply causation in correlation to me.

It just kind of sucks that the less educated and wealthy you are, the more kids you have on average. It puts a real strain on the welfare systems, and leads to more and more crime ridden areas filling to the brim. Some sort of bubble will burst and it won't be pretty.

[QUOTE=Blooper Reel;44925756]I thought declining birth rates was just a side effect of a country's development? This just seems like trying to imply causation in correlation to me.[/QUOTE] It's a side effect of its culture and society.

This isnt much of an issue. Populations in developing world are growing rapidly but will slow as the countries become more developed. While becoming developed the population will get wealthier and more educated and as a result will become more atheistic.

The reason why they're having so many kids is because to them they're assets at worst, and workforce at best. In this side of the world, instead, they're an immense money whirpool. I think you should have as many as you can afford to bring up properly, in terms of love and nice things.

They have so many kids because women/girls there start having kids at 16-18 years, and in modern countries she needs to finish school, college, travel the world and party, build a career, then maybe after 30 she may consider having a kid or two if it fits in her schedule.

[QUOTE=seano12;44925679]This is how the world ends. Not with a big bang, but with religion.[/QUOTE] ftfy

[QUOTE=seano12;44925679]This is how the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper.[/QUOTE] Did neckbeards discover T.S. Eliot?

Well this is a new spin on the "white genocide" thing

this is like space games where the universe had a really advanced " ancient " race that died out eventually for unknown reasons and now the universe is cluttered with stupid races that have only just become space faring

[QUOTE=niel12_5D;44926100]Did neckbeards discover T.S. Eliot?[/QUOTE] No it's from Metal Gear Solid 2. Who is T.S. Eliot?

[QUOTE=Glitchman;44925783]It just kind of sucks that the less educated and wealthy you are, the more kids you have on average. It puts a real strain on the welfare systems, and leads to more and more crime ridden areas filling to the brim. Some sort of bubble will burst and it won't be pretty.[/QUOTE] But only as long as the rich fucks (that's us) are assholes about education, social permeability and immigration combined with good integration!?

Why do you think these American evangelicals are sending preachers there? They're trying to do the same in China and South America.

[QUOTE=seano12;44925679]This is how the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper.[/QUOTE] Isn't that line from that dumb artsy movie?

[img]http://cdn0.dailydot.com/uploaded/images/original/2013/6/6/KGxIc.png[/img] Well no shit, it's not like this guy is ever going to reproduce.

[QUOTE=Fetret;44926751][img]http://cdn0.dailydot.com/uploaded/images/original/2013/6/6/KGxIc.png[/img] Well no shit, it's not like this guy is ever going to reproduce.[/QUOTE] Let us not forget that are many like him, and Elliot Rodger.

Is this guy taking into account the amount of young people dying before having children themselves over there? Because if you have a birth-rate of 14 children/parent and 11 of them die before having children themselves then you effectively are only generating 1 person/parent per generation (taking into account both parents also dying). TLDR; birth-rate is a bad indicator of population increase.

[QUOTE=seano12;44926768]Let us not forget that are many like him, and Elliot Rodger.[/QUOTE] True, people like Elliot Rodger end up as a net loss too.

Decline in atheism? You mean rise of religion. I don't think disbelief is something that can be quantified, whereas the ammount of followers behind a cult can be. Disregarding the fact that a geneticist has very little business commenting on religious issues, all that a growth in the african christian demographic would accomplish would be shrinking the proportion of non-believers in the world's population; as a matter of fact there will probably be more non-believers, who will make for a smaller part of population, and that's assuming every child born of christian parents will inherit their belief (if it actually worked this way, all of Europe would still be christian). I see the point the article is making. I don't see any point in circlejerking with other "non-believers" about how much a big deal not believing in something is myself, but then again I live in a seculiar country with church separated from state where none of your beliefs has any recognized relevance, so I might not be the one to judge.

[QUOTE=cathal6606;44925873]This isnt much of an issue. Populations in developing world are growing rapidly but will slow as the countries become more developed. While becoming developed the population will get wealthier and more educated and as a result will become more atheistic.[/QUOTE] The Middle East saw the exact opposite development in the Middle Ages. Granted, things are different today, but it shows being scientifically and culturally progressive does not make you immune to religious influences. [editline]28th May 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=davidrb18;44926927]Decline in atheism? You mean rise of religion. I don't think disbelief is something that can be quantified, whereas the ammount of followers behind a cult can be. [/QUOTE] Nicely spotted.

[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;44925691]Can't wait for common depiction of Jesus to shift from western white guy to an African native.[/QUOTE] "Praise Black Jesus!"

[QUOTE=Eva-1337;44927081]"Praise Black Jesus!"[/QUOTE] Well the Middle East is closer to Africa than Europe is, so I guess that could be more accurate than a white Jesus.

[QUOTE=Antlerp;44926235]this is like space games where the universe had a really advanced " ancient " race that died out eventually for unknown reasons and now the universe is cluttered with stupid races that have only just become space faring[/QUOTE] Why are you equating religion with scientific impedence? The Islamic mindset is responsible for large amounts of scientific progress in the 'Dark' Ages, while in contemporary Europe monasteries were the only places keeping scientific knowledge alive. Genetics as we know it was founded by Gregor Mendel, a friar. Clergymen were instrumental in establishing the scientific method, and - perhaps the most relevant to your post - Buzz Aldrin took Communion on the moon. Just because some religious people are opposed to some experiments in science that they find morally abhorrent, does not mean that the religious mind is opposed to science. After all, I don't think anyone here would be willing to unquestioningly support scientific endeavour that they thought was a moral outrage. That is, after all, why we condemn Dr Mengele.

[QUOTE=ExplosiveCheese;44927128]Well the Middle East is closer to Africa than Europe is, so I guess that could be more accurate than a white Jesus.[/QUOTE] Ancient peoples didn't have border checkpoints and coast guards stopping ships from disembarking. So in reality Jesus or his parents could have been from anywhere really. Nubians traveled north into Egypt all the time, Etruscans, Myceneans, Carthaginians, Phoenicians, Assyrians - and the civilizations that followed after them all traveled around the Mediterranean.