Author: Mawlana Abdul Rahman Mu'tasimi
The Phenomenon of Atheism and Ways to Combat It (Part 7)
Characteristics and General Features of Modern Atheism
The most important characteristics of the modern atheism movement include the following:
– An aggressive approach and an effort to provide reasons to prove the non-existence of Allah (SWT), while traditional atheism had a defensive stance, attempting to defend itself and create skepticism.
– Establishing a connection with science and relying excessively on the natural sciences. Classical atheism viewed science as neutral; however, the new atheism movement attempts to present itself as a scientific theory, framing its arguments in the form of scientific hypotheses and striving to present them as scientific facts.
– The modern atheism movement is expressed in simple and understandable language for the general public, utilizing fields such as modern physics, evolutionary biology, cognitive sciences, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence.
– In the new atheism movement, religion and religious beliefs are openly insulted and held responsible for murder, immorality, anarchism, the destruction of the world, and a threat to society and the new generation. In light of this, the new atheism movement takes action to defend itself and combat religion in all possible forms.
– This movement employs extensive media and advertising tools to disseminate its ideas.
Statistics on Atheists and Non-religious Individuals in the Contemporary World
Determining the exact number of atheists (non-believers) is fraught with difficulties. Due to differences in how individuals interpret atheism and similar terms, it is challenging to draw a line between atheism, non-religious beliefs, godless religions, and spiritual beliefs. Furthermore, many atheists do not disclose their non-belief to avoid persecution and scrutiny in certain countries. Additionally, due to the intense promotion of atheism in some governments and its severe condemnation in others, statistics on atheism may vary in accuracy from one country to another.
A study published in 2010 in the Encyclopaedia Britannica indicated that non-religious individuals make up 9.6% of the world’s population, while the population of atheists is 2%. It is estimated that the total number of people who have no belief in the existence of God ranges from 500 million to 1.1 billion worldwide. According to the global “Win-Gallup” survey, 13% of participants identified as atheists in 2012. This figure was 11% in 2015 and 9% in 2017. Based on the 2012 survey, among the countries surveyed, China (47%), Japan (31%), the Czech Republic (30%), France (29%), South Korea (15%), Germany (15%), the Netherlands (14%), Austria (10%), Iceland (10%), Australia (10%), and the Republic of Ireland (10%) had the highest percentages of atheists.
In the 2012 “Eurobarometer” survey, 16% of individuals in the European Union identified as non-believers/agnostics, and 7% identified as atheists. According to a 2012 Pew Research Center survey, non-religious individuals (including agnostics and atheists) make up 18% of the population in Europe. The same survey revealed that in two European countries, non-religious individuals constitute the majority of society: in the Czech Republic, 75% of individuals identified as followers of no religion; this figure was 60% in Estonia.
According to research, 858 million non-religious individuals (including atheists) live in Asia (excluding the Middle East); non-religious individuals include those who do not follow any religion as well as those who believe in the existence of God or gods but do not adhere to any religious practices.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 30% of Australians have no religion, which includes atheists. Based on a survey by the World Values Survey, in 2014, only 4.4% of Americans identified as atheists. However, the percentage of non-religious individuals in the U.S. is much higher. According to the American Family Survey, 34% of Americans identified as non-religious, which includes atheists and agnostics.
The Arab and Islamic World
A survey conducted by the Gallup Institute in 2012 showed that 5% of Saudis consider themselves atheists. According to research, less than 1% of residents in Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan do not believe in the existence of Allah (SWT), and this figure ranges from 3% to 7% in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Palestine.
Based on a Pew survey in 2012, the percentage of atheists in Iran was 0.1%. However, according to a survey by the Gaman Institute in June 2020, the number of non-religious individuals in Iran has reached approximately 50%, which includes 9% atheists, while 78% of Iranians believe in Allah (SWT). Additionally, 32% of the community identify as Shia Muslims.
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