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AR 25:5 - How much do atheists know about Christianity?
In this issue:
ATHEISM - at least 'as knowledgeable as Christians' about Christianity
ISLAM - an "Arab-Israeli alliance" takes shape in the Middle East
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES - Oxygen TV premieres "The Witnesses"
Apologia Report 25:5 (1,462)
February 5, 2020
ATHEISM
"10 Facts about Atheists" by Michael Lipka (Pew Research, Dec 6 '19) -- mixed in with the data: "81% say they do not believe in God or a higher power or in a spiritual force of any kind. (Overall, 10% of American adults share this view.) At the same time, roughly one-in-five self-described atheists (18%) say they do believe in some kind of higher power."
What about European atheists? "Atheists make up a larger share of the population in many European countries than they do in the U.S. In Western Europe, where Pew Research Center surveyed 15 countries in 2017, nearly one-in-five Belgians (19%) identify as atheists, as do 16% in Denmark, 15% in France and 14% in the Netherlands and Sweden. But the European country with perhaps the biggest share of atheists is the Czech Republic, where a quarter of adults identify that way. In neighboring Slovakia, 15% identify as atheists, although in the rest of Central and Eastern Europe, atheists have a smaller presence, despite the historical influence of the officially atheist Soviet Union. Like Americans, Europeans in many countries are more likely to say they do not believe in God than they are to identify as atheists, including two-thirds of Czechs and at least half of Swedish (60%), Belgian (54%) and Dutch adults (53%) who say they do not believe in God. In other regions surveyed by the Center, including Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, atheists generally are much rarer." A map of Western Europe's atheist concentration is included.
Reviewing earlier findings: "In the U.S., atheists are mostly men and are relatively young, according to the 2014 Religious Landscape Study. About seven-in-ten U.S. atheists are men (68%). The median age for atheists is 34, compared with 46 for all U.S. adults. Atheists also are more likely to be white (78% vs. 66% of the general public) and highly educated: About four-in-ten atheists (43%) have a college degree, compared with 27% of the general public. Self-identified atheists also tend to be aligned with the Democratic Party and with political liberalism."
How do atheists value religion? "[M]any do not see a contradiction between atheism and pondering their place in the world. About a third of American atheists say they think about the meaning and purpose of life at least weekly (35%), and that they often feel a deep sense of spiritual peace and well-being (31%). In fact, the Religious Landscape Study shows that atheists are more likely than U.S. Christians to say they often feel a sense of wonder about the universe (54% vs. 45%)."
What gives meaning to atheism? In the study, they "were far more likely than Christians to describe hobbies as meaningful or satisfying (26% vs. 10%). Atheists also were more likely than Americans overall to describe finances and money, creative pursuits, travel, and leisure activities as meaningful. Not surprisingly, very few U.S. atheists (4%) said they found life's meaning in spirituality." A chart contrasts atheist values against those of agnostics, "Christians," and "Americans" regarding sources of meaning such as hobbies, travel, money and family.
How about atheist attitudes about religion's role in society? Seven in ten U.S. atheists say "religion's influence is declining in American public life, and that this is a good thing (71%), according to a 2019 survey. Fewer than one-in-five U.S. adults overall (17%) share this view. A majority of atheists (70%) also say churches and other religious organizations do more harm than good in society, and an even larger share (93%) say religious institutions have too much influence in U.S. politics."
Are atheists ignorant about religion? No, "they are quite informed about religion. In Pew Research Center's 2019 religious knowledge survey, atheists were among the best-performing groups, answering an average of about 18 out of 32 fact-based questions correctly, while U.S. adults overall got an average of roughly 14 questions right. Atheists were at least as knowledgeable as Christians on Christianity-related questions...."
Rather than provide atheist opinion on moral certainty, Lipka is general. "Most Americans (56%) say it is not necessary to believe in God to be moral, while 42% say belief in God is necessary to have good values, according to a 2017 survey. In other wealthy countries, smaller shares tend to say that belief in God is essential for good morals, including just 15% in France. But in many other parts of the world, nearly everyone says that a person must believe in God to be moral, including 99% in Indonesia and Ghana and 98% in Pakistan...."
Last, how strong is atheist street cred? "A 2019 Pew Research Center survey asked Americans to rate groups on a 'feeling thermometer' from 0 (as cold and negative as possible) to 100 (the warmest, most positive possible rating). U.S. adults gave atheists an average rating of 49, identical to the rating they gave Muslims (49) and colder than the average given to Jews (63), Catholics (60) and evangelical Christians (56)." <www.pewrsr.ch/3b4QYvu>
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ISLAM
"Islam's reformation: an Arab-Israeli alliance is taking shape in the Middle East: New maps of the Muslim mind are being drawn and old hatreds are on the run" by Ed Husain -- "The anti-Semitic craze to destroy Israel was powerful in the 1960s, uniting Egypt's President Nasser with his fellow Arabs. But now, Sunni Arab neighbours are changing course. Islamist leaders are losing their appeal — at a time when Iran, with its brand of theological fascism, poses a threat to Israel and the Arab world alike.
"Polls show that the percentage of Arabs expressing trust in Islamist parties has fallen by well over a third since the uprisings of 2011. Three-quarters of Iraqis say they do not trust Islamist parties at all, and the number of young people who say they're 'not religious' is also on the rise. This generation wants Arab leaders to increase economic prosperity and minimise political conflicts. And to build alliances, including with Israel." Examples of the change taking place in the UAE, Dubai, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia are provided.
"First, the events of the Arab Spring exposed the fanaticism of the Muslim Brotherhood and other related Islamists, with the hardliners now being viewed as a threat to both Islam as a faith and Muslims as a people. ...
"Second, the need to stand firm against Iran is becoming a cause that unites Israel with Sunni Arabs and anti-Tehran Shiite Muslims in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. ...
"Finally, and most intriguingly, Israel is being seen by moderate Arab governments as a trade and security partner as the West sends mixed signals. Barack Obama abandoned his Arab allies when they faced threats from the Muslim Brotherhood or Iran. ...
"For his part, Netanyahu is optimistic. 'What is happening in practice with Arab states has never happened in our history, even when we signed peace agreements,' he has said. Of course, there is a lot of history to overcome." Spectator (UK), Dec 21 '19 <www.bit.ly/2OkUxnn>
Context: In the January 27 issue of the Wall Street Journal, Josef Joffe reviews Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty-Year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion and Collective Memory in the Middle East, by Kim Ghattas [1], and concludes: "Samuel Huntington’s 'Clash of Civilizations' [2] had it wrong. It is not Islam vs. the West, but Islam against itself." <www.on.wsj.com/36U3NFD>
For more on reform in Islam from our past issues, visit <www.bit.ly/37Ra7yR>
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JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
The press release reads: "Preview 'The Witnesses,' Premiering Feb. 8 on Oxygen" -- "This compelling two-night investigative special follows the stories of four former Jehovah's Witnesses, as they recount details of the sexual abuse they endured during their time within the organization. The Jehovah's Witnesses religion has long relied on its own governing body to set the course by which its followers live their lives. By examining the organization's policies and practices, the special explores whether those procedures operate to conceal the identities of potential child predators. For half a decade Trey Bundy, investigative journalist from the Center for Investigative Reporting <www.bit.ly/3b1TceW> (CIR), has been working to empower the public to protect children within the insular institution, reporting the stories of survivors of sexual abuse.
"Through shocking exclusive interviews and firsthand accounts, the special follows Trey's journey as he inches closer to unveiling dark secrets behind the institution. ... [The victims'] testimonies, along with the work of attorney Irwin Zalkin who provides legal services to victims of abuse, provide a detailed look at the flawed inner-workings of the organization's guiding practices. 'The Witnesses' highlights their search for justice, along with the growing number of former members who are speaking out to change the institution." <www.oxygen.tv/390GSdg>
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SOURCES: Monographs
1 - Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty-Year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion and Collective Memory in the Middle East, by Kim Ghattas (Henry Holt, 2020, hardcover, 400 pages) <www.amzn.to/2SbW4xg>
2 - The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, by Samuel P. Huntington (Simon & Schuster, 2011, paperback, 368 pages) <www.amzn.to/2GTCvEQ>
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