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Excerpt:

An article at Worldcrunch, under the chipper headline “Nothing Can Stop The Spread Of Latin American Atheism,” points out that

There are currently 60 million Latin Americans who identify as atheist or agnostic, according to a November 2014 Pew Research Center poll. That’s 8% of all Latin Americans, though non-believers are more numerous in some countries in percentage terms: 11% in Argentina, 16% in Chile, 18% in the Dominican Republic, and 37% in the continent’s most secular country, Uruguay.

Other studies — in Chile, for example — suggest growing numbers of non-believers and shrinking numbers of Catholics.

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39 Answers

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there is no god higher than truth
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Of course people change their religions or abandon religion altogether once indoctrinated. I was raised Catholic but, left faith and chose reason instead.

If you're going to converse with me please don't waste my time with the obvious. I don't like games.
(edit/add: I'm not trying to be a ****, I'm just being honest)
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I really don't like either answer. I would prefer a third option. I see being atheism as a belief and Christianity is a belief..I feel that one has free will to follow their own beliefs. I am a christian because I believe that I am here for a reason and that is more then eating sleeping and making money.I choose to be what I am not because someone told me that is what I should be or because someone made me be Christian.

Non believers as well as believers do terrible things and that is because they chose to do them.People say faith is a weakness but having faith demonstrates a strength of character. If atheism is a trend then standing up for Christianity shows a strong Character because of how many atheist ridicule those who believe.

I feel that I have concrete knowledge of the existence of *** or as some say a higher power.I have heard it said that religion does not allow for scientific ideas I don't seem to have that problem. I am a Roman Catholic and I have experience things that reassure me their is a ***. One was a near death experience and the other is the Eucharist.
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Actually, your parents made you a christian. If you had muslim parents your would be brought up to be a muslim and if you had jewish parents, you would be taught to be jewish. We are all actually born atheists and are then taught religion...
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Actually that statement is in error because I know some who were brought up Christian and are now atheist. I know Jews brought Jewish and they are Christians in fact there are many Jews who are Christian as well as many Muslims who became Christian. The Iraq Chaldean s are Catholic Iraqis. So your argument about because your parents were something therefore you will be that holds no water.
My parents were Catholic and of the 5 ******** only two of us are Catholic.My parents taught me to think for myself.
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Unless you're implying America isn't a Christian majority nation, you're wrong and arkiii was right.
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I am not saying America is not a Christian majority nation. I am saying your parents can't make you a Christian that is your choice because some parents raised their ******** to be something other then what they are. It is still called freewill and choice. Then if you look at how many of our so call Christians treat one another are they truly Christian or just christian in name only.

being born atheist seems a bit confusing because one is born with no beliefs and being an atheist is a belief.

Unless I'm misreading the comment
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Why is America a Christian majority nation?

That it is because the parents pass their religion to their ******** is undeniable.

As with all animals, humans are born without any religious indoctrination.

I'm sorry but, you can't just make things up to fit your perspective.
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You mean if someones parent raises them to be christian that is what they will be ? If that is true there would be no atheist.
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It's not confusing....You are born with no knowledge or belief in the concept of "***". Usually, you are taught to believe in whatever *** your family believes in. You all go to the same church, mosque or synagog together. Later in life, some people learn to think for themselves and can decide if they want to follow a certain religion but usually they are already very well indoctrinated into the religion of their youth...
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Yeah... as soon as I posted it I regreted not offering "Other".
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Well in this day and age many people come from a home that might be two different religions therefore you don't all go to church together. I have a friend whose husband is Jewish and she is Catholic the family does not worship together. So the ***** has to make a decision at a young age.

It has been stated that the knowledge of a Higher Being is ingrained in all of us. That is why man started to search worshiping the plants animals or elements of nature.

No one taught them to do this it came as a natural process. I do believe all people think for themselves whether they follow a religion or none whatsoever.

I just don't see it as indoctrination. I taught the confirmation class and I told the youth this is your chance to decide if you want to make confirmation or not and guess what several decided they didn't want to do it and they didn't make it.

I see indoctrination as someone not free to make their own decision. When I was 16 and in school went to a boys school the priest said if you don't believe what you are being taught you need to make that decision as far as what makes you happy. That Priest taught religion class. Therefore my experiences allowed me freedom and my parents stated you have to decide what is best for you because I can't live your life for you.

I have always had...

Well in this day and age many people come from a home that might be two different religions therefore you don't all go to church together. I have a friend whose husband is Jewish and she is Catholic the family does not worship together. So the ***** has to make a decision at a young age.

It has been stated that the knowledge of a Higher Being is ingrained in all of us. That is why man started to search worshiping the plants animals or elements of nature.

No one taught them to do this it came as a natural process. I do believe all people think for themselves whether they follow a religion or none whatsoever.

I just don't see it as indoctrination. I taught the confirmation class and I told the youth this is your chance to decide if you want to make confirmation or not and guess what several decided they didn't want to do it and they didn't make it.

I see indoctrination as someone not free to make their own decision. When I was 16 and in school went to a boys school the priest said if you don't believe what you are being taught you need to make that decision as far as what makes you happy. That Priest taught religion class. Therefore my experiences allowed me freedom and my parents stated you have to decide what is best for you because I can't live your life for you.

I have always had a choice to do something or not. If I didn't feel like going to church I didn't. I guess I come from an unusual family.Now I choose to go to Church. When I had my grandson who is 14 I asked him if he wanted to go to church he said no so he didn't have to go.

Thank you for the discussion
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Atheism is no more a belief than not collecting coins is a hobby. Atheism is simply the lack of belief in any ****. "A," meaning "without," "theism," meaning "belief in a *** or ****."

Saying that everyone is born atheist, with no belief or even knowledge of any **** is entirely accurate.
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Ok thank you for that explanation
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the statement is not in error...Let me explain my point....You are born with no knowledge or belief in the concept of "***". Usually, you are taught to believe in whatever *** your family believes in. You all go to the same church, mosque or synagog together. Later in life, some people learn to think for themselves and can decide if they want to follow a certain religion but usually they are already very well indoctrinated into the religion of their youth...
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Ok thank you making that clear
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I am an atheist, and I still say that it's a bad thing. I have been around other atheist, and I had to quit it. I couldn't stand being around them because they are so liberal. It's disgusting!!!
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The atheists I know in my personal life are all libertarian, most of whom lean conservative.
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It's ok ..
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I pick this just as a dig for this poll being unfair with only two options.
Fact is it's neither good or bad.
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More people are willing to learn about the about science and how things are the way they are rather than just believe what an ancient book told us. However, I do agree with most people when they should have had an "undecided" ****** or something like that.
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Depends on one's perspective ... from mine it is bad. Meaning is being lost and lives set adrift. If you disagree, pls keep it to yourself. My opinion and it will not be changed. Thank you.
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It may have its good points and bad points.
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I also wanted to choose an answer that neither good or bad. What someone believes is their own business and to me, I judge people on whether they are kind or not.

What I find distressing as a Christian myself is how many people of faith seem to come off as so hateful and intolerant. I don't know where they learned that it was OK to point daggers at others. My church taught me to love those around me whether I agree with them or not. I don't have to "like" them, but I sure as **** have no right to be rude and hateful.

I am not the least bit surprised that many people have lost their faith or never took one on after the way some have behaved towards their fellow man.
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It has Reason, Logic, and Secular Progress.
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One should not be restricted by debatable non fiction
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Freedom to believe in whatever you choose to believe in without having to be forced into a religion because your parents followed it
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America was founded during the enlightenment - a time when intellectuals lost their religion. Look at religion today, Muslims, Jews, and Christians all have terrorist factions.
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When religion loses its grip we know from history we move forward as a species.
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Atheism has allowed me to find much greater meaning in life, and has helped provide focus and clarity. It's a shame you state outright that your opinion "will not be changed" when that opinion is clearly based on insufficient understanding.
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For over 20 centuries religion has wanted world peace, but, with only ONE ***! AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN! NO ONE is willing to give up THEIR "***"! Once they are all given up (along with their books of rules), we'll have little to fight over!
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You obviously missed this: "If you disagree, pls keep it to yourself. "
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No, I saw that. I just don't take kindly to being inaccurately described and then told to shut up about it. If you don't want replies, don't post judgemental comments on discussion forums.
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I frankly don't care what you take kindly to. I did not describe anything or anyone, including yourself. I gave an opinion and said I did not want to debate it. But you persist, even now. Be off with ya!
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Why do you keep replying to me?!? My opinion was in regards to your statement, so it was appropriate to post it where I did. Now PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE!
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A man or a woman who acts as a medium or fortuneteller shall be put to death by stoning; they have no one but themselves to blame for their death. (Leviticus 20:27 NAB)

If a man still prophesies, his parents, father and mother, shall say to him, "You shall not live, because you have spoken a lie in the name of the Lord." When he prophesies, his parents, father and mother, shall thrust him through. (Zechariah 13:3 NAB)

Suppose a man or woman among you, in one of your towns that the LORD your *** is giving you, has done evil in the sight of the LORD your *** and has violated the covenant by serving other **** or by worshiping the sun, the moon, or any of the forces of heaven, which I have strictly forbidden. When you hear about it, investigate the matter thoroughly. If it is true that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, then that man or woman must be taken to the gates of the town and stoned to death. (Deuteronomy 17:2-5 NLT)

So *** let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about ***, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things *** made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised fo...







A man or a woman who acts as a medium or fortuneteller shall be put to death by stoning; they have no one but themselves to blame for their death. (Leviticus 20:27 NAB)

If a man still prophesies, his parents, father and mother, shall say to him, "You shall not live, because you have spoken a lie in the name of the Lord." When he prophesies, his parents, father and mother, shall thrust him through. (Zechariah 13:3 NAB)

Suppose a man or woman among you, in one of your towns that the LORD your *** is giving you, has done evil in the sight of the LORD your *** and has violated the covenant by serving other **** or by worshiping the sun, the moon, or any of the forces of heaven, which I have strictly forbidden. When you hear about it, investigate the matter thoroughly. If it is true that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, then that man or woman must be taken to the gates of the town and stoned to death. (Deuteronomy 17:2-5 NLT)

So *** let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about ***, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things *** made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen. That is why *** abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have *** and instead indulged in *** with each other. And the men, instead of having normal ****** relationships with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved. When they refused to acknowledge ***, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of ***, insolent, proud, and boastful. They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving. They are fully aware of ***'s death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. (Romans 1:24-32 NLT)


The ark of *** was placed on a new cart and taken away from the house of Abinadab on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab guided the cart, with Ahio walking before it, while David and all the Israelites made merry before the Lord with all their strength, with singing and with citharas, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.
When they came to the threshing floor of Nodan, Uzzah reached out his hand to the ark of *** to steady it, for the oxen were making it tip. But the Lord was angry with Uzzah; *** struck him on that spot, and he died there before ***. (2 Samuel 6:3-7 NAB)

My angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites; and I will wipe them out. (Exodus 23:23 NAB) Does this seem like genocide to you?

One more passage: "You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made other **** and have made me furious with your gold calves. And since you have turned your back on me, I will bring disaster on your dynasty and kill all your sons, slave or free alike. I will burn up your royal dynasty as one burns up trash until it is all gone. I, the LORD, vow that the members of your family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures.'" Then Ahijah said to Jeroboam's wife, "Go on home, and when you enter the city, the ***** will die. All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only member of your family who will have a proper burial, for this ***** is the only good thing that the LORD, the *** of Israel, sees in the entire family of Jeroboam. And the LORD will raise up a king over Israel who will destroy the family of Jeroboam. This will happen today, even now! Then the LORD will shake Israel like a reed whipped about in a stream. He will uproot the people of Israel from this good land that he gave their ancestors and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, for they have angered the LORD by worshiping Asherah poles. He will abandon Israel because Jeroboam sinned and made all of Israel sin along with him." (1 Kings 14:9-16 NLT)
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Not good or bad. Just, "meh."

But to my fellow religious folks:

It could be worse. There could be spreading radical Islam. That would be terrible!
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People are finally waking up to the truth.
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Cool. Guess i hooked up with the wrong crowd.
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