Is Christianity growing faster than atheism?

[Haven]

…You'll find it is [atheists] who are detached from reality in the face of this. This is why Christianity is growing faster than Atheism (sic).

Debate questions: Is Christianity growing faster than atheism? Either way, is that relevant to the truth value of either set of claims?

(Support all claims with evidence, preferably peer-reviewed).

[Incognito]

[Replying to Haven in post #7] That's actually false. The enemy keeps you from experiencing the peace and joy of God by convincing you to believe a lie. I don't know how you envision Christ, but I believe he knows more than the best psychologist ever could prod out of you, and his love and patience for those who seek these hidden treasures in the fullness of God is not denied to you, no matter how lowly you might think he thinks of you. I learned this listening to a Seer named Mica on a YouTube channel called The Deep End W/Taylor Welch. It was a stirring testimonial. It's actually the thing that caused something to click in my head, that Jesus actually does love and understand people rather than act as this figure filled with anger and disappointment with no understanding of what you feel except that it is wrong. The power to shift paradigms is in the joy and the peace that we choose willingly to receive in the fullness of truth, not through the lies that we tell ourselves. It is my belief that God wishes to raise people up, not tear them down over such things. Love God and receive his gifts, and your hope in Christ should not be for this life, but rather for the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. This is not denied to anyone who seeks God through the altar of salvation that he has prepared for us through the blood of Christ, and no enemy shall prosper against you. We are our own worst enemy now, he has stipped the enemy of their power through this act of divine love and mercy. Would you now deny it was a true love? Weigh what I have said.

[Haven]

[Replying to Haven in post #7] That's actually false. The enemy keeps you from experiencing the peace and joy of God by convincing you to believe a lie.

Please produce evidence that:

1. The “enemy” exists.

2. That I’m convinced to believe a lie.

I don't know how you envision Christ, but I believe he knows more than the best psychologist ever could prod out of you, and his love and patience for those who seek these hidden treasures in the fullness of God is not denied to you, no matter how lowly you might think he thinks of you.

I don’t believe the Christ of faith exists. I’m an atheist. I’d be open to changing my mind in response to evidence. Vague psychoanalyses and references to demons I don’t believe exist won’t convince me.

I learned this listening to a Seer named Mica on a YouTube channel called The Deep End W/Taylor Welch.

Please provide evidence that:

-the supernatural exists

-“seers” can gain access to it.

As I say over and over again to fundamentalists here, hearsay is not a path to truth.

It was a stirring testimonial. It's actually the thing that caused something to click in my head, that Jesus actually does love and understand people rather than act as this figure filled with anger and disappointment with no understanding of what you feel except that it is wrong. The power to shift paradigms is in the joy and the peace that we choose willingly to receive in the fullness of truth, not through the lies that we tell ourselves. It is my belief that God wishes to raise people up, not tear them down over such things. Love God and receive his gifts, and your hope in Christ should not be for this life, but rather for the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. This is not denied to anyone who seeks God through the altar of salvation that he has prepared for us through the blood of Christ, and no enemy shall prosper against you. We are our own worst enemy now, he has stipped the enemy of their power through this act of divine love and mercy. Would you now deny it was a true love? Weigh what I have said.

Cool story. Do you have any evidence that it’s actually true?

[1213]

I never made that claim

Ok.

With that said, the data I posted showed atheism is still growing faster than Christianity in most of the world. You’ve handwaved it away without addressing it.

As you said: "Popularity and truth are almost totally unrelated".

How is the Bible relevant here? The debate question is about the popularity of Christianity, which is an empirical question. Quoting ancient goat herders is a red herring.

Speaking about goat herders is a red herring.

Bible is relevant, because it defines what is Christianity and it also shows only few will find the way. And my point was, popularity doesn't make something true or not true. And by what is said in the Bible, we can expect that the Christianity Bible teaches, is not very popular.

[historia]

If you’re claiming Christianity is growing faster, please be kind and support it with evidence.

Perhaps I can lend a hand here by simply pointing back to one of the sources you yourself cited in post #2, the Pew Forum report on religious population growth projections:



According to that report, by 2050, the number of Christians is projected to increase by 35%, while the religiously unaffiliated (which includes atheists) is projected to increase by only 9%.

Is Christianity growing faster than atheism?

It's hard to say for certain, for a few reasons:

First, the best demographic data that we possess is tracking religious affiliation rather than belief, as such. So it's better here to speak of Christians and atheists than Christianity and atheism.

Second, much of the data we possess comes from national surveys and censuses that don't track atheists as a category, but instead those who don't claim any religious affiliation -- that's why Pew tracks that broader category. It's unclear what percentage of the world's religiously unaffiliated are atheists, but they tend to be a small minority of that group in western countries. Their particular growth rate could therefore differ from that of the broader category.

Third, the data from China is highly problematic, given the Chinese Communist government's variable suppression of religion. Since China has a huge population, and a large majority of the world's atheists live in China, how one interprets the differing estimates of religious adherence (including that of Christianity) in China can have a significant impact on the numbers here.

All that being said, I think the data does show that Christians as a group are likely growing faster than atheists.