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Losing your religion? You’re not alone.
Study says atheists in state up 9 percent since 1990; UW-Madison students consider world with no God
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You can tell Nick Jikomes’ worldview from the way he sits. When pondering religion, the University of Wisconsin junior tilts back in his chair and grasps for a better view of the big picture. Using wide and sweeping gestures, he ends his statements with “Right?” as if they are not valid without absolute confirmation. But if you have to ask, Jikomes has no problem telling you.
“I consider myself an atheist and a humanist,” Jikomes said. “An atheist is someone who rejects the idea of God outright.”
The current atmosphere for those like Jikomes is frenzied. The results of the recent American Religious Identification Survey revealed the number of people claiming no religion in Wisconsin is up to 15 percent, up from 6 percent in 1990 and consistent with the rest of the country.
Cultural landmarks reflect these findings. President Barack Obama addressed nonbelievers in his inaugural speech, being the first president to ever do so. The works of prominent atheists Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett and Christopher Hitchens are bestsellers. If not in sheer population, awareness of religious skeptics is growing now more than ever before.
“People who don’t believe don’t risk much today,” said UW professor Ronald Numbers, an expert on creationism in America. “In the past you could lose your job, you could be ostracized socially.”
As the president of Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics at UW, Jikomes knows a thing or two about belief — or lack of it. Growing up in a moderately religious household, Jikomes attended Catholic school and Christian doctrine classes known as CCD. In high school he started questioning contradictions and inconsistencies he saw in religion. The process of “de-conversion,” Jikomes said, was gradual and psychologically difficult for the former churchgoer.
“If you believe that the worst sin is to reject the idea of God, and it’s unforgivable, that means you’re going to hell,” Jikomes said.
Although some students in Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics at UW-Madison come from a strict fundamentalist background, many in the group share Jikomes’ story. A normal discussion-style meeting draws 10 to 12 regulars, Jikomes said, while more show up for guest speakers and lectures. The organization’s Facebook group holds about 70 members.
“There’s a lot more non-religious people on this campus than anywhere else you’re likely to go in this country,” Jikomes said.
Even with the tolerant climate at UW, however, a large and tightly knit community of nonbelievers is lacking. Religious organizations are by comparison still much more apparent, with 53 student groups currently registered with the university.
Unlike Jikomes, UW sophomore Evan Bretzmann leans forward in his seat with an almost overflowing affection and rarely motions with his hands. As a devout Christian, Bretzmann attends Blackhawk Church in Madison, leads a men’s Bible study in his dorm and MCs Campus Crusade for Christ’s weekly meetings that routinely draw 300 people.
“I worship God,” Bretzmann said. “I think atheists worship themselves. There’s times that I do that too, but deep down I think that God is so much more worthy of my worship.”
Jikomes said he understands why so many people flock to God and religious groups in particular.
”Humans are a social species,” Jikomes said. “That’s the way our brains work. We always want to be a part of something, and religion offers a big ‘something’ to people. That’s why it’s so powerful.”
When it comes to reasons for the country’s substantial increases in those claiming no religion, Jikomes and Bretzmann are divided.
Jikomes speculates much of the shift in the religious identity in the nation is a response to Sept. 11 and subsequent political events in the country, which, Jikomes believes, have imbued Christian beliefs into U.S. laws.
“I think there’s been sort of a backlash, especially when you consider things like stem cell research,” Jikomes said. “And we’ve had restrictions on that for reasons that seem silly to everyone except the devoutly religious.”
Bretzmann, however, views the recent findings as a temporary phenomenon.
”In terms of Christianity, the last 2000 years, it’s gone up and down,” Bretzmann said. “Right now I would view it as a minor fluctuation. I don’t think [non-belief] is going to keep rising till it’s 100 percent.”
Numbers said those who don’t identify with a particular religion are not necessarily atheist or even agnostic.
“Fifty years ago, there was very little talk about spirituality,” Numbers said. “Today a lot of people talk about being spiritual but not religious. It’s not necessarily true that unbelievers are not spiritual.”
While the waters of religious identification may never be as easy to navigate as the parted Red Sea, Jikomes is sure of one thing.
“We can’t be afraid to discuss these things, and we also can’t be afraid to disagree,” Jikomes said. “We can’t be afraid to be wrong, because there’s always that possibility.”
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“I worship God,” Bretzmann said. “I think atheists worship themselves. There’s times that I do that too, but deep down I think that God is so much more worthy of my worship.”
You know, it sounds to me like Bretzmann is the one worshiping himself. I believe in God too, but whatever happened to “love your neighbor as you love yourself”? And “let he who is without sin cast the first stone”? It sounds to me like Bretzmann is a judgmental tool and a lousy Christian.
“We can’t be afraid to discuss these things, and we also can’t be afraid to disagree,” Jikomes said. “We can’t be afraid to be wrong, because there’s always that possibility.”
This statement is profound, with eternal consequences. We absolutely SHOULD discuss these things… Praise God, either way, Christ is preached, and maybe, just maybe, someone will ask the question: “What if I AM wrong? What are the consequences of my being wrong? Eternal LIFE? or Eternal Death?” “God has said that He is not a man that He should lie” and if I so choose to believe, what is the gain? If it is eternal death, you already have that…. but our hope is eternal life which He has promised and cannot lie.. so if we are wrong, our hope in the God of the Universe through Jesus Christ would mean eternal life…. I will take my chances on believing in the Son, and the hope of eternal life. Who promises not only abundant life here, but eternal life with Him.
I would ask that anyone reading this would just say “Jesus, if you are real, reveal it to me”. Blessings to all.
“I think atheists worship themselves” That’s a pretty idiotic world view - humans have no intrinsic need to worship something. You believe in and worship God, that’s fine by me. Just treat me and my non-belief with the same respect I give you.
“An atheist is someone who rejects the idea of God outright.” I disagree. You don’t have to reject the idea of God to be an atheist. As an atheist, I don’t believe in god(s) - that is, I am skeptical. Skepticism and disbelief is different than an outright rejection of god.
“Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you’d have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.” - Steven Weinberg
If you need God and the threat of eternal hellfire to refrain from stealing, killing, and being nice to your neighbor, you’re probably a sociopath. Most atheists can do that just fine without worrying about whether or not we can chill with Jesus in the afterlife.
It is important to realize that you can be spiritual without subscribing to a certain religious belief or even while identifying as an atheist. It is narrow-minded to say that atheists worship themselves when there are so many other avenues in which they may choose to invest a different version of faith such as their relationships with those around them. There is a misconception that atheists do not have values and faith because they do not believe in a god, but there are certainly other sources from which to glean values and atheists are just as capable of leading a life that is a positive influence on other people and the world.
Katie Witham
That the central ritual of Christanity is an act of symbolic canibalism is somewhat disturbing, don’t you think?
And isn’t it true that the Patriarch of the Jews, Christians and Moslems was all set to murder his son because he heard a voice in his head?
Look at it this way - I just beleive in one less god than most people in the USA.
“But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” -Thomas Jefferson
Thank “God” religion is losing hold in this country. I would be most happy to see Islam and Christianity die out.
Islam is a horrible religion that degrades and dehumanizes Women (even if there are “peaceful” followers, the main states like Saudi Arabia and what not represent the religion just as much as you)
Christianity is judgmental and closed minded
2:09, Jewish much?
6:05 No not at all, I just don’t find jewish people so judgmental. I don’t really know any personally though.
11:39 Well, that’s why you think that! All religious groups have some people that act that way (i.e. misinterpret their religious teachings).
I like what Evan had to say. It isn’t about whether you worship or not. We all worship something. While other things, including ourselves, science, sports teams, the earth, all vie for our affections, God is the only one truly worthy of our worship.
Why do the REALLY REALLY religious think it’s going to change my mind to quote scripture to me? It turns me off even more.