Why Atheism Will Replace Religion

Atheists are heavily concentrated in economically developed countries,

particularly the social democracies of Europe. In underdeveloped countries,

there are virtually no atheists. Atheism is thus a peculiarly modern

phenomenon

Belief in God declines in more developed countries and is concentrated in

Europe in countries such as Sweden (64% nonbelievers), Denmark (48%),

France (44%) and Germany (42%). In contrast, the incidence of atheism in

most sub-Saharan countries is below 1%.

Anthropologist James Fraser proposed that scientific prediction and control

of nature supplants religion as a means of controlling uncertainty in our

lives


the more educated countries have higher levels of non belief and there are

strong correlations between atheism and intelligence


Atheists are more likely to be college-educated people who live in cities

and they are highly concentrated in the social democracies of Europe.

Atheism thus blossoms amid affluence where most people feel economically

secure


It seems that people turn to religion as a salve for the difficulties and

uncertainties of their lives. In social democracies, there is less fear and

uncertainty about the future because social welfare programs provide a

safety net and better health care means that fewer people can expect to die

young.

Large families are preferred in agricultural countries as a source of free

labor. In developed "atheist" countries, women have exceptionally small

families and do not need religion helping them to raise large families


when people experience psychological difficulties they turn to their

doctor, psychologist, or psychiatrist. They want a scientific fix and

prefer the real psychotropic medicines dished out by physicians to the

metaphorical opiates offered by religion.


with better science, and with government safety nets, and smaller families,

there is less fear and uncertainty in people's daily lives and hence less

of a market for religion


http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-beast/201005/why-atheism-will-replace-religion