Quote from: popcorn1 on February 27, 2016, 06:39:53 AM

Quote from: CoinCube on February 27, 2016, 05:42:42 AM

Quote from: af_newbie on February 26, 2016, 01:14:11 PM

...
In the 21st century, we have other concepts that essentially function as religions. Secular governments, science, data.

Bitcoin is an example. Two strangers trust bitcoin value because they trust Math behind it. They are willing to co-operate (in this case exchange value) despite the fact that they don't know each other, might be actually enemies otherwise. But they will co-operate the same way two Christian Kingdoms co-operated to kill and plunder pagan tribes.

You don't need to suspend your reason to believe some bronze age nonsense, today, you have other options.

af_newbie I am not suggesting you suspend your reason. I am advising you fully engage it.

Upthread Moloch brought Pascals Renewed Wager to our attention.

In this paper we see that belief in God coupled with observance of belief is correlated with numerous health outcomes including:

1) Happiness
2) Physical health
3) Mental health
4) Longevity
5) Stable marital relations

The data in the OP allows us to add fertility to that list.

The only possible counter is to argue that it's all just illusion with some other ultimate cause. That is exactly what the atheist counter paper cited by Moloch tries to do. The 15 page paper is full to the brim with attempt after attempt to to explain away the data. If you are looking for tips on how to strongly argue a weak position its a great source.

The reality is I have yet to see a single study where atheist (of any stripe) outperform the very religious on health metrics. Furthermore there is not a single current or historic non-religious group that has maintained reproductive replacement levels on the communal level.

If someone came to your door marketing lab grown soylent green and meat-x plus you would probably ask a several pointed questions before abandoning fruits vegetables and fish.

Specifically:

A) Are those eating soylent green maintaining physical health?
B) Do they live as long as those eating traditional diets?
C) Could the artificial stuff contain poisons that do bad things like reduce your fertility?

If you would ask these hard questions about soylent green why wouldn't you ask them of atheism? Wishful thinking aside there is no evidence to suggest that modern contrivances like socialism, humanism, or nationalism function as a viable and sustainable replacements for religion.

Bitcoin is a great example. Two strangers can transact in bitcoin because they have confidence in the consensus it represents. The math behind bitcoin is simply a tool that helps keep that consensus strong. This is why the hard fork controversy is so bitter. It is an attack on consensus in one of the few areas where math is not protective.

This is probably a major reasons why religious people distrust atheist religion can be looked at as a moral consensus. It is a system of rules which it's adherents (sometimes nominally) agree to live by. By declaring themselves atheists individuals choose to publicly reject that consensus which leads to suspicion. The bitcoin equivalent would be a miner publicly supporting a closed source hardfork.

126-year-old living atheist celebrates birthday?
#1 Postby CIS » Feb 03, 2011 8:07 pm

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEcKbbcNfm8[/youtube]
No international longevity research body has yet verified her claim to be the oldest person ever (the current official titleholderJeanne Calmentdied at age 122 in 1997), but she claims to have been born February 2, 1885, making yesterday her 126th birthday.

In the video above, she claims "not to be much of a believer (in afterlife/religion)". If she's really the age she claims, she'd have been born just 3 years after Charles Darwin's death.

OLDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD IS AN ATHEIST
RELIGIOUS PEOPLE ARE THICK AS SHIT..So what you say is not true?

Keeping busy makes you live longer FACT not to much stress on the body light walks every day bike rides gardening and so on.

I bet an old person in the garden would last longer than the old person going to church..
I understand why they live longer going to church than a couch potato because there moving around and keeping active..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hxfr5Tg7jY

The video above they were asked what was there secret and not one mentions GOD? OR CHURCH

God gives us all a chance. God had mercy on her, and gave her a particularly long time of opportunity. Did she make it? We will see in the resurrection.

Cool