[[Image:Marijuana.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Researchers at Florida State University found a strong correlation between an individuals's lack of religious involvement and [[marijuana ]] use.<ref>[https://www.civilized.life/articles/correlation-lack-of-religion-and-marijuana-use/ New Study Finds High Correlation Between Lack of Religion and Marijuana Use]</ref>See also: [[Atheism and drug addiction]] and [[Atheism and alcoholism]] ]]
According to ''Scientific American'': "Research also suggests that a religious brain exhibits higher levels of [[dopamine]], a hormone associated with increased attention and [[motivation]]."<ref>[http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/askthebrains/ Ask the Brains, Scientific American, Dec 23, 2011]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and motivation]]
While a lack of motivation can be seen alongside problems such as depression, immaturity, or even learning disabilities, the most commonly cited cause of amotivational syndrome is [[marijuana]] use.<ref>[https://study.com/academy/lesson/amotivation-syndrome-definition-lesson-quiz.html Amotivational Syndrome: Definition & Explanation], Study.com</ref>}}
== Irreligion/nonreligion and marijuan marijuana use. Atheism and illegal drug use and drug addition addiction ==
[[File:Powder meth foil small.jpg|thumbnail|175px|right|Studies indicate that religious individuals are less likely to engage in illegal drug use than atheists/nonreligious.<ref name="drugs">Multiple references:
*Denison, Jim (October 9, 2013). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/believers-consume-fewer-drugs-than-atheists-106266/ "Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists"]. Christian Post website/CP Opinion. Retrieved on May 23, 2015.
**Alternate source of abstract: [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210054 "Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: associations, explanations, and implications" [abstract]]. Retrieved from PubMed.gov on September 10, 2014.</ref> ]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and drug addiction]] and [[Atheism and alcoholism]]
Researchers at Florida State University found a strong correlation between an individuals's lack of religious involvement and marijuana use.<ref>[https://www.civilized.life/articles/correlation-lack-of-religion-and-marijuana-use/ New Study Finds High Correlation Between Lack of Religion and Marijuana Use]</ref>
Studies indicate that religious individuals are less likely to engage in illegal drug use than atheists/nonreligious.<ref name="drugs"/>
According to ''Science Daily'':
{{cquote|Young [[Switzerland|Swiss]] men who say that they believe in [[God]] are less likely to smoke cigarettes or pot or take ecstasy pills than Swiss men of the same age group who describe themselves as atheists. Belief is a protective factor against addictive behaviour. This is the conclusion reached by a study funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.<ref>Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung [Swiss National Science Foundation] (October 3, 2013). [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131003093041.htm "Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists"]. Science Daily website/Science News. Retrieved on May 23, 2015.</ref>}}
Studies indicate that religious individuals are less likely to engage in illegal drug use than atheists/nonreligious.<ref name="drugs"/>
== Atheism and motivation ==
''See also:'' [[Hopelessness of atheism|Atheism and hopelessness]] and [[Atheism, agnosticism and pessimism]] and [[Atheism and meaninglessness]]
[[File:Rev. Dr. Robert Stuart MacArthur.JPG|thumb|rightleft|200px|The Rev. Dr. [[Robert Stuart MacArthur]] was an early proponent of atheism being a causal factor for suicide.<ref>http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html</ref><ref>http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/161/12/2303</ref><ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9507E2DC1131E033A25754C1A96F9C94659ED7CF NY Times, September 17, 1894, ATHEISM A CAUSE OF SUICIDE.; Dr. MacArthur Preaches on the Sin and Cowardice of Self-Destruction]</ref> See: [[Atheism and suicide]] ]]
On March 8, 2013, Damon Linker wrote in ''The Week'':
{{cquote|If [[atheism]] is true, it is far from being good news. Learning that we're alone in the [[universe]], that no one hears or answers our prayers, that humanity is entirely the product of random events, that we have no more intrinsic dignity than non-human and even non-animate clumps of matter, that we face certain annihilation in death, that our sufferings are ultimately pointless, that our lives and loves do not at all matter in a larger sense, that those who commit horrific evils and elude human punishment get away with their crimes scot free — all of this (and much more) is utterly tragic.<ref>[http://theweek.com/article/index/241108/where-are-the-honest-atheists Where are the honest atheists?]</ref>}}
''See also:'' [[Atheism and inspiration]]
[[File:John UpdikeAlister McGrath.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|[[John UpdikeAlister McGrath]] ]]
Atheist Francois Tremblay wrote: "One last problem that undermines any propagation of [[atheism]] is inspiration. Let's be honest here, "there is no god!" is not a very motivating call for most people."<ref>[http://www.liberator.net/articles/TremblayFrancois/herdingcats.html Herding Cats: Why Atheism Will Lose] by Francois Tremblay</ref>
Is there anything more boring in the world than an atheist?<ref>[http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/columnists/article4626072.ece I don’t believe it – they’re doing atheism at GCSE] by Niles Coren</ref>}}
== Decline of the atheist movement ==
''See also:'' [[Decline of the atheist movement]] and [[Morale of the atheist movement]] and [[Desecularization]] and [[Atheist movement]]
Numerous atheists have declared that the "[[atheist movement]] is dead" or that it is dying.<ref>
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20190208025358/https://freethoughtblogs.com/reasoner/2017/10/21/the-atheism-movement-dead-or-alive/ The “Atheism Movement:” Dead or Alive?], [[Freethought Blogs]]
*[http://examiningatheism.blogspot.com/2017/11/seth-andrews-keeps-hearing-reports-of.html Atheist activist Seth Andrews keeps seeing reports on social media and the media that the atheist movement is dying], ''Examining Atheism''
*[http://examiningatheism.blogspot.com/2017/10/now-that-that-poseur-atheist-aron-ra.html Atheist Aron Ra indicates the atheist movement is dead. Now that that Aron Ra has surrendered....], ''[[Examining Atheism]]''
*[http://www.atheistrev.com/2013/12/the-day-atheist-movement-died.html The Day the Atheist Movement Died] by Jack Vance at Atheist Revolution
*[https://twitter.com/jennifurret/status/405391218273554433 Jennifer McCreight on Twitter about the Elevatorgate scandal destroying the atheist movement], [[Jen McCreight]], Twitter</ref> See: [[Decline of the atheist movement]]
== See also ==
*[[Atheism and health]]
*[[Atheism and alcoholism]]
*[[Atheism and emotional problems]]
*[[Atheism and mental illness]]
*[[Atheism and mental toughness]]
*[[Atheism, divorce, addiction, sexual satisfaction, social skills, dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes, and irrationality]]
==References==