[[File:John Updike.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px201px|[[John Updike]] ]]
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>
The atheist blogger Martin Hughes wrote: "Atheism is boring."<ref>[https://www.patheos.com/blogs/barrierbreaker/atheism-is-boring/ Atheism Is Boring] by Martin Hughes</ref> Natasha Frost wrote in the online magazine ''Atlas Obscura'' about the [[Soviet Union]], which had [[state atheism]]: "...atheism was taught in schools, alongside history and geography, but in a 1975 survey, many people still professed to find [[Atheism and beliefs|atheistic dogma]] boring."<ref>[https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/soviet-antireligious-museums-of-atheism How the USSR Turned Houses of Worship Into Museums of Atheism] by Natasha Frost, ''Atlas Obscura'', MAY 07, 2018</ref> The [[Ex-atheists|ex-atheist]] [[Alister McGrath]] has repeatedly pointed out the uninspiring nature of atheism.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tSQPGYvE0s Clear Voices 2014 - Alister McGrath - C. S. Lewis’s Vision of the Christianity]</ref><ref>''In the Aftermath: Provocations and Laments'' By David Bentley Hart, page 136</ref> According to McGrath, atheism is "stale", "dull" and difficult to believe.<ref>
*[http://www.christian.org.uk/news/stale-dull-atheism-is-in-decline-says-professor/ ‘Stale, dull atheism is in decline’ says professor], The Christian Institute
*[http://www.christiantoday.com/article/atheism.in.decline.and.will.be.defeated.by.faith.says.oxford.professor/71639.htm Atheism in decline and will be defeated by faith, says Oxford professor] by Harry Farley, ''Christianity Today'', 25 November 2015</ref>
[[John Updike]] wrote:{{cquote|"Among the repulsions of atheism for me has been its drastic un-interestingness as an intellectual position. Where was the ingenuity, the ambiguity, the humanity...of saying that the universe just happened to happen and that when we're dead we're dead?".<ref>Updike, John (1989). ''Self-Consciousness: Memoirs'' (New York, NY: Knopf), ch. 4.</ref>}}
The British columnist Giles Coren wrote in ''The Times'':
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>}}
[[Eric Kaufmann]], an [[agnosticism|agnostic]] professor whose academic research specialty is how demographic changes affect religion/irreligion and politics, wrote in 2010: "Worldwide, the march of religion can probably only be reversed by a renewed, self-aware [[secularism]]. Today, it appears exhausted and lacking in confidence... Secularism's greatest triumphs owe less to science than to popular social movements like nationalism, [[socialism]] and 1960s anarchist-[[liberalism]]. Ironically, secularism's demographic deficit means that it will probably only succeed in the twenty-first century if it can create a secular form of 'religious' enthusiasm."<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/uploadsepk/JQR%20Demography.pdf Shall the religious inherit the earth? - Eric Kaufmann]</ref>
In recent years, a number of notable atheists have expressed pessimism about the future of the [[atheist movement]] (see: [[Decline of the atheist movement]]).
Andrew Brown wrote in ''The Guardian'' in an article entitled ''You [[Atheism and dance|can't dance to atheism]]'':
...a few things bothered me, most notably the [[Atheism and arrogance|air of self-congratulation]] (which I excused on the grounds of enthusiastic people finding like-minded folks for the first time), the “fanboyness” directed at some of the famous atheists (they hardly let poor [[Richard Dawkins' cult of personality|Richard]] alone, and I’m not sure he liked that!), and the lameness of quite a few of the talks. Again, how much new can you say about atheism?<ref>[https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/are-there-too-many-atheist-meetings/ Are there too many atheist meetings?] by Jerry Coyne</ref>}}
In 2018, the first major atheist conference to be held in [[New York City]] was cancelled.<ref>[http://www.atheismandthecity.com/2018/01/the-atheist-conference-is-dead.html The Atheist Conference is Dead]</ref> The Atheist Underground YouTube channel indicated about the cancellation, "Atheist Conferences are failing all over the place. People need to quite trying to run an event that is just the same old thing."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooIeH_6HaXs Another Crapy Atheist Convention? - Instead, Let’s raise money for a good cause & celebrate humanism], see description of the video below the video</ref>
In recent times, the number of people attending [[atheist conferences]] has grown smaller.<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/tippling/2017/07/13/10923/ Whoever I Don’t Like Is Ruining the Atheist Movement] by Jeremiah Traeger</ref><ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/dogmadebate/2017/06/reasonably-controversial-regressive-left-killing-atheist-movement/ Reasonably Controversial: How the Regressive Left Is Killing the Atheist Movement] by David Smalley</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luT2vQ3ctKU #ReasonRally Crash n burn. Thanks SJWs!] by [[Thunderf00t]]</ref> Atheist [[David Smalley]] wrote: "And we wonder why we’re [[Atheism and politics|losing elections]], [[Atheist fundraising vs. religious fundraising#Atheist organizations and fundraising|losing funding]], and our conferences are getting smaller."<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/dogmadebate/2017/06/reasonably-controversial-regressive-left-killing-atheist-movement/ Reasonably Controversial: How the Regressive Left Is Killing the Atheist Movement] by David Smalley</ref>
In 1839, Isaac Taylor wrote in the novel ''Saturday Evening, by the Author of Natural History of Enthusiasm'', "This at least may most confidently be prognosticated, that the atheism which now is bland, submissive, respectful, crafty will become a creature altogether of altogether another temper....".<ref>[https://books.google.com/booksid=bdlhjyFsuCgC&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=%22become+a+creature+altogether+of%22&source=bl&ots=g4noGhjILh&sig=ACfU3U1YUb4aHC7aoFhXlck5eJ5AooHDQw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwju8PbHnsfkAhXGx1kKHc6PB_YQ6AEwAnoECAQQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22become%20a%20creature%20altogether%20of%22&f=false ''Saturday Evening, by the Author of Natural History of Enthusiasm''] by Isaac Taylor, 1839</ref>
In ''The Guardian'', the atheist Jim Al-Khalili wrote about the Christian holiday [[Christmas]], "living in a [[secular]] state should never mean one that is bland and homogeneous. Certainly, it should be one in which those of us who wish to can still celebrate Christmas."<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2012/dec/23/why-this-atheist-celebrates-christmas Why this atheist celebrates Christmas] by Jim Al-Khalili, ''The Guardian''</ref>
In December 2003, the University of Warwick reported: "Dr. Stephen Joseph, from the University of Warwick, said: "Religious people seem to have a greater purpose in life, which is why they are happier. Looking at the research evidence, it seems that those who celebrate the Christian meaning of [[Christmas]] are on the whole likely to be happier."<ref>[http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/A/20037338.html Psychology researcher says spiritual meaning of Christmas brings more happiness than materialism]</ref>
See also: [[Atheism and happiness]]
[[File:Washington Cathedral.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Washington National Cathedral]] ]]
The atheist philosopher Alain de Botton wrote:
{{Cquote|The museum shouldn’t be a neutral space for laying out the artworks of the past like a giant library or catalogue. It should be a place to convert you to something.
Try to imagine what would happen if modern secular museums took the example of churches more seriously. What if they too decided that art had a specific purpose — to make us good and wise and kind — and tried to use the art in their possession to prompt us to be so? What if they gave up on the neutral, bland captions they tend to use, and put beneath each picture a really directive set of commands, telling us, for example, ‘Look at this image and remember to be patient’ — or ‘Use this sculpture to meditate on what you too could do to bring about a fairer world?’”<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/do-atheists-have-anything-to-learn-from-religion/2012/03/26/gIQAZXqdcS_story.html Do atheists have anything to learn from religion?] byBy Kimberly Winston| Religion News Service, March 26, 2012</ref>}}
The American Christian Todd Strandberg said of atheism: "The ranks of atheists have always [[Atheist Population|been small]]... The key problem with atheism is that it lacks a strong 'selling point'".<ref>[http://www.raptureready.com/rr-atheism.html Atheism: The cult of death]</ref> See also: [[Unattractiveness of atheism]] and [[Atheist Population|Atheist population]]
In addition, atheistic cultures and subcultures often tend to be less vibrant and fulfilling which will also be addressed below.
As a result of the unexciting nature of atheism, most atheists are apathetic when it comes to engaging in atheist activism and participating in atheist meetings/conferences (see: [[Atheism and apathy]] and [[Atheism and sloth]]). On the other hand, in the United States, a significant amount of atheists attend church services (see: [[American atheists Atheists and church attendance]]).
Furthermore, in the latter portion of the 20th century and continuing into the 21st century, due to various historical events/trends, the atheist movement has had lower confidence/morale (see: [[Atheists and the endurance of religion]]).
*[[Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence]]
== Atheists, inspiration, motivation and dopamine levels in the brain ==
''See also:'' [[Atheism and motivation]] and [[Atheism and the brain]] and [[Atheism and sloth]]
Although there are differences between inspiration and motivation, to a certain degree inspiration implies motivation as it is involved in the energization/direction of behavior.<ref>[https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2003-02410-016 Thrash, T. M., & Elliot, A. J. (2003). Inspiration as a psychological construct. ''Journal of Personality and Social Psychology'', 84(4), 871-889.</ref><ref>[https://search.proquest.com/openview/c998f858c56b1737d4b708f65b3ceb59/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=29865 Kerfoot, Karlene. ''Urologic Nursing''; Portland Vol. 22, Iss. 5, (Oct 2002): 347.]</ref>
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: [[Atheism and motivation]] and [[Atheism and the brain]]
== Atheism, open-mindedness and inspiration ==
''See also:'' [[Atheism and open-mindedness]] and [[Atheism and dogmatism]] and [[Atheism and intolerance]] and [[Atheism and groupthink]]
The artist Nick Cave declared: "An artist's duty is rather to stay open-minded and in a state where he can receive information and inspiration. You always have to be ready for that little artistic Epiphany."<ref>[https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/nick_cave_187032 Nick Cave - Brainy quote website]</ref>
Open-mindedness is important when it comes to creativity. For example, the creativity involved in creating original and inspiring art.
Research indicates that atheists have less open-mindedness (see: [[Atheism and open-mindedness]]).
== Culinary/dietary practices of atheists ==
[[File:Food Science and Technology.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|A [[food science]] laboratory]]
See: [[Dietary practices of atheists]] (Dietary habits of various irreligious regions)
=== Atheism, culinary arts, food science, inspiration and innovation ===
''See also:'' [[Atheism and food science]] and [[Atheism and culinary science]] and [[Atheism, culinary arts, inspiration, innovation and food science]]
The Institute of Food Technologists defines [[food science]] as "the discipline in which the engineering, biological, and physical sciences are used to study the nature of foods, the causes of deterioration, the principles underlying food processing, and the improvement of foods for the consuming public".<ref>Heldman, Dennis R. "IFT and the Food Science Profession." Food Technology. October 2006. p. 11.</ref>
Despite the efforts of food scientists and chefs in irreligious cultures to develop more flavorful food, there have been a significant amount of irreligious cultures with bland food that is not exciting from a culinary point of view (See also: [[Atheism and food science]] and [[Atheism and culinary science]]).
== Atheism vs. Christianity: Art, music and poetry ==
*[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/2011/05/eric-kaufmann-shall-religious-inherit.html Eric Kaufmann: Shall The Religious Inherit The Earth?]
*[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/search/label/atheist%20demographics Eric Kaufmann's Atheist Demographic series]
*[httphttps://forawww.tv/2010/09/05youtube.com/Eric_Kaufmann_Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth watch?v=VwmgFZsgSo0 Eric Kaufmann: Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, Australian Broadcasting Corporation]</ref>]]
''See also:'' [[Global atheism]] and [[Atheism and marriage]] and [[Atheist marriages]]
*[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/2011/05/eric-kaufmann-shall-religious-inherit.html Eric Kaufmann: Shall The Religious Inherit The Earth?]
*[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/search/label/atheist%20demographics Eric Kaufmann's Atheist Demographic series]
*[httphttps://forawww.tv/2010/09/05youtube.com/Eric_Kaufmann_Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth watch?v=VwmgFZsgSo0 Eric Kaufmann: Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, Australian Broadcasting Corporation]</ref>
On December 23, 2012, Professor [[Eric Kaufmann]] who teaches at Birbeck College, University of London wrote:
== Moral inferiority of atheism ==
''See also:'' [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Moral failures of the atheist Atheist populationand immorality]]
[[File:Laurence Krauss.JPG|thumbnail|right|150px|In response to the question, "Why is [[incest]] wrong?", the atheist [[Lawrence Krauss]] said, "It's not clear to me that it is wrong."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp7dRpWIdBo Lawrence Krauss on incest]</ref> See: [[Atheism and incest]] ]]
Not possessing a [[Religion|religious]] basis for [[morality]], which can provide a legitimate basis for objective morality, [[Atheism|atheists]] are fundamentally [[Moral_relativism|incapable]] of having a coherent system of morality.<ref>
For example, atheists have been the biggest mass murderers in history (see: [[Atheism and mass murder]]). Dr. R. J. Rummel's mid estimate regarding the loss of life due to atheistic [[communism]] is that communism caused the death of approximately 110,286,000 people between 1917 and 1987.<ref>Rummel, R. J. (November 1993). [http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COM.ART.HTM "How many did communist regimes murder?"] University of Hawaii website; Freedom, Democracy, Peace; Power, Democide, and War. Retrieved July 19, 2014.</ref>
The [[Barna Group]] found that atheists and [[agnostics]] in America were more likely, than [[theist]]s in America, to look upon the following behaviors as morally acceptable: illegal drug use; excessive drinking; sexual relationships outside of marriage; [[abortion]]; cohabitating with someone of opposite sex outside of marriage; obscene language; gambling; [[pornography]] and obscene sexual behavior; and engaging in [[homosexuality]]/bisexuality.<ref>http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard</ref> Given the [[Homosexuality and Healthhealth|many diseases associated with homosexuality]], the [[Bible|biblical]] prohibition against homosexuality is quite arguably one of the many examples where the Bible exhibited [http://creationwiki.org/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge knowledge that was ahead of its time].
See also:
* [[Moral failures of the atheist population|List of the moral failures of the atheist Atheist populationand immorality]]
* [[Atheism and moral depravity]]
Historically and presently, most [[atheism|atheists]] lean [[leftism|politically left]] (See: [[Atheism and politics]]).
[[File:Richard Dawkins at Global Atheism Convention.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|200px|left|The [[Oxford University]] Professor [[Daniel Came]] wrote to the New Atheist [[Richard Dawkins]]:: "The absence of a debate with the foremost [[Christian apologetics|apologist]] for [[Christianity|Christian]] [[theism]] is a glaring omission on your [[Curriculum vitae|CV]] and is of course apt to be interpreted as cowardice on your part."<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8511931/Richard-Dawkins-accused-of-cowardice-for-refusing-to-debate-existence-of-God.html Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God], ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', May 14, 2011</ref> ]]
[[Vox Day|Theodore Beale]] wrote about [[secular left|secular leftists]] and leftists in general:
{{cquote|Regardless of whether it is...[[Richard Dawkins]], PZ Myers, or the vast and [[Lesbianism and obesity|corpulent mass]] of [[feminism|feminists]], the Left has an observable tendency to shun debate. They assert many different reasons for doing so, but the truth is always revealed by their seemingly contradictory willingness to debate the incompetent and the overmatched....
Many members of the public find [[evolutionary indoctrination]] material to be boring/uninformative and want to see alternatives offered in educational systems (see: [http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/is-public-tiring-of-hearing.html How stale and boring is evolutionary indoctrination?]).
Also, according to Google trends, interest in evolutionary ideas is dropping (see: [[Google trends - Atheism and agnosticism terms#Google trends - Atheism/agnosticism/evolutionary terms|Google trends - Atheism/agnosticism/evolutionary terms]]).
On the other hand, [[global creationism]] is experiencing significant growth. [[Johns Hopkins University]] Press reported in 2014: "Over the past forty years, [[creationism]] has spread swiftly among European Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, and Muslims, even as anti-creationists sought to smother its flames."<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/johns-hopkins-university-press-reported.html Creationism spreading in Europe]</ref>
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Ritualistic atheists find beauty in certain religious traditions, symbols or rituals.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/researchers-ritual-atheists-and-agnostics-could-be-sitting-next-to-you-in-church-99373/ Researchers: 'Ritual' Atheists and Agnostics Could Be Sitting Next to You in Church]</ref> See also: [[American atheists Atheists and church attendance]]]]
Despite atheism being around since at least [[ancient Greece]], there has not been a strong tradition of creating musical and artistic works related to atheism. Musical/artistic talent can be enhanced through practice and the atheist creed of "there is no God" is not an inspiring creed that produces a significant amount of music/art. For example, despite [[Wikipedia]] being founded by an atheist and an agnostic, there are no articles specifically devoted to the topics of atheist music or atheist art at Wikipedia, but Wikipedia does have articles devoted specifically to [[Christian art]] and [[Christian music]].
=== Atheist population and problems with retention/growth ===
*[[Atheism has a lower and its retention rate compared to other worldviewsin individuals]]
*[[Global atheism|Decline of global atheism]]
[[File:Richard Dawkins black and white picture.jpg|thumbnail|200px|[[Richard Dawkins]] ]]
[[New Atheism]] has a reputation for shallow arguments. A frequent occurrence is that the works of new atheists often betray an amateurish knowledge of philosophy/religion.<ref>''The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Philosophy of Religion'' edited by Graham Oppy, Chapter 4, ''New Atheist Approaches to Religion'' by Trent Dougherty and Logan Paul Cage, page 52, see: [https://books.google.com/books?id=XXdKCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA52&lpg=PA52&dq=new+atheism+amateur+philosophy+religion&source=bl&ots=1aheNZ4o2E&sig=ncZcNcpoGnUgWYmW3wEUXCp08MQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDgQ6AEwBGoVChMI2d39yrDkyAIVhDI-Ch35fAdR#v=onepage&q=new%20atheism%20amateur%20philosophy%20religion&f=false Google books excerpt]
*[http://www.alternet.org/media/47052?page=entire The Dawkins Delusion] by [[Alister McGrath]]</ref> For example, atheist philosopher Dr. [[Michael Ruse]] declared concerning new atheist Richard Dawkins' book ''The God Delusion'': "''The God Delusion'' makes me embarrassed to be an atheist."<ref>http://www.alternet.org/media/47052?page=entire</ref> [[Vox Day]]'s book ''[http://www.voxday.net/mart/TIA_free.pdf The Irrational atheist]'' found multiple errors in reasoning and factual errors when it came to the works of new atheist authors.<ref>[http://creation.com/review-irrational-atheist-by-vox-day Excellent refutation of ‘new atheists’ flawed by heterodox open theism], A review of The Irrational Atheist: Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens by Vox Day, Benbella Books, Dallas, TX, 2008, reviewed by Lita Cosner</ref> See also: [[Atheism and irrationality]]
=== Decline of New Atheism ===
*[[Atheism and spirituality]]
*[[Atheist deconversion stories]]
== External links ==
*[http://seanmcdowell.org/blog/theres-no-god-how-boring There's no God? How boring!] by Sean McDowell
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j97MXi9wwE4 (New) Atheism is boring, and you should stop]
==References==