If I find that the only way to grow the number of Atheists is to have babies, then I will stop caring about our numbers. The real way to grow the numbers is to pursue global religious freedom and in turn freedom from religion. The number of Atheists in a population will always be much higher that any report will show, the taboos for many make it akin to asking how many people have foot fetishes. Many will not admit it even if they are clearly so. Like Atheism, foot fetishes are not wrong, you can be either or both and still be a good or bad person.

It depends on how you measure it. There are still more atheists than ever before. However, if you consider than many religions say it is "god's will" to hve as many kids as you can, iot is posible tht on w world wide per cpit basis that atheists make up a smaller percentage.

As Mark Twin said, "There are lies, dmaned lies and then there are statistics." I was amazed at how few peopel in my advanced statistics class in college actually knew both how to properly interpret statistical numbers and why it had to be doene that way. Most people misapply statistics to serve their own views or to try to make the numbers say what they want, or are beign paid to "prove".

A friend showed me the article. I'm trying to find it.

Don't know about the news article, but the research appears to from a 2017 PEW Research study which itself was an update of a 2015 study.

While the research does look at religious switching for some countries, the larger trend it sees is that in the Asia-Pacific region where there are a lot of "nones", the death rate there among the nones will increase by 2030 to 2050 (particularly in China) resulting in an overall worldwide decrease in "nones". It does go on to state that China is a "wild card" as its religious switching rate is unknown and that some experts believe that the number of "nones" in China is decreasing.

tl;dr - Story really says nothing about "nones" in the US which are driven by religious switching.

I would guess the writer of your article has no clue how people become Atheist.

I'd be interested in the source of the article you're citing.
It would be helpful in determining whether it's actually "news" or not.

MY A-theism is NOT on decline and that is what matters to ME.

In addition to all the comments below - birth rate does not necessarily equal population growth. Have to factor in the death rates. Quite often, a higher birth rate is needed due to childhood mortality, so really need to know the increase in adherents in adulthood.

As others have said - every child is born an atheist, with no belief in any god.

being logical, common sense, reasoning yep can see we are having alot less kids but we came from those who beleived so no not in declined.

Atheism is not acquired by birth, unlike other religions. It arises in a person with rational thought. Just because religious people have a higher birthrate, doesn't necessarily mean they will outnumber non-religious people. Birthrate is related to economic conditions and so is religiosity. It also depends on women's liberty. Hopefully, with improving socio-economic factors, rational thought prevails!

We will never outbreed them or the other religions such as catholics and evangelicals. They all believe in, to use a biblical quote, going out and multiplying! We need to get them to stop breeding and become more responsible. The highest birthrates are in the countries with the least food....they need contraception not food-aid!

Religious zealotry creates its own atheists. Procreation has nothing to do with it. Most adults are actually agnostic at heart, but they stick with their birth religion for community or out of fear. The bigger problem is how society stigmatizes outsiders who have rejected the idea of God. As an agnostic I try to be neutral about "why we are here" but that's an unacceptable answer to the establisment as well.

I've read studies the say the opposite.
The increase of Atheists, seculars, non's, free thinkers etc.
Has been on a steady increase .

The thing is christians don't get christian babies and muslims don't get muslim babies. The children get indoctrinated. Instead of trying "outbreed" any religious group we should try deconvert them and show the children of all cultures the path of reason. With enough education things might balance out one day.

       I've read that you must have at least 2.2 children  maintain the species.....so if you keep inviting more illegals and Islamists, both of whom well exceed that figure, you're asking for the elimination and domination of your kind.  "No wall" is ignorant and very few countries in the world are that ignorant. We are not the world's dumpster.

Check out this article from the BBC.

Uhg... There's more than one way to view it that will likely have opposite results. What you are talking about is % of total population. But that's extremely misleading. The other way to see it is are there more atheists (and agnostics) alive each year than the previous. See, if you have 100 people, 20 of which are atheists, then you add 50 more people 8 of which are atheists then you have more total atheists despite them making up a smaller percentage of the group

The issue is indoctrination. I raise my daughter to think for herself and let her choose to believe what she feels is right for her. Most religions teach children there is only one truth, and anyone who says otherwise is some form of devil. We should adopt more children, show them they are not trash, to be thrown away. Instill in them morals that do not require a invisible man in the sky. That way we grow, and show our better nature, without adding to the population problem.