Whether you call it agnosticism or Atheism (The actual difference is an agnostic isn't sure if there is a God or not and an Atheist is sure there isn't a God), this kind of way of dealing with the world is becoming more and more commonplace especially on Prep High School and College campuses and Universities worldwide.
I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing but in the end I suppose it all depends upon what most people think about this on earth in the end.
My own experience of all this is that I would not have believed in God unless I had no other choice growing up. And being confronted with death and having my parents being Mystical Christian Ministers (while also working at regular full time or part time jobs as well) led me into Believing in God so I didn't die which I might have if I hadn't gone down this path. Am I glad that I believe in God? Yes. I am. But I also don't believe in forcing other people to believe like I do. I think everyone must have their own experience with the universe and with God. Otherwise it just becomes a type of psychic rape of an individuals free will.
Recently, I had to deal with 4 girls who are juniors in their same Prep School in California that are all professed Atheists. My point of view about all this would sort of be: "People don't need God until they think they might be dying!" And this I have seen over and over again in life.
However, because of medical advances for many young people death isn't very near to them so they don't see the desperate need that previous generations needed to believe in God.
For example, I am both a Mystical Christian and a Tibetan Buddhist. Since 25% of Buddhists believe in God this works for me even though 75% of all Buddhists don't believe in God. So, my own experience of this might be that Vajrasattva and Nyema (male and female Buddha in charge of the physical universe) might be perceived as God and Goddess of the Universe (according to my way of looking at things. In other words without going beyond the worlds of form there are no higher beings in the physical universe in this hierarchy.
For example, many people say that Buddhists don't believe in God. However, that is semantics actually.
Here is the difference: a Buddha is a self realized Being who takes responsibility for the enlightenment of himself or herself and advances along the path to various levels of enlightenment.
However, in a Christian, Jewish or Muslim tradition, God is the Supreme being over everything pre-existing everything. However, in the Buddhist tradition a God or Goddess can also by not helping other beings to enlightenment eventually fall into a hell just by using up his or her good karma.
So, in Buddhism a God or a Goddess is not a desirable state to be in. The useful and therefor desirable state to be in is as a Bodhisattva and a Buddha which is potentially attainable by everyone and every being. However, it is much easier to attain Buddhahood if you are already incarnating as a human instead of something else here on earth.
Now here is the truly funny thing to me personally: Can any person who is an agnostic or atheist become a Buddhist? Of Course!
Do you see why I think this is funny and almost Zen like?
But, since there are many many Christians who are also simultaneously Buddhists like me there is no problem with any of this because most Christians see Buddhism as a philosophy and not as a religion so they would no more have a problem with this than if someone was practicing Chiropractic, Hatha Yoga or Accupuncture while also being a Christian or mystical Christian.
So, could these 4 girls or anyone else who is a professed Atheist become a Buddhist? The answer has to be "of course" which is sort of a very zen kind of experience in itself.
So, because of all the religious warfare going on around the world of Muslim versus Christians, and then Muslims versus Hindus, and Muslims versus traditional Jewish people I think you are going to see more and more Atheistic Buddhists cropping up on College Campuses around the world. It is inevitable.
And is this a good thing or a bad thing? It depends upon your point of view.
The religious wars are creating millions and millions and millions of agnostics and atheists. So, Muslim Terrorism spawns Atheism worldwide by the millions and possibly even by the billions. Muslims likely are turning over in their graves at the actual karmic effect of terrorism? Or I don't know because I'm not a Musim. I'm not sure what a Muslim actually might think even if that Muslim were a professed Terrorist.
So here is the equation here on earth now: Ongoing Muslim Terrorism= Atheism worldwide
This appears where things are going in general among educated people (people who can read and write) now worldwide.
It this a good thing or a bad thing? It depends upon your point of view.
However, for me, I still believe in God because that works for me. However, I also understand why some people don't. But as a logical thinking person I see it as sort of inevitable that as long as there is religious terrorism, Agnosticism and Atheism will flourish on Earth.
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