Why has atheism increased recently – is it due to science?

Answer Podcast

Why has atheism increased recently – is it due to science?

Science is a tool—it has its strengths and limitations. So how did atheism grow? Was it caused by science or the scientific community? That’s a complex question because correlation is not the same as causation.

Let me explain this with an example. Research has found that people with bigger hands tend to have bigger vocabularies. Sounds odd, right? When I mention this in classes, people often start looking at their own hands.

But this correlation is not about the hand size causing better vocabulary. The real explanation is that adults have bigger hands and also larger vocabularies than children. So both traits—hand size and vocabulary—are caused by age, not by one another.

Similarly, in the last two centuries, science has advanced and religious faith has declined in many parts of the world. But does that mean science caused atheism? Not necessarily. We must distinguish correlation from causation.

Science is, at its core, a method of inquiry. As physicist Erwin Schrödinger said, science cannot tell us anything about God. Some scientists like Galileo or Newton believed in God, but that was their personal conclusion, not a result of scientific experiments.

Science relies on empirical evidence—observation and measurement—and by definition, the spiritual realm is beyond empirical validation. One of the names of God in Sanskrit is Adhokṣaja, which means “beyond the senses.”

So science can lead some people toward belief, as they see order and design in the universe. For others, it may lead away from belief. That means science itself is neutral—it’s a tool that can be used in different ways.

Then why has atheism increased?

1. Sociological Changes

Over the past few centuries, there have been major societal shifts—industrialization, urbanization, and the fragmentation of family structures. Earlier, spiritual knowledge was passed down through stable institutions like joint families or religious communities. Today, those channels have been weakened.

In the West, a large number of children grow up in single-parent households. With only one parent, often overburdened, religious education takes a backseat. Without strong guidance, belief systems naturally fade over generations.

2. Religious Extremism

Another reason atheism has grown is the visibility of religious extremism. People often say, “Religion causes violence.” And yes, some violence has been committed in the name of religion.

But consider the World Wars—they were not fought for religious reasons but for power and ideology. However, religious terrorism, amplified by media and technology, has created a strong public association between religion and extremism.

At the same time, religion continues to inspire countless people to live with compassion, responsibility, and integrity. For example, religious people often stay more committed in their marriages. But unfortunately, positive stories don’t make headlines—negative stories do. That skews public perception.

3. The Misuse of Science

Another factor is the misuse of science by atheists to promote their worldview. Today, many people assume that to be scientific, one must be atheistic. But that’s a false dichotomy.

There is no scientific theory that disproves the existence of God or the soul. These concepts simply lie outside the current scope of science. The domain of science can expand, and maybe in the future, these subjects will be included. But right now, they aren’t, and that doesn’t mean they are false.

There are many scientists—even Nobel laureates—who are believers. And not just historical figures, but even contemporary scientists. However, because of secularism, religious scientists often avoid discussing their faith publicly.

4. Secularism and Bias

Secularism originally meant impartiality toward religion. But today, it has come to mean indifference toward religion—or even exclusion.

If a Christian, Muslim, or Hindu scientist mentions their faith in a classroom, they may be criticized for being “unscientific.” But if an atheist talks about their non-belief, it’s often accepted—because atheism is not classified as a religion.

Yet atheism, too, can be dogmatic. Some atheists are as intolerant and aggressive in their views as religious extremists. The result? In public discourse, atheistic views get more visibility, while religious voices stay silent.

So, atheism seems more prevalent—not necessarily because it’s truer, but because it’s louder.

Conclusion:
Atheism has increased not just due to science, but due to a combination of social disruption, media influence, ideological bias, and selective communication. Science, when rightly understood, need not lead to atheism. In fact, it can co-exist with theism beautifully—if we recognize the limitations and scope of both.

I hope that answers the question.