When did the word irreligion first appear in English?
The word irreligion first appeared in English in 1598. It was borrowed from French terms that had emerged decades earlier.
Questions about Irreligion
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many people identified as religiously unaffiliated globally in 2010?
In 2010, Pew Research Center estimated more than 1.1 billion people identified as religiously unaffiliated. This group represented about one-in-six individuals globally at that time.
Which countries have nonreligious majorities today?
Eleven countries now have nonreligious majorities including North Korea, the Czech Republic, and Estonia. European Union members, East Asian nations, and Oceania consistently rank among the least religious regions worldwide.
What is the existential security thesis regarding declining religiosity?
Political scientists Ronald Inglehart and Pippa Norris developed an alternative thesis called existential security to explain declining religiosity. They argue that increased poverty and chaos make religious values more important while wealth and security diminish their role.
Does international law protect atheistic beliefs?
In 1993, the United Nations Human Rights Committee declared article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protects atheistic beliefs alongside theistic ones. Signatories to the convention are barred from using threats of physical force or penal sanctions to compel believers or non-believers to recant their convictions.