The population of non-believers has been growing despite misunderstanding of what they believe in.

Atheism has grown to 147 million people according to the CIA World Factbook and has increased over the past decade according to a study done by the Pew Research Center.

“With more scientific discoveries, people are looking more at fact and atheism is only going to grow,” said Carlmont sophomore Adam Cobb, an atheist.

Atheists do not believe in God or gods and instead believe that life is dictated by logic and responsibility and do not expect the repayment of an afterlife.

Cobb said, “We base our beliefs off of scientific fact and not on a book that someone wrote thousands of years ago.”

There’s a common misconception that the absence of religion means the absence of morals. Atheists believe in the morals of other religions without believing in the stories associated with them. The reasoning to those beliefs is that religious texts were written to teach morality through story.

“I believe in making myself the best I can be and not what I hope to be. You don’t need a book to tell you what to do and what not to do,” said Carlmont sophomore Brendan Schoemehl, an atheist.

Though there is consensus among atheists about what they do not believe, some atheists differ on their opinions on religion.
Cobb stated, “I accept anyone’s beliefs even if they’re not real to me.”

While, Schoemehl said, “I think the world would be a better place without religion.”

Though atheists believe in science over God, they still enthusiastically support their disbeliefs just as much as any other religious group.