Cyprus-Forum.com

[Atheist]

Hello! I am an atheist/agnostic Cypriot and I am trying to find out how many other people in Cyprus share my views on religion and if there is any interest to unite our voices and efforts and attempt to change certain things which I believe are anachronistic.

I have been thinking to do something like this for several years but what prompted me to do it now is the 2011 census. I have not being interviewed yet, but my parents did, and apparently the interviewer did not ask them what their religion is and he took the liberty to fill this option himself, probably assuming that they are Christian Orthodox. So my first question to you is: Have you been interviewed for the 2011 census and have you been asked to state your religion?

I know that the majority of Cypriots are religious. Cyprus tops the charts in Europe together with Malta and Turkey when it comes to religiosity. This is no surprise since Cyprus was a poor colony until 1960 and the Church played the role of the leader of the Greek Cypriot community and was (still is?) in control of education. However according to the last census only 0.2% of people were atheists and in absolute numbers that means less than 1500 people. So my second question is: Are we really living in such a backward country?

Folwing is the relavant part from the 2001 census:

The vast majority of the enumerated population were of Christian Orthodox religion with 94,8% followed by Roman Catholics 1,5%, Church of England 1,0%, Moslem 0,6%, Maronites 0,6% and Armenians 0,3%. A total of 0,9% reported various other religions, 0,1% did not report any religion and 0,2% reported atheists.

There are many things that I would like to see changed in Cyprus to at least bring our country at the same level of other European states. The most important one is a change in our education system. At the very least anything related to religion in schools should be optional (preferably opt-in and not opt-out) while religion should not be an obstacle to exposing all students to modern ideas (e.g. evolution). This kind of issues are not trivial. They are important issues that can determine the future of our society.

I believe the time has come to take some action because if we don't nobody will. The Church is in control of the minds of many people and the political parties do not dare to do anything that can cost them votes. The first step is to stop hiding and stop conforming. If we do not respect ourselves then nobody will respect us and they will not even count us. If you want to be part of a movement for change please respond to this thread with ideas and views on the way we can proceed.

[Maxx]

[kurupetos]

There are many things that I would like to see changed in Cyprus to at least bring our country at the same level of other European states.

What makes you think other European countries are better?

[B25]

Hello! I am an atheist/agnostic Cypriot and I am trying to find out how many other people in Cyprus share my views on religion and if there is any interest to unite our voices and efforts and attempt to change certain things which I believe are anachronistic.

I have been thinking to do something like this for several years but what prompted me to do it now is the 2011 census. I have not being interviewed yet, but my parents did, and apparently the interviewer did not ask them what their religion is and he took the liberty to fill this option himself, probably assuming that they are Christian Orthodox. So my first question to you is: Have you been interviewed for the 2011 census and have you been asked to state your religion?

I know that the majority of Cypriots are religious. Cyprus tops the charts in Europe together with Malta and Turkey when it comes to religiosity. This is no surprise since Cyprus was a poor colony until 1960 and the Church played the role of the leader of the Greek Cypriot community and was (still is?) in control of education. However according to the last census only 0.2% of people were atheists and in absolute numbers that means less than 1500 people. So my second question is: Are we really living in such a backward country?

Folwing is the relavant part from the 2001 census:

The vast majority of the enumerated population were of Christian Orthodox religion with 94,8% followed by Roman Catholics 1,5%, Church of England 1,0%, Moslem 0,6%, Maronites 0,6% and Armenians 0,3%. A total of 0,9% reported various other religions, 0,1% did not report any religion and 0,2% reported atheists.

There are many things that I would like to see changed in Cyprus to at least bring our country at the same level of other European states. The most important one is a change in our education system. At the very least anything related to religion in schools should be optional (preferably opt-in and not opt-out) while religion should not be an obstacle to exposing all students to modern ideas (e.g. evolution). This kind of issues are not trivial. They are important issues that can determine the future of our society.

I believe the time has come to take some action because if we don't nobody will. The Church is in control of the minds of many people and the political parties do not dare to do anything that can cost them votes. The first step is to stop hiding and stop conforming. If we do not respect ourselves then nobody will respect us and they will not even count us. If you want to be part of a movement for change please respond to this thread with ideas and views on the way we can proceed.

Sir, you are a complete idiot, piss off.

What will you do make everyoe a non believer?? What a waste of skin.

[Atheist]

There are many things that I would like to see changed in Cyprus to at least bring our country at the same level of other European states.

What makes you think other European countries are better?

Most are. People are not as close minded in most European countries. See this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_atheism

Also I am certain that in most EU countries, western europe at least, the state and educational system is more progressive. I doubt that in most western European countries religious studies are required for all students from the first year until the last. When I was a student (more than a decade ago) we were even required to say a prayer every morning! Are students still required to do that?

[Bananiot]

Spot on atheist. Absolutely agree with you!

[Maxx]

There are many things that I would like to see changed in Cyprus to at least bring our country at the same level of other European states.

What makes you think other European countries are better?

Most are. People are not as close minded in most European countries. See this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_atheism

Also I am certain that in most EU countries, western europe at least, the state and educational system is more progressive. I doubt that in most western European countries religious studies are required for all students from the first year until the last. When I was a student (more than a decade ago) we were even required to say a prayer every morning! Are students still required to do that?

My dear friend,

Cyprus has more pressing issues. We have massive problems with Turkey.

So if you want a movement, then please consider joining us as a Cypriot nationalist.

How lucky are you to be presented with such a divine calling. Lucky boy!

All you need to do is declare your allegiance to our movement, by taking the OATH, and joining our robust nationalism sweeping before you on this forum. We are the last line of defence against the imbecilic forces of Chaos and destruction to our nationhood. We are the last line of defence against the backward ottoman remnants of this island. You may not believe in God, but for those nationalists that do, we consider it His work that has bought you here before us, so when you go to bed, it might pay to give special thanks to His divine intervention that will dramatically change your life for the better.

May mother Cyprus bless you and your family.

[DooDaDoo]

There's nothing wrong with religious studies as long as there's no bias shown towards one religion or towards theism and religiosity in general. If anything, that'd make children more open-minded towards others.

Being an atheist doesn't necessarily mean you aren't close-minded either so it's no measure of "progressiveness". Or at any rate, you should show there's a strong positive correlation between the two across all socioeconomic strata. I have a feeling that religious-minded USA is much more "progressive" on some matters than some of the atheist eastern bloc countries.

[Get Real!]

Religion provides numerous important services to people such as hope & comfort when distressed, a basic set of moral values to follow, community socializing and bonding, etc.

If you were to replace religion with this atheism, how would you fill in this huge social void?

[Atheist]

There's nothing wrong with religious studies as long as there's no bias shown towards one religion or towards theism and religiosity in general. If anything, that'd make children more open-minded towards others.

I do not disagree with this view. Still, apart maybe from a few general courses, religious studies should be optional. No need to force students to learn the details of any religion. There are many other interesting things that students could choose to learn instead. Philosophy for example.

Being an atheist doesn't necessarily mean you aren't close-minded either so it's no measure of "progressiveness". Or at any rate, you should show there's a strong positive correlation between the two across all socioeconomic strata. I have a feeling that religious-minded USA is much more "progressive" on some matters than some of the atheist eastern bloc countries.

When I refer to progress I am talking about giving to people the freedom to think freely without the state imposing on them some religious dogma. Similarly I do not support that the state should ban religion as it happened in communist countries, as that is also not progressive.

I wouldn't say that atheists are necessarily more progressive in everything. Still, when you compare apples to apples, for example American atheists to American theists, there is quite a bit of evidence to support that the atheists are actually more progressive on average.