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This statement holds ZERO water until he can provide statistical evidence that confirms this is true. Otherwise, it is hot air that allows those inclined to kiki over baseless claims that tickles their bias. Also, anecdotes (i.e. "I know so-and-so did") is not evidence. [THREAD]
Also, check out the below tweet in which the account owner says "This study also shows atheists pray." With that claim, you'd think it would lead to a study that shows a substantial number of atheists praying (link: psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/pray…)
I could be wrong but the article seems to suggest that the person that tweeted it only read the first two sentences and posted it lol. For starters, it talked about atheists AND agnostics. Secondly, only 6% do it daily while 11% do it weekly or monthly.
That means the overwhelming majority of atheists and agnostics–94% of them daily and 85% of them weekly or monthly–do not pray. But you didn't need a study to tell you that. 🙃
Thirdly, the person reporting the study has made it clear that the concept of "prayer" can be very broad and deviate from our common understanding of what prayer is, especially that of the everyday Nigerian. 
To the everyday Nigerian, prayer is intentionally communicating with God. And that definition flows with @Poltergeyst_'s (unsubstantiated) claim that when life gets challenging, the atheist will be so overwhelmed that they will prompted within themselves to call on God.
But the reporter of the stats makes a good point: you have no idea what those atheists and agnostics mean when they say they pray. After all, it could mean that when atheists are with their religious loved ones, they bow their head during prayer to respect family tradition.
Also, I've been used in a study sample by Pew Research before. They only provide the question without offering any sort of clarification of what they mean by their statements. They don't want to sway their responders at all. I remember asking for further explanation to no avail.
Also, there are people who are culturally religious, those who don't believe in the metaphysical claims of the religion but participate in the rites b/c that's the community they're immersed in. Here's a study on Cultural Catholics, for example: pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015…
Also, when trying to find the Pew Research Groups study, I found an original report that said "...nearly all (97%) [atheists] say they seldom or never pray." pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016…
This tweet isn't evidence of hypocrisy by the atheist if they do join devotions. If anything, it's more demonstration of the coercive nature of religion in the average Nigerian Christian home, one where an atheist can't respectfully decline devotions.
Check out this story that covers a number of atheists who are in hiding: aljazeera.com/indepth/featur…
In the same country where you can go to church in Nigeria on a Sunday morning and see children cained if they are sleeping in church. Or having to stand up during devotions if you're sleeping. An atheist playing along to survive is but the continued theme of control religion has.
The above tweet can be applied here too. You go to church b/c you know the people who support you financially and/or love you expect it. You don't want to cause strife, so you play along. This is very typical of ex-religious people in religious homes.
This isn't just limited to Nigeria either. A quick Google search shows report after report of atheists and other non-theists who are hiding their secular stance in the US.
It is laughable to even suggest that being atheist is popular in a country in which families are ready to shun or demonize you for leaving. A country that is heavily religious. A country with a strong negative bias around nonbelievers. A country that preachers hellfire for them.
And knowing that the average Nigerian does not want to go to hell and believes God is omnipresent and omniscient...that will be the God they will be in the presence of, "pretending online" as commenters are saying? Really? This is the likely thing to happen? 🤣
The irony is that a number of them are actually pretending offline for fear of being ostracized by loved ones, community, etc. due to pressures discussed earlier. A fear that the religious don't even have to think about.
But sure. Kiki about a claim you haven't substantiated for clicks and retweets alongside people, like you, who care more about having your biases stated as fact instead of actually being fact. And lash out at those who dare challenge you. That behavior is the Christ in you abi?
It's funny amirite? Having no choice but having to go online to meet like minds who are in similar positions, finally being themselves and declaring their non-belief due to the lack of freedom FROM religion Nigeria provides ehn? Sooo funnyyyy. Weh done.
Also, the standard for breaking tables is abysmally low. Lmao.
Something tells me the original tweet mentioned at the beginning of this thread had something to do with @okemzuruoke's "God please" tweet. 😂
If that's the case, well of course Ferdinand would say that. A number of Nigerian Christians can jokingly say "Amadioha will strike you" and not mean it. But can't seem to grasp how atheists can say "God" exclamations...and not mean it. Very good. Kontinewwww.
P.S.–Also, if you're interested, there's a book called "Beating the Odds Without Any Gods: How I Conquered Cancer Without Faith" by Casey Rochefort. He was stricken with Hodgkin's lymphoma. TWICE. Beat it w/o believing in God. This story lines up more with the data re: prayer.
P.P.S.–This month marks one year since I came out to my Dad about not believing. Those of you who are still in hiding, I see you. I hear you. My heart is with you. And I hope one day you'll be able to do so too. 💜
*are
