Editing Argument from nonbelief (section)

=== Demographics of theism and the problem of natural nonbelief ===
In modern times, there are fewer proponents of these views. One reason is that, as Stephen Maitzen argues,<ref>{{Cite journal |first=Stephen |last=Maitzen |year=2006 |title=Divine Hiddenness and the Demographics of Theism |journal=[[Religious Studies (journal)|Religious Studies]] |volume=42 |pages=177–191 |url=http://philosophy.acadiau.ca/tl_files/sites/philosophy/resources/documents/Maitzen_Hiddenness.pdf |doi=10.1017/S0034412506008274 |issue=2|s2cid=38829300 }}</ref> [[anthropology]] has long established that while religious belief in general is essentially universal, belief in what Calvin would recognize as God is very unevenly distributed among cultures (consider for example [[God in Buddhism]], [[Jain cosmology]], or non-theistic [[animism]]). If God exists, then why, Maitzen asks, does the prevalence of belief in God vary so dramatically with cultural and national boundaries? Jason Marsh has extended this kind of demographic challenge by focusing on human evolution and cognitive science of religion. Why is theistic belief apparently non-existent among early humans but common at later times, at least in some regions?  According to Marsh, the hiddenness problem is harder to answer once we appreciate that much nonbelief is 'natural', owing to the kinds of minds people naturally possess and to their place in evolutionary and cultural history.<ref>{{Cite journal |first=Jason |last=Marsh |year=2013 |title=Darwin and the Problem of Natural Nonbelief |journal=[[The Monist]] |volume=42 |pages=177–191 |url=http://philpapers.org/archive/MARDAT-7.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119044351/http://philpapers.org/archive/MARDAT-7.pdf |archive-date=2015-01-19 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Another reason why many philosophers no longer attribute nonbelief to human sinfulness has to do with respect. In fact, modern critics, such as Howard-Snyder, who praised Schellenberg's book for being "religiously sensitive,"<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Howard-Snyder |first=Daniel |year=1995 |title=Book review: John Schellenberg, ''Divine Hiddenness and Human Reason'' (Cornell 1993) |journal=Mind |volume=104 |issue=414 |pages=430–435 |url=http://www.wwu.edu/~howardd/bookreviews/schellenberg.pdf |access-date=2007-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060928070142/http://www.wwu.edu/~howardd/bookreviews/schellenberg.pdf |archive-date=2006-09-28 |url-status=dead |doi=10.1093/mind/104.414.430 }}</ref> are similarly sensitive towards the nonbeliever. Howard-Snyder wrote:
{{blockquote|Even though some nonbelievers lack true benevolence, the empirical evidence strongly suggests that others possess it since they really do earnestly seek the truth about God, love the Good, assess evidence judiciously, and, if anything, display a prejudice for God, not against Him.<ref name="hs2006" />}}