New Data Show Ditching Religion Makes Life Better
Within religious circles there is a conventional wisdom that when people have more money they are "materialistic" and then dump their religion. That is, the cause of disinterest in religion is economic advancement.
During the seven years of blogging here I have said repeatedly that views of religion follow the culture. That is, there is not a sovereign god but instead one created by cultural values.
This study found exactly that. Countries first fell away from religion, then experienced an increase in their standard of living. Thus, it is not that people become materialistic then not religious. They lose their religion and then enjoy to fruits of a higher standard of living.
The link goes through as explanation of this. Probably there are many other theories and explanations as to why countries prosper when the leave religion behind.
One thing we associate with religious fervor is control of people. It's an over generalization, but when people are left to figure out how to live and how to accomplish things they usually do better than when they are heavily controlled. One way to control people is government power. Another is social structures when one group controls another.
Certainly Christianity has had its share of controlling people. Just the history of changing the Roman Empire from Pagan to Christian appears to have been accomplished as much through social pressure as it was from the power of government.
Some people need and benefit from religion. They should be allowed to practice it. Government and social control of people by using threats like hell and damnation do not contribute to a higher standard of living.
Right on!
ReplyDeleteFear is the mind killer. Fear controls people, fear makes people do things they wouldn't normally do. There was an interesting statistic I recently read that chaos in society causes people to come together. Rates of depression and suicide drop in the face of crisis due to people coming together and supporting each other in the time of severe crisis. Once the crisis averts people are left to fend for themselves and turn to vices, for some it's religion, others is a needle or a drink. Fear ultimately destroys us as we endeavor to escape it. Religion is but just one tool that fosters that fear and then puts its own solution in place for the fear. Government too, at times, fosters the fear, then passes laws and/ or acts to remedy the fears that were fostered.
ReplyDeleteIf we could only reach a heightened state to realize that fear is ok. It protects us, we don't need a quick fix we just need help from each other to get through that which we fear.
Religion has many expressions. Just yesterday I gave a person a copy of a Catholic social teaching book which laid out the rights of each and every person the right to food, shelter, education, health care, an adequately paying job and a clean environment. Such is a shining light to move towards.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the fine comment, Senator Mathern. The Catholic lessons from the social gospel are good ones. Unfortunately, those goals have been crowded by clergy who are possessed with putting the hammer down on those they dislike. Pope Benedict used the important Christmas Eve Message to lash out against gays a few years ago.
DeleteTotally agree with your comment Senator!! We must bring caring for our brothers and sisters back into the mainstream and realize this view will return us to the great nation we should be.
DeleteSenator Mathern, rights are states of existence that would normally exist without undue influence by others. The Declaration of Independence lists life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These exist in a state where no-one is taking anything from you nor are they giving you anything. Your definition of rights, trash liberty. Things need to be taken from others for you to have your rights or it requires you to pay for your rights.
DeleteThe right of pursuit of happiness covers everything you list. If you don't pursue, you have no rights to those items.
The only exception is a clean environment, if the environment is dirty because someone else trashed it, then there is undue influence and your right has been violated. The issue is that everything we do effects the environment. Your farts cause my environment to not be clean as do mine. So we need a government to negotiate undue hardship.
I so sorry to read these very divisive comments in a society that so desperately needs healing. Our country is floundering with animosity, lack of respect and an abundance of character assassination. Most debates and blogs are largely conjecture and sometimes outright falsehoods. I believe we cannot start the healing process with the kind of message presented by this blog.
ReplyDelete"Our country is floundering with animosity, lack of respect and an abundance of character assassination."
DeleteI agree. Lashing out against gay marriage and women who need abortions are primary examples. For the good of the country this needs to end.
Sir, your very clever at shifting the narrative to reflect your views. Christians aren't lashing out any more the atheists, they have as much right support a position as secularists do. They find killing a baby in the womb abhorrent, it's barbaric and our Christian faith makes it unacceptable. As for same sex marriage, it's not what our creator intended when he created human. Christians have for too long allow secularists free rein to influence public policy in their favor. Fortunately, Christians are overcoming their timidity and exercising their freedom of speech to share their views. That may be call lashing out in atheistic talk, it is freedom of speech, guarantee by or constitution.
Delete"Sir, your very clever at shifting the narrative to reflect your views."
DeleteYes, I tend to see the world in frank, realistic and helpful ways. Religious zealots focus on things such as putting women and gays in second class status. If only they would compromise and admit we need everyone on board to move forward we could accomplish more.
Sorry, your engaging in more conjecture, Christians for the most part on extremely concerned about the salvation of those who practice abortion and same-sex marriage. Do your research and you will discover outreach programs by most Catholic dioceses in the USA for these folks. Speak of lashing out, atheists are constantly lashing out at Christians as being less intelligent and suckers for the bible message. I would place incessant denigration as lashing out at Christians.
DeleteIf only they would compromise! Let's explore that statement from an atheist. In atheistic talk that means Christians succumb to the dictates of the secularists. It means we secularists win, you Christians lose, It means we secularists are superior to Christians. I have never defected compromise by secularists on issues of religious freedom. Their incessant purpose is deny Christianity for the sole purpose of secularization of our American society
DeleteThank you Senator for sharing your inspirational message. Hopefully this will encourage other Christians to share their messages of hope and good news of Jesus Christ. God Bless!
ReplyDeleteThe new religion is now The Green Religion, The Social Justice Religion, and/or Atheism? All misguided and designed to replace traditional religious institutions with government.
ReplyDeletePicking up one's cross is difficult. Christ did not promise earthly pleasure. Atheists take the easy, self-indulgent way out. I'm happy being Catholic and don't regret my choices. Ditch atheism if you seek true happiness instead of unlimited ice cream.
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DeleteI understand your individualism point of view, it is quite prevalent today.
ReplyDelete