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The Virtues of Godlessness

The least religious nations are also the most healthy and successful
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By PHIL ZUCKERMAN

The world seems more religious than ever these days.

Across the Middle East, fervent forms of Islam are growing more popular and more politically active. Muslim nations that were somewhat secularized 40 years ago — like Lebanon and Iran — are now teeming with fundamentalism. In Turkey and Egypt, increasing numbers of women are turning to the veil as an overt manifestation of reinvigorated religious commitment. But it isn't just in the Muslim world that religion is thriving. From Brazil to El Salvador, Protestant evangelicalism is spreading with great success, instilling a spirited, holy zeal throughout Latin America. Pentecostalism is proliferating, too — vigorously — and not only throughout Latin America, but in Africa and even, to a lesser extent, China. And many nations of the former Soviet Union, which had atheism imposed upon them for decades, have emerged from the communist era with their faith not only intact, but strong and vibrant. Here in the United States, religion is definitely alive and well. In terms of church attendance and belief in God, Jesus, and the Bible, religion in the United States is stronger and more robust than in most other developed democracies.

In sum, from Nebraska to Nepal, from Georgia to . . .



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The author doesn't say that godlessness necessarily leads to prosperity and happiness but he does make the case against the likes of Pat Robertson who claim that without strong faith in God society is doomed. Scandinavia is indeed a good counter-example of that. Personally I think it may be the other way, that most people there are sufficiently happy that they don't need religion. It's usually the poor, uneducated and oppressed who are the most religious.

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Denmark and Sweden are also among the least racially "diverse" of the Western countries, so for the time being, they've escaped that religion too.

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Not really. A lot of muslims are settling in those countries as they are in the rest of Europe.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

They are certainly less racially diverse than, oh hell, just about anywhere else on earth except for Japan. The muslim immigration is still not large enough percentage wise to significantly alter the stats the article was mentioning.

Being an atheist I completely agree with the premise though. In general the less religion the better off the society.

- Peter.

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Godlessness worked wonders for Russia, China, and Cambodia.

None of them were ever godless. It's just that in those cases the old testament dude, you know smiting and genociding etc, came on down and assumed a human form.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

My bad, I thought that they were de jure and de facto, atheist.

As Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins etc have pointed out many time being Atheist simply mens you dont believe in the existance of any supernatural being. It says nothing whatever about what you do with that knowledge.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Religon and war have gone hand in hand since their beginnings.

The staunchest religous people I know are also the most miserable.

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Exactly the same argument whether religion (or lack of) or a loaded gun. I'm in.

Positively manic.

That's right. Religiosity was merely suppressed in those places. China probably has more christians than the US but those who don't go to the state-sponsored churches have to go underground. Anyway, I think most would agree that nowadays terrorism fueled by religious fanaticism is a much bigger problem than communism or atheism. In fact atheism or religion on its own is never a problem, it's what you do with it like you say.

__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Well, France is already 5 or 10% muslim. Holland is probably not far behind. I don't know specifically about Denmark and Sweden, but I know a lot of Iraqi refugees have resettled in Sweden and Denmark has had its own share of problems with conservative muslim values of immigrants colliding with traditional Danish secularity.

__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

X2. Also the biggest douchebags.

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