"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Results from a recent survey may agree with that familiar Scripture passage.
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(Photo: AP Images / Katsumi Kasahara)Pedestrians walk past an electronic board showing the current Nikkei 225 average in Tokyo Monday, Oct. 29, 2007.
A Pew Research Center report recently showed that religion is less likely to be central to the lives of individuals in richer nations than poorer ones.
The survey found a strong relationship between a country's religiosity and its economic status. According to the report, which released last month, African and some Asian countries – which are among the poorest in the world – scored highest on the religiosity scale. Meanwhile, rich Western European countries are among the most secular. Canada, Japan and Israel are also wealthy nations that have low levels of religiosity.
The United States, the wealthiest nation, was "most notably" an exception, scoring higher in religiosity than those in Europe. The level of religiosity in the United States was found to be similar to less economically developed countries such as Mexico. Americans tend to be more religious than the publics of other affluent nations, the survey stated.
Other exceptions include the oil-rich, predominantly Muslim kingdom of Kuwait which has a much higher level of religiosity than its economic situation would predict.
The Pew survey also measured the highly debated relationship between religion and morality. Results showed that in much of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, there is a strong consensus that belief in God is necessary for morality and good values. In Japan and China, however, the majority does not agree that believing in God is required for morality.
Throughout much of Europe as well as Canada, majorities think morality is achievable without faith.
Opinions were more mixed in the United States. There, 57 percent say belief in God is necessary to have good values and to be moral while 41 percent disagree.
In many countries, younger people were significantly more likely to reject the notion that morality requires a belief in God.
Over the last five years, the percentage of people who think believing in God is necessary for good values has increased in nine countries, stayed about the same in 10, and declined in 13. Sharp decreases were found in Eastern Europe, India and Kenya.
The survey was done as part of the Pew Global Attitudes Project, which is a series of worldwide public opinion surveys that encompass a broad array of subjects.
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Hey, Citizen,...I looked at you first commentary,...you kinda smell of derogitory? feel me? if you`re gonna print stuff like this, hopefully you are doing some serious background and commentary research,...some people on this website want to get a broader 3 dimensional picture of exactly what you`re talking about,......
I think the reason we (the U.S) are a major exception is because we have many agnostics. Those who don't really know if they believe in God or not can't make up their minds and more times than not simply say yes they are somewhat religious.
I may not agree with you regarding the existence of God, but I can take solace in the fact that there are respectful people like you out there that believe in treating people fairly.This is important to me in the event that my Faith becomes the minority, which I believe it will in my lifetime.Thanks for the discussion, torus.
Metanoia - Can you please cite some data for me which supports your claim that Western Europe cannot keep its social programs going? After you've done that, please explain what "lost track of who and what they are" means. Who and what are they? I was born in Switzerland and grew up in England. I visit every year. What's been lost? I wonder why I haven't noticed.
TORUS, actually I have been to Europe lately, thank you. I don't think my statements are unsubstantiated. I'm basing it on the fact that western Europe won't exist in another generation. They are collapsing under large numbers of Muslim immigrants, low birth rates, social programs they can't support, etc. Why is Europe allowing this - because it has lost sight of who and what they are. These are not unsubstantiated claims. Societal safety nets are appropriate only if they can be supported. Europe cannot support its safety nets without large numbers of immigrants and high taxes. If Europe is a model of having it together, they are in big big trouble.
Later, vato.
GoldenEagle - I'd be foolish to deny that religion influenced the founding fathers, this is a fact pure and simple. I also can appreciate the fact that the assumption of a god makes it easy to derive the inalienable rights we hold highly in the US. However I think at this stage of human and societal development it's possible for us to derive these same rights from the understanding that a good, decent fair society which is equal (on some levels) for all people is the best way of enabling the individual's full potential. While these (same) rights may not be inalienable in that they're not derived from some "higher" level, I think they're just as valid, perhaps even more so, in that they make logical sense. If we appreciate that society will collapse if these rights are subtracted then we can all be in mutual agreement that they need to exist.
Metanoia - You are making unsubstatiated claims. What is your evidence that Europe has "lost sight of who and what they are"? What exactly do you mean by it? Been to Europe lately? On many (not all) levels they are much more together than we are in the US. To some arguable degree the entire raison d'etre for a society to exist at all is to protect those who create it, the citizens, and as such a certain societal safety net is appropriate.
Ceasing to believe in god does not mean you will believe in anything, just that all of a sudden you have to consider the ramifications of everything you think and work out the details logically. Many conclusions remain the same - be nice to others, don't kill kittens, and so on. These make sense in a larger framework (see my previous paragraph).
Citizen, if the reason that wealthy countries have lost their faith is because of substantial social safety nets, then how do you explain the fervency of European Muslims. They fall under the same social safety nets yet are only growing in European converts. The reason Europeans and the rest of the developed world has lost its faith is because it has lost sight of who and what they are. They have collapsed under the weight of political correctness that tells them that their religion and culture are meaningless and inferior.
The perpetual death spiral is when you stop believing in God then you will believe in anything. Europeans believe in being taking care from cradle to grave and have become infantilized to the point of not only unable to take care of themselves but unable to even reproduce the next generation. To say that someone in a third world country have fallen into despair and depression about the future rather make any of the changes necessary for secuirty here and now is absurd and condescending. I was born into a middle class family and now have a beautiful family and substantial income yet I believe in Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Always have and always will. Amen.
P.S. America take note, we are heading in the same direction as Europe.
I see your point and I guess I'm somewhat sympathetic to where you're coming from.I guess my concern is that we not lose sight of our freedoms in this country.You may see Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy as being silly, but a person does have a right to believe in these, even if it seems a little to silly.The founders saw certain "inalienable rights" as having been derived from a Creator.Why? Because they are not inalienable if they come from the state.So, I guess I see religion playing an important role in society.Even if it's Deism that influenced some of the founders, nevertheless, it did help shape their ideas as to where we derive our fundamental rights.I know you disagree with this, and that's fine.
GoldenEagle - Why are you worried? You can keep believing what you personally believe, as can all the buddhists, shintoists, jainists, jews, muslims, wiccans and so on. What's important is that these religions (you know which ones specifically) need to lose some of their public influence. Imagine if a president of the US invoked Thor in a speech, or invoked a fairy or Santa Claus! That's how I feel every time our president invokes his own personal god. It's like, enough already!
Have no fear, torus.It is coming to this country, as well.In fact, the tide is already turning in that direction.The difference between us is that you are looking forward to that day, and I am not.
Citizen said: "....of all the ministers and preachers I disagree with, I disagree with Joel Osteen the least." The reason you disagree with Osteen the least is because he preaches the least biblical, God-centered theology you can find. What Osteen preaches is that it is all about YOU, and what YOU can get. Instead of making silly ignorant comments like "... having death wishes for Jesus" you should read the New Testament with a little intellectual honesty and you will find that the Christian Faith is not about wish-fufillment and "pie-in-the-sky" but is the True record of the state of ALL mankind witch is Sin and Seperation from a Holy and Just God and then HIs act of Mercy through the Cross of Christ to redeem us HERE and NOW. The true Christian does not wait for his hope after death, but has a Living Hope in the LORD Jesus Christ.
The connection is that richer countries tend to be more enlightened, and this brings with it the casting off of old superstitions like religion. The US is an anachronism in this respect.
According to the report, which released last month, African and some Asian countries – which are among the poorest in the world – scored highest on the religiosity scale. Meanwhile, rich Western European countries are among the most secular. Canada, Japan and Israel are also wealthy nations that have low levels of religiosity.
There are many rich counties in Africa and Asia which are based on Christian values. Most of Western European countries are running by Christian values, even though they are secular. Yes, it’s true that there are religions what can make people becoming poor.
In Japan and China, however, the majority does not agree that believing in God is required for morality.
What’s God whom they are talking about here?
Anyway it is right, for most Japanese and Chinese morality is not required for believing in Buddhism and kind of. I came from this religion background for many years before Jesus found me.
Believing in the LORD Jesus Christ, it is absolutely required! Lev 11:45 For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy." See also I Peter 1:14-16
Do people need GOD to be good?
My answers is, what is being a good man? Does someone having good job and owning lot of properties mean that he or she is surely good person?
1Samuel 16:3-10 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you." (4) Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, "Do you come peaceably?" (5) And he said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. (6) When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him." (7) But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. *** For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." *** (8) Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." (9) Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." (10) And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen these."
If we wanted to be good people according to GOD’s standards, surely we need GOD to be good!!
I think that we need be fare, don’t we?
“Bring back to GOD the things that are GOD’s, and to politician’s the things that are politician’s.”
You all know why that is, right? It's because in most other wealthy countries, there is a substantial social safety net. Consequently, the people are more secure, they have more opportunities. They don't all fall into despair and depression about the future, and consequently decide that they want to get life over as quickly as possible, on the theory that there is a better life awaiting those who believe. After all, it takes no money to believe, so its one of the few ways the less fortunate and the outsiders in society have of feeling relevant. They decide to change the standard into one they can meet, rather than one they are actively prevented from meeting.
However, its a perpetual death spiral, because if you've decided to despair of this life, why bother making any of the changes that would give people a sense of security here and now? Then they wouldn't be quite so eager to buy into magical thinking as a solution to their problems. The consequences is that the status quo persists and the lot of the less-educated, the economically disadvantaged, and unpopular minorities stagnates, or even gets worse.
I challenge you all to fight for a better life here and now, rather than having death wishes for Jesus. Having a more comfortable life does not contradict being a good person, or having meaning, or any of the other things religion is said to give you. That's why, of all the ministers and preachers I disagree with, I disagree with Joel Osteen the least. He hasn't given up. He isn't sitting around, urging people to postpone their hope until after they are dead. I say we can have hope now, and anyone one who thinks otherwise can go pout in a corner while the rest of us take what we have every right to. Economic security, morality, and meaning, right here, right now.