Decline of religion might not be bad

[SecularMotion]

In fact, there is no evidence that a higher rate of religious belief leads to a more moral population.

According to a 2009 study by Phil Zuckerman in the journal Sociology Compass, which examines religious belief around the world, atheists and secular people “are markedly less nationalistic, less prejudiced, less anti-Semitic, less racist, less dogmatic, less ethnocentric, less close-minded, and less authoritarian.”

Zuckerman’s research also finds that, while secular people might be more likely to drink alcohol underage or use illegal drugs, “there is simply no evidence suggesting that atheist and secular people are more likely to commit [violent] crimes than religious people.” He points to the fact that only 0.2 percent of American prisoners are atheists, which is much lower than the proportion of atheists in the general population.

Furthermore, a 2005 study by Gregory S. Paul in the Journal of Religion & Society found that in modern democratic societies, “higher rates of belief in and worship of a creator correlate with higher rates of homicide, juvenile and early adult mortality, STD infection rates, teen pregnancy, and abortion.” On the other hand, the study found that “the more secular, pro-evolution democracies have, for the first time in history, come closest to achieving practical ‘cultures of life’ that feature low rates of lethal crime, juvenile-adult mortality, sex related dysfunction, and even abortion.”

http://www.alligator.org/opinion/columns/article_d056ed74-9697-11e2-bac5-0019bb2963f4.html

[Thinkingabout]

1. interesting post, especially the part about anti list, I choose to be on the Christian side but do

Not like Christian churches and members always being against others, it is not right and perhaps their anger carries over into violence.

[Phillip McCleod]

2. hadn't heard of that study before..

thanks!