Societies worse off 'when they have God on their side'

[edgray]

Do you not have any sense of history at all, Ed? The US is probably less religious than it has ever been, and near its lowest point of stability. The gov't inserted "under God" into our pledge and "In God We Trust" on our currency when we were the strongest economic power in the world. The US dollar was the currency of choice in international trade.

This isn't my study, Accountable, so it's not "me", this is just what the information that has been gathered is saying.

Interestingly, a belief in God has dropped, but is again on the rise in the US, interestingly, at a time when you are "near it's lowest point in stability"..... hmmm....

(source: November 2009 Harris poll)

The dysfunction, imo comes not from the fact that many of our citizens are religious, but that so many non-religious people think we should be culturally homogeneous. It doesn't help that a minority of religious zealots believe the same thing. It isn't religion, it's intolerance, which is unChristian.

Ok so how can you back this up? What study have you conducted to come to this conclusion? Or is it just your "hunch?"

But even with all that said, I have to wonder why you even care. Why are you concerned? You call our society unstable, and that the instability comes about because of religion, which was strongest when the nation was strongest. If you're concerned because of how it affects your own society, I would think you would want to reinforce the religious ethic that has been our nation's mainstay lo these many years.

I care because of the effect it has on the world. You guys really have no idea just how much the US affects everything else on the planet.

My main concern with all of this really is the disconnect it creates between society and reality. The US has an utterly appalling level of scientific understanding, which is 100% down to it's obsession with God and all things supernatural. This is VERY bad for everyone on the planet because it means the largest polluter in the world is happily ignoring the massive environmental issues we're facing.

This is only possible because of the lack of scientific understand a belief in God perpetuates.

Not to mention that it seems to me that a belief in God, and that the US is "God's chosen nation", creates a moral framework of superiority that allows US Imperialism to rape the world with impunity.

If it's not about how it affects your society, then how is it anything more than whispering unfounded gossip about the neighbors down the street?

Answered above. Why don't you read the OP?

I'd say that your main concern is that the US is not like the UK, and you don't understand why. Since anything you don't understand is suspect (that's human nature, y'know) then US society is suspect. So you pick at and point at anything that is different from you and label it evil. It makes you feel better; makes you feel like you understand.

Wow you really take it personally when someone comes along with a different viewpoint that might shatter your own lofty self-image, don't you? Telling me that it makes me feel a little better, trying to be condescending when you haven't even bothered to look at the evidence at hand, let alone read the OP.

This isn't that I don't understand, nor I think something is evil. Don't try and put words into my mouth. Come on, this is an utterly pathetic line of attack Accountable, I would have expected something so much better from you.

 

[Accountable]

This isn't my study, Accountable, so it's not "me", this is just what the information that has been gathered is saying.

Interestingly, a belief in God has dropped, but is again on the rise in the US, interestingly, at a time when you are "near it's lowest point in stability"..... hmmm....

Makes perfect sense when you have a sense of history & culture. Religion has a unique role in our society that does not correlate to yours. As it weakens our society becomes less stable. When people sense the instability is becoming dangerous, we (collectively) turn to religion. As you point out, it is again on the rise, and so the stability will again increase.

Come on, this is an utterly pathetic line of attack Accountable, I would have expected something so much better from you.

I notice this is your pat response when I hit especially close to center target.

 

[edgray]

Makes perfect sense when you have a sense of history & culture. Religion has a unique role in our society that does not correlate to yours. As it weakens our society becomes less stable. When people sense the instability is becoming dangerous, we (collectively) turn to religion. As you point out, it is again on the rise, and so the stability will again increase.

This isn't about religion, if you'd have bothered to read the OP, you'd know that it's about a belief in God.

I notice this is your pat response when I hit especially close to center target.

it's my "pat" response when I get annoyed by someone that hasn't even bothered to read the OP and makes some unfounded assumptions.

 

[Accountable]

This isn't about religion,

Not only does it seem that religion is unnecessary for a country to function, but it's actually detrimental to creating a harmonious society.

Oh, okay. Not about religion. Got it.