If women are permitted control over their lives with a modicum of economic security, they have less children and educate them better. Those children go on to achieve a higher level of social stability and are more likely to escape the yoke of religion.

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So… what’s the story with the US, then? It seems we are an anomally in the developed world. I know many brains sharper than mine have delved into this riddle, but here’s my theory:

There’s something to the culture of “me, me, me” in the US that is an intrinsic part of society. People here are very concerned with themselves and have it in their heads that the world owes them something because… well, because they’re special. Very, very special. And when life starts to dish out its ration of crap, as it inevitably will, these same “special people” start to feel not so “special” after all. Well, this proves to be quite an uncomfortable feeling; one that doesn’t sit well with people raised to think that life owes them happiness. Then this happens:

“Oh, but wait! What’s this? I AM special… because GOD made me, and JESUS loves me? Man, oh man, I knew it! I’m hitchin’ my wagon to this here religion! Now and forever more I can live my life struttin’ tall knowin’ that the frickin’ Creator of the g-d Universe made ME!”

I heard an ex-xtian say once that conceit is prevalent in Christianity, as it’s hard not to look down on people when you are so obviously favored by the Creator of Everything. That makes sense to me, and I will say I can see it. (Perhaps we atheists can be a little conceited, too, but at least we aren’t pretending NOT to be.) So, here we have a society full of people who are too damned afraid to admit there’s nothing more special to them than there is to any other person on earth. And that it’s up to them to make their lives good or god-awful.

Religion is the perfect excuse for Conceit and Entitlement… two prevalent characteristics of the collective American consciousness.

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Amazing how conceit and entitlement can result from powerlessness and ignorance.

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WIld, If you look at the history of the U.S. it centers around rugged individualism and self, while European countries have more of a sense of community.  We all (well maybe most) need to be connected somehow to the ‘other’ and if the other is community, the need for a God is mitigated.  That’s my guess anyway.

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to wild-free, “So… what’s the story with the US, then?”

There are a couple of standard explanations that economists have posited.  (1) In the U.S., there is much more of a “free market” in religions because of the lack of one centralized state religion that you see in many European countries.  As a result, there is much more meme mutations and recombinations that create more virulent religions in the U.S.  (2) The American social support network is weaker than in the more socialized economies of Europe, and therefore Americans feel more uncertainty in their lives.

I think both of these arguments have a lot of merit.

In addition, (3) America has had a higher percentage of immigrants who either bring their own religion or who turn to churches for a social network.  And also, (4) because people validate their beliefs by seeing what their neighbors believe, there is a positive feedback loop at work in America, where religiosity encourages religiosity.  Europe has somehow made it past the tipping point, and if America can too, then religion can recede extremely quickly, just like how attitude towards racism in America changed in just two short generations.

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pdskep - you stated it simply and I agree. When I first came to the US, it was one of the differences I noticed right off the bat. Americans have a sense of individualism that likely stems from the days the country fought for its independence. It’s an honorable enough beginning, but has perhaps gone too far?

gcheng - “religiosity encourages religiosity” Absolutely the case, but you mustn’t forget the DIScouragement that occurs in the face of any form of inquiry or challenge to the conventional religious wisdom. Just look at what’s happened with the Texas Textbook Debacle…

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what will replace religious beliefs is knoweldge where ever that knowledge takes the world.

and it wont be religion or atheism.

both are based in ignorance one in materialism and the other in human dogma.

an award winning physics professor that does research on the paranormal was refused to be allowed to speak at a conference because of his research into the paranormal.

this is not science this is materialism becoming a religion. ie scientism.

maybe the atheists in the world need to look up the defintion of science. few know that definition.

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I am not at all atheist but I think religion is a very important institution in the society and its existence is essential for people to keep on believing that there is hope.

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Researcher: Atheism is simply the lack of belief in any gods.  As far as knowledge goes, there’s tons of evidence that there exists a material world and none what-so-ever that shows there is a non-material world. 

Kooks aren’t allowed to speak at scientific conferences because they are kooks.  Should they have allowed a flat-earther to speak as well or anyone with hair-brained ideas?  That’s not how science works.  You need actual evidence.  Perhaps you may believe in ghosts or some stupid shit, but that doesn’t mean it exists.

aapeterjonas: You may be right, but that’s sort of a sad state of the human condition if it’s true isn’t it?  Having to believe in fairly tales for any sense of hope.  Lack of ability to face reality may be our species’ undoing.

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Certain invitees to a workshop on the Foundations of Physics received from the organisers letters withdrawing their invitations. The letter to Brian Josephson asserted:
“It has come to my attention that one of your principal research interests is the paranormal ... in my view, it would not be appropriate for someone with such research interests to attend a scientific conference.”
while a similar letter to David Peat asserted:
“It has come to my attention that you are the author of books on Jungian synchronicity and quantum physics, and on connections between Native American Indian thought and modern physics ... in my view, it is not appropriate for an author of such books to attend a scientific conference.”

atheism is already a religion how can it replace a religion.

atheism has as its god scientism.

above are some quotes how scientism has become the same as religion.

one must stand between atheism and relgious beliefs to see that both promote closed minded modes of being in the world.

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Again, it’s not science and shouldn’t be in a scientific conference.  There are certain rules about science that the purveyors or woo-woo seem not to understand.  If it were a conference on fairies and trolls then it would be appropriate. 

Creating your own definition of words is the oldest trick in the book by people who don’t have a real argument.

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It seems to betray a profound misunderstanding of how religion works to think that psychotropic medicines and electronic entertainments are viable alternatives. The point about religion is that it has a stranglehold on the mind in a way more complete than pretty much anything else. Nevertheless, I do agree that it is possible we will see a time when religion will made to be as influential and important as it should be, i.e. not very. A few months back, I wrote a piece about this very thing.

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Paranormal research? That’s like inviting a “researcher” who’s field is perpetual motion.

Atheism religion? Hardly, it’s a lack of religion—i.e. NOT believing in gods. Certainly science replaces it but only because it represents testable reality.

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I am always amused that believers try so hard to be included in scientific conferences.  Is it because thye can clearly see that without science their ideas have no standing?  What a predicament this must be for them.  Where else can they go except back to the choir?

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The idea that religions and other belief systems based on supernatural forces will be replaced by atheism is, I fear, an illusion. It will take many centuries just to reduce their influence on humanity. And that will not be brought about by just fulminating against religion and the like!  Instead we need something more effective: unremitting intellectual endeavor. We need much more research programs on this phenomenon, on the sociobiology of religious groups, on the cognitive psychology and neurology of believing and being religious, on the history of its dominating political and cultural influence, and much more.

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cacao tree

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All good posts that generate food for thought. I encourage the reading of Matthew Alper’s groundbreaking masterpiece; ‘The God Part of the Brain’.  His explanation for the evolution of human hard-wiring via neuro or bio-theological structures is very instructive in this discussion.  He supplies fascinating input regarding the phenomena of belief, ‘spiritual/mystical’ experiences, and why religion/superstition becomes so embedded in human societies.

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I would love to believe that this will happen, but I don’t see evidence in the US.  Many of my friends/acquaintences/coworkers are well-educated, intelligent people who still believe in God.  I think the problem is that many are born into religious families and never stop to question the ridiculousness of their religion’s dogma.  They just keep believing like their parents and grandparents did and passing it on to their children. 

The good news is that those of us who think critically (and have children) are raising them to be scientific, rational thinkers (ie non-religious) and are breaking this cycle.  The bad news is that as well-educated people, we have a lot less children, so we won’t populate the world with freethinkers anytime soon.

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