Religion Notes

The Socioeconomic Insecurity Hypothesis of Faith

From "The Big Religion Questions Finally Solved" -- Gregory S. Paul, Free Inquiry Dec 08 / Jan 09

"It is no coincidence that religiosity is low in every first-world nation with universal health coverage and high in the only one without it. High levels of religiosity are largely a symptom of dysfunctional socioeconomic circumstances, and high levels of secularism are largely a symptom of healthier, more secure socioeconomic circumstances. Simply put, insecurity breeds religion; security promotes non-theism."

"Together, then, the contributions by naturalistic science, socioeconomic security, and corporate-consumer culture combine to form the "Triple-Threat Hypothesis of Democratic Secularization."

"One such critical factor is not per capita income but rather income inequality. Across the first world, lower income inequality correlates with lower religiosity. Higher income inequality correlates with higher religiosity. The pattern is statistically progressive, and no deviations are known."

"On a planetary scale, another unprecedented phenomenon must be recognized. During the past century, the *only* life stance that has proven able to achieve significant growth by conversion has been disbelief in the supernatural."

"America is repidly secularizing. The population that tells pollsters they think the Bible is built on legends and fables has soared -- from 1 in 10 to nearly 1 in 4 in just three decades."

"Consider that eighteen in out of the nineteen of the most prosperous democracies, the share of population reporting absolute belief in a god or gods ranges between as little as a few percent, and, at most, half."

"On some indices, the United States scores so poorly that its status as a first-world nation must be regarded as provisional." (E.g. homicide, incarceration, adult mortality, youth mortality, abortion, teen pregnancy, suicide, marriage failure, employment levels, etc.)

"We can now say with some confidence that the United States is a religious anomaly because its socioeconomic system is correspondingly anomalous and pathological in contrast to first-world norms. Citizens enjoy far lower levels of government support and protection. Most members of the middle class face serious risk of financial and personal ruin if they lose their insecure jobs or their private health insurance."

"Among the first world's nineteen prosperous democracies, all but the United States have adopted pragmatic, progressive, and secular socioeconomic policies that maximize the financial security of the middle class (that is to say, the majority of citizens). In most first world countries, it is hard to lose middle class status -- no western European or Australian goes bankrupt due to overwhelming medical bills."