This new study by Gregory Paul finds that dysfunctional countries depend more on religion than countries with functional societies. In order to determine which countries were functional or dysfunctional the study utilized the Successful Societies Scale. This scale contains 25 indicators of socioeconomic conditions that exist in a given country. These indicators were then compared with religiosity scales in order to determine any significant correlations between the two variables.
You can download the full 44-page article PDF file here!
The results of this study can be seen in the graph below:
The above chart shows a clear correlation between religiosity and dysfunctional societies among the countries examined in this study.
Among other findings the study revealed that 1st world socioeconomic living conditions correlated with population diversity and immigration. Furthermore, high income disparity, high scores of religiosity, and rejection of evolutionary science negatively correlated with improving societal conditions. Moreover, it was found that religious charity was far less effective in improving societal conditions than secular government programs aimed at improving national living standards.
Here is a graph showing income disparity among nations:
Please note where the United States is on this picture…It is located at the top right of the chart!
The 25 attributes of the Successful Societies Scale, as well as other indicators such as religiosity, used in the study can be found below. Scores were calculated in each category in order to determine both the overall societal health and religiosity:
| Successful Societies Scale |
| Homicides |
| Incarceration |
| Suicides15-24 year old |
| Suicides all age |
| Under 5 mortality |
| Life expectancy |
| Gonorrhea infections15-19 year old |
| Gonorrhea infections all age |
| Syphilis infections15-19 year old |
| Syphilis infections all age |
| Abortions 15-19 year old |
| Births 15-17 year old |
| Fertility |
| Marriages |
| Marriage duration at divorce |
| Divorces among married couples |
| Alcohol consumption |
| Life satisfaction |
| Corruption indices |
| Adjusted per capita income |
| GINI income inequality |
| Human poverty index |
| Employment levels |
| Average hours worked |
| Resource exploitation base |
| % of population who are foreign born |
| Cultural fractionalization |
| Accept human descent from animals |
| Accept human descent from animals compared to absolutely believe in God |
| Absolutely believe in God |
| Bible literalists |
| Attend religious services at least several times a month |
| Pray at least several times a week |
| Absolutely believe in an after life |
| Absolutely believe in heaven |
| Absolutely believe in hell |
| Agnostics and atheists |
| Accept human evolution from animals |
| Adjusted per capita income |
| GINI income inequality |
| Human poverty index |
| Foreign born |
| Cultural fractionalization |
As you can see by the chart above the Successful Societies Scale covers a large portion of societal life and socioeconomic conditions.
Bottom line: conservative religious ideology contributes to societal dysfunction!
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Thank you! You often write very interesting articles. You improved my mood.
Are you a professional journalist? You write very well.