Quote from: CoinCube on August 23, 2016, 07:40:39 PM

Quote from: criptix on August 23, 2016, 01:25:35 PM

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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religiosity_and_intelligence
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics_of_religion
https://arxiv.org/abs/1012.1375
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Some interesting links provided by criptix.

Link #1 highlights several studies that show that the average IQ of the religious is less than that of the nonreligious. Fair enough we have all likely met a fanatic at some point in our lives who is unable to coherently string two sentences together but insistent on trying to tell you everything about what is true.

There is certainly a large subset of the population who do not think for themselves but passively go along with whatever is popular. These are the people who embraced Hitler’s ideas on untermenschens, that wholeheartedly enforced Stalin’s purges, and who riot when their football teams win. They are also likely to blindly follow charismatic religious leaders when religion is popular.

However, we are now entering an age of atheism and religion is in transient decline. Soon many these individuals will be flocking instead to the atheist banner because as that will be the new “hip” thing. My suspicions is that this coloration will not only prove transient but that it will reverse. This has occurred already in some religious groups like the Mormons and probably the Jews as well.

http://www.mormonsandscience.com/religion--science-blog/education-and-religiosity-mormons-buck-the-trend

Link #2 states that there is a negative coloration between religiosity and wealth but is very sparse on the details. How much of a correlation? Does it still exist if we control for population size rather than simply looking by country. China for example is very big and very low on the religiosity index. Is it being given the same weight as Ghana?

However, let’s set that aside for a minute let’s assume the conclusion is correct and that there is a negative correlation between religiosity and per capita income. Does that mean that religiosity somehow prevents countries from getting wealthy? Probably not because the USA as well as most of Europe was very religious until very recently. The more likely conclusion is that wealth leads people to become less religious and embrace other things like hedonism.

Quote from: Henning Webb Prentis, Jr

Paradoxically enough, the release of initiative and enterprise made possible by popular self-government ultimately generates disintegrating forces from within. Again and again after freedom has brought opportunity and some degree of plenty, the competent become selfish, luxury-loving and complacent, the incompetent and the unfortunate grow envious and covetous, and all three groups turn aside from the hard road of freedom to worship the Golden Calf of economic security. The historical cycle seems to be: From bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to apathy; from apathy to dependency; and from dependency back to bondage once more."

Link #3 attempts to show that religion is in decline and that it will continue to decline using a simplistic mathematical model. “According to the model, a single parameter quantifying the perceived utility of adhering to a religion determines whether the unaffiliated group will grow in a society.” This model is obviously a gross simplification but it may be accurate for short term predictions. The model predicts that over the short term religion is going to decline and I actually agree. However, over the long term the model is overly simplistic and certain to be inaccurate. For example the data I discussed in the Health and Religion thread is not included in this model and would invalidate it over a long time horizon.

#1

The correlation is lower IQ equals to less thinking equals to more superstition and religiosity which I think is very logical.

#2
Like you said there are more variables besides religiosity which impacts economic and wealth.
E.g. China is more or less communist which equale to less religiosity but also less economic wealth.

Overall the negative corrolation is easy to understand if you look at #1 and make a link.
More religiosity means less avg. Iq of the population equals to less economic wealth.

#3

For its prediction time frame the model works and we also see that if a nation gets richer there is a positive corrolation with decline of religiosity.
So as long as we hold on to capitalism the end of religion is designed to happen.