Least and most religious nations

[thir]

While I'm sure that these facets contribute to the lack of religion, I would be more inclined to believe that it is education which is primarily responsible.

Yes, but education and prosperity hangs together. Poor people often do not get educated.

And politics, of course. In many of the poorer countries religion is at least encouraged by the state, if not actually mandated. Islamic countries, both rich and poor, mandate religion and the penalties for apostasy or heresy are as barbaric as they are deadly.

Absolutely! In fact, as I see it, it would be extremely difficult to find out how many people would be religious if they had a choice, since they do not.

In the US, in particular, the religious groups have only recently seen their hold on the education systems being contested and diminished. They continue to fight back, sometimes successfully (Texas, for example). But the trend is still downward. Religious organizations are showing steadily declining memberships, with some losing as much as 70% of those children born into the religion.

So why do you think that is?

[Thorne]

Yes, but education and prosperity hangs together. Poor people often do not get educated.

This is true, and in many places around the world, those poor who are educated are taught by religious missionaries. One of the reasons why religious organizations in the US are losing members is because of state-run education, which cannot, by law, include religious instruction. And with the law requiring all children to be educated into high school, the failures of religious instruction are being laid bare. Young people are learning that those "mysteries of the gods" they have been taught as children are little more than wishful thinking, warped psychology and belief in magic.