Belief In God Is Killing Us, Study Shows
In Tuesday’s edition of The Times (London), Ruth Gledhill utilized her column to report the following:
Religious belief can cause damage to a society, contributing towards high murder rates, abortion, sexual promiscuity and suicide, according to research published today. According to the study, belief in and worship of God are not only unnecessary for a healthy society but may actually contribute to social problems.
Gledhill cites a research study, recently published in the Journal of Religion and Society, that compares largely secular societies such as Great Britain and Japan with the United States, which is heavily populated by active Christians. The study supposedly shows a direct link between “belief and worship of a creator” and social ills.
Apparently, neither Mrs. Gledhill nor the studies author, Gregory Paul, remember this basic rule of logical proof: correlation does not prove causation.
In other words, just because the Mississippi River water level drops in direct proportion to peanut sales in the surrounding towns and cities does not prove that the citizenry is drinking from the river to quench their salty-peanut-induced thirst. Rather, a more thorough examination of the facts shows that peanut sales increase during baseball season (it’s not baseball without peanuts), baseball season runs from mid-May through August, and the Mississipi River water level always drops during the summer.
According to Dr. Albert Mohler :
“[This study] proves nothing, since an almost limitless number of unrelated factors could explain the differences claimed by the study. Here’s how to stack a deck for a false argument. Collect unrelated statistics and pass them off as proving causation. A decline in steel production may be an item of interest, but it doesn’t have anything to do with a rise in asparagus eating among retirees.”
What are your thoughts regarding this new study? How would you respond to Mr. Paul’s assertion that “the widely held fear that a Godless citizenry must experience societal disaster is therefore refuted?” More importantly, what is the real contributing factor to the claimed moral inferiority of the United States?
UPDATE: Christian blogger and statistician Scott Gilbreath posts a devestating critique of both Ms. Gledhill’s article and Mr. Paul’s study. Read it here.
October 1st, 2005 at 5:20 pm
If he’s saying that religion has no effect, or even a negative effect, I would agree. Jesus got onto the Pharisees quite a bit for having a “religious” attitude. It’s not about “religion”, it’s about Jesus. A “religion” can’t save you, I don’t care if it’s Christianity, or Buddism, or Islam, it doesn’t work that way. Jesus can save you. He’s the only one that can. We get so caught up in religion sometimes, that we miss the point. It’s not about rules and regulations, and laws, and religions. A “religious” attitude can and will cause problems. Because religious attitudes are critical attitudes, and the Bible is pretty clear on the fact that those attitudes have no place in the Kingdom.
Just some thoughts, very thought provoking post Brett.;)
October 2nd, 2005 at 12:44 am
I can tell you one thing, this idea was totaly counter to the thoughts of our first President. Have a look at this quote:
“Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens.”
- George Washington
Thanks for bringing this to our attention guys.
Travis
October 2nd, 2005 at 4:52 am
Gledhill cites a research study, recently published in the Journal of Religion and Society, that compares largely secular societies such as Great Britain and Japan with the United States, which is heavily populated by active Christians. The study supposedly shows a direct link between “belief and worship of a creator” and social ills.
Interesting that such studies would exclude China, France, Germany and Italy which are far more secular. It would be interesting to know how social ills are defined and of the religious/world views of those offenders causing such ills.
Good post, guys.
Brad
October 2nd, 2005 at 5:02 am
More importantly, what is the real contributing factor to the claimed moral inferiority of the United States?
Ignorance. Compared to Japan and Great Britian, I am unconvinced that America trails these two countries. We provide the majority of humanitarian aid for world crisises and have standards concerning sexual immorality that is more in keeping to the Gospel than those countries. But again, not knowing the individual religious preference of the criminal just breeds a study that compares apples to oranges.
If the question turns to the subject of why is America morally deteriorating, I would answer: The degradation of the church within American society. As carriers of the Gospel we as the church are to be light in a dark world. When that light begins to dim or fade, we cannot just shrug our shoulders and point a finger at the world. As carriers of the Gospel, it is our responsiblity to care for our own walk with Christ and in keeping with such a walk we are to exhibit the holiness that is to follow our committment to Him.
Brad