3.9.12
Richard F. Holloway - former Anglican Primus of Scotland
Radical Faith - exploring faith in a changed world
Richard Holloway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Holloway was educated at Kelham Theological College, Edinburgh Theological College and the Union Theological Seminary, New York City. Between 1959 and 1986 he was a curate, vicar and rector at various parishes in England, Scotland and the United States. He was Bishop of Edinburgh from 1986 and was elected Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church in 1992. He resigned from these positions in 2000 and is now regarded as one of the most outspoken and controversial figures in the Church,[1] having taken an agnostic worldview and commenting widely on issues concerning religious belief in the modern world. His own theological position has become increasingly radical and he has recently described himself as an "after-religionist".[2]
Holloway is well known for his support of progressive causes, including campaigning on human rights for gay and lesbian people in both Church and State. He is a patron of LGBT Youth Scotland, an organisation dedicated to the inclusion of LGBT young people in the life of Scotland. He has questioned and addressed complex ethical issues in the areas of sexuality, drugs and bioethics. He has written extensively on these topics, being the author of more than 20 books exploring their relationship with modern religion.
A Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Holloway was Professor of Divinity at Gresham College in the City of London. From 1990 to 1997, he was a member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and held the position of chair of the BMA Steering Group on Ethics and Genetics. He was also a member of the Broadcasting Standards Commission and is currently chair of the Scottish Arts Council and of Sistema Scotland.
Holloway has been a reviewer and writer for the broadsheet press for several years, including The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, Sunday Herald and The Scotsman. He is also a frequent presenter on radio and television, having hosted the BBC television series When I Get to Heaven, Holloway's Road and The Sword and the Cross. He currently hosts the BBC Radio Scotland book review programme, Cover Stories. Holloway presented the second of the Radio 4 Lent Talks on 11 March 2009. On May 28 2012, he began presenting a fifteen-minute programme about faith and doubt, following The World at One on BBC Radio 4, called Honest Doubt: The History of an Epic Struggle.
Holloway lives in Edinburgh with his American-born wife Jean. They have three adult children; two daughters and a son.
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Richard Holloway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Richard Holloway
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Richard F. Holloway (born 26 November 1933) is a Scottish writer and broadcaster and was formerly Bishop of Edinburgh in the Scottish Episcopal Church.Holloway was educated at Kelham Theological College, Edinburgh Theological College and the Union Theological Seminary, New York City. Between 1959 and 1986 he was a curate, vicar and rector at various parishes in England, Scotland and the United States. He was Bishop of Edinburgh from 1986 and was elected Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church in 1992. He resigned from these positions in 2000 and is now regarded as one of the most outspoken and controversial figures in the Church,[1] having taken an agnostic worldview and commenting widely on issues concerning religious belief in the modern world. His own theological position has become increasingly radical and he has recently described himself as an "after-religionist".[2]
Holloway is well known for his support of progressive causes, including campaigning on human rights for gay and lesbian people in both Church and State. He is a patron of LGBT Youth Scotland, an organisation dedicated to the inclusion of LGBT young people in the life of Scotland. He has questioned and addressed complex ethical issues in the areas of sexuality, drugs and bioethics. He has written extensively on these topics, being the author of more than 20 books exploring their relationship with modern religion.
A Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Holloway was Professor of Divinity at Gresham College in the City of London. From 1990 to 1997, he was a member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and held the position of chair of the BMA Steering Group on Ethics and Genetics. He was also a member of the Broadcasting Standards Commission and is currently chair of the Scottish Arts Council and of Sistema Scotland.
Holloway has been a reviewer and writer for the broadsheet press for several years, including The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, Sunday Herald and The Scotsman. He is also a frequent presenter on radio and television, having hosted the BBC television series When I Get to Heaven, Holloway's Road and The Sword and the Cross. He currently hosts the BBC Radio Scotland book review programme, Cover Stories. Holloway presented the second of the Radio 4 Lent Talks on 11 March 2009. On May 28 2012, he began presenting a fifteen-minute programme about faith and doubt, following The World at One on BBC Radio 4, called Honest Doubt: The History of an Epic Struggle.
Holloway lives in Edinburgh with his American-born wife Jean. They have three adult children; two daughters and a son.
Selected works
- Beyond Belief (1981)
- Paradoxes of Christian Faith and Life (1984)
- The Way of the Cross (1986)
- Crossfire: Faith and Doubt in an Age of Uncertainty (1988)
- Who needs Feminism? (1991)
- Anger, Sex, Doubt and Death (1992)
- Dancing On The Edge: Faith In A Post-Christian Age (1997)
- Godless Morality: Keeping Religion out of Ethics (1999).
- Doubts and Loves: What is Left of Christianity (2001)
- On Forgiveness: How can we Forgive the Unforgivable? ISBN 1-84195-358-X (2002)
- Looking in the Distance: The Human Search for Meaning (2004)
- How To Read The Bible (2006)
- Between the Monster and the Saint (2008)
- Leaving Alexandria: A Memoir of Faith and Doubt (2012)
- Leaving Alexandria: A Memoir of Faith and Doubt (2012)
External links
References
- ^ Archer, Bert (2009-10-24). "Ex-bishop preaches a kinder atheism". Toronto Star. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
- ^ Turpin, Adrian (August 3, 2008). "Richard Holloway dissects the nature of evil". The Times. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
19.8.12
3 horesman & a horsewoman - Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris & Ayaan Hirsi Ali
A Celebration of Reason - 2012 Global Atheist Convention
13-15th April - Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre
Presented by the Atheist Foundation of Australia
http://atheistconvention.org.au
http://atheistfoundation.org.au
13-15th April - Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre
Presented by the Atheist Foundation of Australia
http://atheistconvention.org.au
http://atheistfoundation.org.au
This is kind of a rerun of an event which took place in 2007 with the so called Four Horsemen, were in the Christopher Hitchens‘s apartment they set down together and discussed.
At that time Ayaan Hirsi Ali was supposed to be the fifth. And right up to the last minute she was going to be of that company, but because of a sudden emergency she had to cancel. So they ended up as Four Horseman rather than Four Plus one Horsewomen. Now in 2012, the discussion continues without the late Christopher Hitchens but includes Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
Four personalities in discussion, on stage, in front of an audience of 4000. It actually comes out very well. With no chairperson or moderator, everyone seems to get a fair go. No one dominates. And the discussion is fascinating. It’s the panel discussion between Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Ayaan Hirsi Ali which occurred at the 2012 Global Atheist Convention
At that time Ayaan Hirsi Ali was supposed to be the fifth. And right up to the last minute she was going to be of that company, but because of a sudden emergency she had to cancel. So they ended up as Four Horseman rather than Four Plus one Horsewomen. Now in 2012, the discussion continues without the late Christopher Hitchens but includes Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
Four personalities in discussion, on stage, in front of an audience of 4000. It actually comes out very well. With no chairperson or moderator, everyone seems to get a fair go. No one dominates. And the discussion is fascinating. It’s the panel discussion between Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Ayaan Hirsi Ali which occurred at the 2012 Global Atheist Convention
16.8.12
Daylight Atheism (9781478222675): Adam Lee: Books
Amazon.com: Daylight Atheism (9781478222675): Adam Lee: Books
Book Description
"Adam Lee's writing has made him one of the most widely-read atheist bloggers - and rightfully so. This effort should secure him a place amongst atheism's most informative and relatable authors." --J.T. Eberhard, blogger at Freethought Blogs, campus organizing coordinator for the Secular Student Alliance To a believer, atheism can seem dark, cold, and frightening. Adam Lee opens the shutters and lets the sunlight in. Daylight Atheism speaks clearly and passionately of the joy of living a reality-based existence guided by respect for each human person. Highly recommended. --Mary Johnson, author of An Unquenchable Thirst: A Memoir Daylight Atheism sums up the freethinking beliefs held by Adam Lee, known for his popular blog of the same name. Says Adam Lee: "Even without gods, existence is overflowing with possibility. This life offers so much transcendent beauty, so many deep and beckoning mysteries, and so many opportunities for happiness that there's no reason to ever be a nihilist. . . atheism is nothing less than a resounding affirmation of this life."
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By Jack Wathey
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Daylight Atheism shines the bright, disinfecting sunlight of reason onto dark and moldy religious stereotypes about atheists and atheism. It's a pleasure to read Lee's fluid prose as he methodically tears down centuries-old castles of religious obfuscation. But Daylight Atheism is not just another rant about how much religion sucks and why it is mistaken. It is mainly a passionately argued case for atheism -- broadly defined as encompassing a skeptical, empirical and humanist worldview -- as a positive and uplifting way of life. For me this aspect of the book reaches its zenith in chapter 9, Stardust, which is nearly poetical. Another personal favorite for me is chapter 3, All Possible Worlds, which is possibly the most lucid discussion of the Problem of Evil I have ever read. Chapters 2 and 8 attack from opposite directions that most vicious of stereotypes about atheists: that they can have no morality.
Although atheists will love this book, it's clear from the final chapter, Into the Clear Air, that Lee is really trying to reach believers who struggle with doubt. If you are one of those folks, this book will show you an alternative based in reality. You owe it to yourself to read this book.
Although atheists will love this book, it's clear from the final chapter, Into the Clear Air, that Lee is really trying to reach believers who struggle with doubt. If you are one of those folks, this book will show you an alternative based in reality. You owe it to yourself to read this book.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Many times you read a book of 300 pages and end up with a feeling that the author could have said what he said in less than 30 pages. But Adam's book is not like that. It has the length which it needs. The logic of his arguments is simply superb. He tries to cogently carry the readers with him and never tries to flaunt his erudition on them.
I am an Ex-Management consultant from India, am running 75 and for the past 60 years I am an atheist. Reading this book reinforced some of my earlier convictions and also has given me enough reasons to be proud of my non-theistic leaning.
While all the ten chapters are written beautifully, My favorites were ch.1 on 'Fossil Fuels', ch.5 on 'The cosmic shell Game', Ch.6 on 'Life w/o superstition', & ch.9 on 'Stardust'. I am expecting a sequel to this from this author.
I am an Ex-Management consultant from India, am running 75 and for the past 60 years I am an atheist. Reading this book reinforced some of my earlier convictions and also has given me enough reasons to be proud of my non-theistic leaning.
While all the ten chapters are written beautifully, My favorites were ch.1 on 'Fossil Fuels', ch.5 on 'The cosmic shell Game', Ch.6 on 'Life w/o superstition', & ch.9 on 'Stardust'. I am expecting a sequel to this from this author.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars As clear a description of the Atheist/Humanist position as you'll find anywhere July 2, 2012
By Andrew Reid
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is an excellent collection of writing on various topics in atheism and religion: How to construct a coherent secular morality, why atheism needn't be nihilistic, why the problem of evil and divine hiddenness make the existence of God unlikely, the dubious morality of the Bible and the dangers of theocracy.
This book appears to be based on many of the online essays previously published on the author's Ebon Musings pages, though obviously expanded for this edition.
I've always admired the clarity of Adam's writing on these topics. He shares Sam Harris' knack for making points effectively without descending into the rabbit-hole of too much philosophical terminology.
To the theist considering reading this book I would offer the following advice: Adam's tone can be quite angry and, while I believe he is justified, I can also appreciate that this might make it more of a struggle to get through the early chapters. Try not to take this personally as there are important points to be made and they are being made here as well as anywhere. Perhaps start with the last Chapter and then go back and read the rest.
Knocking off a star for some technical issues: Though the book has a table of contents, the Kindle doesn't recognise it as such. Also, the footnotes are not hyperlinks, which is very annoying.
This book appears to be based on many of the online essays previously published on the author's Ebon Musings pages, though obviously expanded for this edition.
I've always admired the clarity of Adam's writing on these topics. He shares Sam Harris' knack for making points effectively without descending into the rabbit-hole of too much philosophical terminology.
To the theist considering reading this book I would offer the following advice: Adam's tone can be quite angry and, while I believe he is justified, I can also appreciate that this might make it more of a struggle to get through the early chapters. Try not to take this personally as there are important points to be made and they are being made here as well as anywhere. Perhaps start with the last Chapter and then go back and read the rest.
Knocking off a star for some technical issues: Though the book has a table of contents, the Kindle doesn't recognise it as such. Also, the footnotes are not hyperlinks, which is very annoying.
Was this review helpful to you?
Reasons To Believe : About : Mission & Beliefs
Our Mission: Engage & Equip
RTB's mission is to spread the Christian Gospel by demonstrating that sound reason and scientific research—including the very latest discoveries—consistently support, rather than erode, confidence in the truth of the Bible and faith in the personal, transcendent God revealed in both Scripture and nature.
Reasons To Believe spokespersons do not attack ideas but rather aim to present research and start a conversation—because people deserve respect and a safe forum for discussing their views.
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7.8.12
Mark Twain - on Religion (Wikipedia)
Mark Twain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Twain generally avoided publishing his most heretical opinions on religion in his lifetime, and they are known from essays and stories that were published later. In the essay Three Statements of the Eighties in the 1880s, Twain stated that he believed in an almighty God, but not in any messages, revelations, holy scriptures such as the Bible, Providence, or retribution in the afterlife. He did state that "the goodness, the justice, and the mercy of God are manifested in His works," but also that "the universe is governed by strict and immutable laws," which determine "small matters," such as who dies in a pestilence.[89] At other times he wrote or spoke in ways that contradicted a strict deist view, for example, plainly professing a belief in Providence.[90] In some later writings in the 1890s, he was less optimistic about the goodness of God, observing that "if our Maker is all-powerful for good or evil, He is not in His right mind." At other times, he conjectured sardonically that perhaps God had created the world with all its tortures for some purpose of His own, but was otherwise indifferent to humanity, which was too petty and insignificant to deserve His attention anyway.[91]
After his death, Twain's family suppressed some of his work that was especially irreverent toward conventional religion, notably Letters from the Earth, which was not published until his daughter Clara reversed her position in 1962 in response to Soviet propaganda about the withholding.[94] The anti-religious The Mysterious Stranger was published in 1916. Little Bessie, a story ridiculing Christianity, was first published in the 1972 collection Mark Twain's Fables of Man.[95]
Despite these views, he raised money to build a Presbyterian Church in Nevada in 1864, although it has been argued that it was only by his association with his Presbyterian brother that he did that.[96]
Twain created a reverent portrayal of Joan of Arc, a subject over which he had obsessed for forty years, studied for a dozen years and spent two years writing.[97] In 1900 and again in 1908, he stated, "I like Joan of Arc best of all my books, it is the best." [97][98]
Those who knew Twain well late in life recount that he dwelt on the subject of the afterlife, his daughter Clara saying: "Sometimes he believed death ended everything, but most of the time he felt sure of a life beyond."[99]
Mark Twain's frankest views on religion appeared in his final Autobiography, which was published 100 years after his death, in November 2010. In it, he said,[100]
| Mark Twain | |
|---|---|
 Mark Twain, detail of photo by Mathew Brady, February 7, 1871 | |
| Born | Samuel Langhorne Clemens November 30, 1835 Florida, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | April 21, 1910 (aged 74) Redding, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Pen name | Mark Twain |
| Occupation | Writer, lecturer |
| Nationality | American |
| Genres | Fiction, historical fiction, children's literature, non-fiction, travel literature, satire, essay, philosophical literature, social commentary, literary criticism |
| Notable work(s) | Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer |
| Spouse(s) | Olivia Langdon Clemens (m. 1870 – 1904) |
| Children | Langdon, Susy, Clara, Jean |
| Signature |  |
Religion
Although Twain was a Presbyterian, he was sometimes critical of organized religion and certain elements of Christianity through his later life. He wrote, for example, "Faith is believing what you know ain't so," and "If Christ were here now there is one thing he would not be – a Christian."[87] Nonetheless, as a mature adult he engaged in religious discussions and attended services, his theology developing as he wrestled with the deaths of loved ones and his own mortality.[88] His own experiences and suffering of his family made him particularly critical of "faith healing," such as espoused by Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science. His more inflammatory works on religion require a nuanced understanding of his theological arguments and criticism.[88]Twain generally avoided publishing his most heretical opinions on religion in his lifetime, and they are known from essays and stories that were published later. In the essay Three Statements of the Eighties in the 1880s, Twain stated that he believed in an almighty God, but not in any messages, revelations, holy scriptures such as the Bible, Providence, or retribution in the afterlife. He did state that "the goodness, the justice, and the mercy of God are manifested in His works," but also that "the universe is governed by strict and immutable laws," which determine "small matters," such as who dies in a pestilence.[89] At other times he wrote or spoke in ways that contradicted a strict deist view, for example, plainly professing a belief in Providence.[90] In some later writings in the 1890s, he was less optimistic about the goodness of God, observing that "if our Maker is all-powerful for good or evil, He is not in His right mind." At other times, he conjectured sardonically that perhaps God had created the world with all its tortures for some purpose of His own, but was otherwise indifferent to humanity, which was too petty and insignificant to deserve His attention anyway.[91]
Main article: Twain-Ament Indemnities Controversy
In 1901 Twain criticized the actions of missionary Dr. William Scott Ament (1851–1909) because Ament and other missionaries had collected indemnities from Chinese subjects in the aftermath of the Boxer Uprising of 1900. Twain's response to hearing of Ament's methods was published in the North American Review in February 1901: To the Person Sitting in Darkness, and deals with examples of imperialism in China, South Africa, and with the U.S. occupation of the Philippines.[92] A subsequent article, "To My Missionary Critics" published in The North American Review in April 1901, unapologetically continues his attack, but with the focus shifted from Ament to his missionary superiors, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.[93]After his death, Twain's family suppressed some of his work that was especially irreverent toward conventional religion, notably Letters from the Earth, which was not published until his daughter Clara reversed her position in 1962 in response to Soviet propaganda about the withholding.[94] The anti-religious The Mysterious Stranger was published in 1916. Little Bessie, a story ridiculing Christianity, was first published in the 1972 collection Mark Twain's Fables of Man.[95]
Despite these views, he raised money to build a Presbyterian Church in Nevada in 1864, although it has been argued that it was only by his association with his Presbyterian brother that he did that.[96]
Twain created a reverent portrayal of Joan of Arc, a subject over which he had obsessed for forty years, studied for a dozen years and spent two years writing.[97] In 1900 and again in 1908, he stated, "I like Joan of Arc best of all my books, it is the best." [97][98]
Those who knew Twain well late in life recount that he dwelt on the subject of the afterlife, his daughter Clara saying: "Sometimes he believed death ended everything, but most of the time he felt sure of a life beyond."[99]
Mark Twain's frankest views on religion appeared in his final Autobiography, which was published 100 years after his death, in November 2010. In it, he said,[100]
There is one notable thing about our Christianity: bad, bloody, merciless, money-grabbing, and predatory as it is--in our country particularly and in all other Christian countries in a somewhat modified degree--it is still a hundred times better than the Christianity of the Bible, with its prodigious crime--the invention of Hell. Measured by our Christianity of to-day, bad as it is, hypocritical as it is, empty and hollow as it is, neither the Deity nor his Son is a Christian, nor qualified for that moderately high place. Ours is a terrible religion. The fleets of the world could swim in spacious comfort in the innocent blood it has spilled.Twain was a Freemason.[101][102] He belonged to Polar Star Lodge No. 79 A.F.&A.M., based in St. Louis. He was initiated an Entered Apprentice on May 22, 1861, passed to the degree of Fellow Craft on June 12, and raised to the degree of Master Mason on July 10.
British banker becomes expat witch doctor | Which Offshore
British banker becomes expat witch doctor | Which Offshore
A successful British banking consultant has traded in his life in the UK for that of an expat role in South Africa- as a witch doctor.
Berkshire born Thomas Heathfield, 32, left the UK months ago to complete an arduous initiation process in the South African wilderness. After partaking in the three month training, last week he finally completed the course and was sworn in as a “sangoma.”
The final act of his training involved a tribal dance and the vomiting up of goat’s blood. Upon completion he was given a new name, Gogo Mndawe.
He first became interested in the ‘sangoma’ a few years ago, and after a lot of research he decided to give up his banking consultancy job and ventured to South Africa. Speaking to The Telegraph, Heathfield, or Gogo Mndawe, described why he made his decision: “It's not something you just decide to do – it chooses you rather than the other way round and it's such a massive process that you don't enter into it lightly. Some people might see this as a weird decision because I had a successful job in the UK and quite a nice life.”
However, such a drastic upheaval will undoubtedly create certain holes in one’s life, and Gogo conceded that he will “really miss Starbucks coffee.”
British banker becomes expat witch doctor
A successful British banking consultant has traded in his life in the UK for that of an expat role in South Africa- as a witch doctor.
Berkshire born Thomas Heathfield, 32, left the UK months ago to complete an arduous initiation process in the South African wilderness. After partaking in the three month training, last week he finally completed the course and was sworn in as a “sangoma.”
The final act of his training involved a tribal dance and the vomiting up of goat’s blood. Upon completion he was given a new name, Gogo Mndawe.
He first became interested in the ‘sangoma’ a few years ago, and after a lot of research he decided to give up his banking consultancy job and ventured to South Africa. Speaking to The Telegraph, Heathfield, or Gogo Mndawe, described why he made his decision: “It's not something you just decide to do – it chooses you rather than the other way round and it's such a massive process that you don't enter into it lightly. Some people might see this as a weird decision because I had a successful job in the UK and quite a nice life.”
However, such a drastic upheaval will undoubtedly create certain holes in one’s life, and Gogo conceded that he will “really miss Starbucks coffee.”
Religion and poverty
Religion and poverty
There’s no secret that religion is positively correlated to poverty. And here’s an interesting graph
via Ritholtz
More on same topic via Gallup: Religiosity Highest in World’s Poorest Nations
August 31, 2010
Religiosity Highest in World's Poorest Nations
United States is among the rich countries that buck the trend
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Gallup surveys in 114 countries in 2009 show that religion continues to play an important role in many people's lives worldwide. The global median proportion of adults who say religion is an important part of their daily lives is 84%, unchanged from what Gallup has found in other years. In 10 countries and areas, at least 98% say religion is important in their daily lives.
Each of the most religious countries is relatively poor, with a per-capita GDP below $5,000. This reflects the strong relationship between a country's socioeconomic status and the religiosity of its residents. In the world's poorest countries -- those with average per-capita incomes of $2,000 or lower -- the median proportion who say religion is important in their daily lives is 95%. In contrast, the median for the richest countries -- those with average per-capita incomes higher than $25,000 -- is 47%.
The United States is one of the rich countries that bucks the trend. About two-thirds of Americans -- 65% -- say religion is important in their daily lives. Among high-income countries, only Italians, Greeks, Singaporeans, and residents of the oil-rich Persian Gulf states are more likely to say religion is important.
Most high-income countries are further down the religiosity spectrum. In 10 countries, no more than 34% of residents say religion is an important part of their daily lives. Six of those are developed countries in Europe and Asia with per-capita incomes greater than $25,000.
In three of the four lower income countries on the list -- Estonia, Russia, and Belarus -- the Soviet government restricted religious expression for decades until the U.S.S.R.'s collapse in 1991. The final country is Vietnam, where the government also has a history of limiting religious practice.
Implications
Social scientists have put forth numerous possible explanations for the relationship between the religiosity of a population and its average income level. One theory is that religion plays a more functional role in the world's poorest countries, helping many residents cope with a daily struggle to provide for themselves and their families. A previous Gallup analysis supports this idea, revealing that the relationship between religiosity and emotional wellbeing is stronger among poor countries than among those in the developed world.
Visit Real Clear World's Top 5s feature to learn more about the countries with the highest religiosity.
For complete data sets or custom research from the more than 150 countries Gallup continually surveys, please contact SocialandEconomicAnalysis@gallup.com or call 202.715.3030.
Survey Methods
Results are based on telephone and face-to-face interviews conducted in 2009 with approximately 1,000 adults in each country. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error ranges from ±5.3 percentage points in Lithuania to ±2.6 percentage points in India. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
Each of the most religious countries is relatively poor, with a per-capita GDP below $5,000. This reflects the strong relationship between a country's socioeconomic status and the religiosity of its residents. In the world's poorest countries -- those with average per-capita incomes of $2,000 or lower -- the median proportion who say religion is important in their daily lives is 95%. In contrast, the median for the richest countries -- those with average per-capita incomes higher than $25,000 -- is 47%.
Most high-income countries are further down the religiosity spectrum. In 10 countries, no more than 34% of residents say religion is an important part of their daily lives. Six of those are developed countries in Europe and Asia with per-capita incomes greater than $25,000.
In three of the four lower income countries on the list -- Estonia, Russia, and Belarus -- the Soviet government restricted religious expression for decades until the U.S.S.R.'s collapse in 1991. The final country is Vietnam, where the government also has a history of limiting religious practice.
Implications
Social scientists have put forth numerous possible explanations for the relationship between the religiosity of a population and its average income level. One theory is that religion plays a more functional role in the world's poorest countries, helping many residents cope with a daily struggle to provide for themselves and their families. A previous Gallup analysis supports this idea, revealing that the relationship between religiosity and emotional wellbeing is stronger among poor countries than among those in the developed world.
Visit Real Clear World's Top 5s feature to learn more about the countries with the highest religiosity.
For complete data sets or custom research from the more than 150 countries Gallup continually surveys, please contact SocialandEconomicAnalysis@gallup.com or call 202.715.3030.
Survey Methods
Results are based on telephone and face-to-face interviews conducted in 2009 with approximately 1,000 adults in each country. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error ranges from ±5.3 percentage points in Lithuania to ±2.6 percentage points in India. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
30.7.12
RD Extra: Polyatheism – Modern Lessons From Ancient Myths | Reasonable Doubts
RD Extra: Polyatheism – Modern Lessons From Ancient Myths | Reasonable Doubts
July 20, 2012 at 6:53 pm 
reasonabledoubts
This RD Extra features a lecture by David Fletcher, delivered to CFI Michigan on July 11th 2012
Lecture Description:
There are many lessons we can learn from the myths of ancient and modern cultures, ranging from the profound to the absurd. In this presentation we will explore the mythologies of various cultures around the world and get to know some of the many gods and goddesses worth not believing in.
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RD Extra: Polyatheism – Modern Lessons From Ancient Myths
July 20, 2012 at 6:53 pm reasonabledoubts This RD Extra features a lecture by David Fletcher, delivered to CFI Michigan on July 11th 2012
Lecture Description:
There are many lessons we can learn from the myths of ancient and modern cultures, ranging from the profound to the absurd. In this presentation we will explore the mythologies of various cultures around the world and get to know some of the many gods and goddesses worth not believing in.
Download RD Extra
Or subscribe and listen in iTunes or any podcast client:
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