Barely more than half of all Americans think it's necessary to believe in God for one to be moral, according to a new Pew poll.
And in every European country Pew surveyed, clear majorities said the
opposite; in France, fully 85 percent of respondents said a belief in
God was not necessary to instill morality.
And in every European country Pew surveyed, clear majorities said the
opposite; in France, fully 85 percent of respondents said a belief in
God was not necessary to instill morality.
Meanwhile, huge majorities in many African, Middle
Eastern, and Southeast Asian countries said it was impossible to be
moral without believing in God. In Indonesia, 99 percent of respondents
agreed with that statement.
Eastern, and Southeast Asian countries said it was impossible to be
moral without believing in God. In Indonesia, 99 percent of respondents
agreed with that statement.
So what's the connection? According to Pew: money. The
richer a nation is, the less likely its citizens are to connect God and
morality. Interestingly, the U.S. and China were extreme outliers, as
this handy graph from Pew shows. --Jon Terbush
richer a nation is, the less likely its citizens are to connect God and
morality. Interestingly, the U.S. and China were extreme outliers, as
this handy graph from Pew shows. --Jon Terbush
