Societies worse off 'when they have God on their side'

[Blue Rectangle]

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OK, so we've excluded the materialistic Communist countries from the study.  That would explain why sky-high abortion rates in the USSR and China aren't mentioned.  It also doesn't mention that homicide, STD, teen pregnancy and abortion are all nearly zero in Saudi Arabia (but that would counter their pre-conceived conclusion).

This study only compares the U.S. to Western Europe.  The next quote demonstrates why this comparison is used and what bias the researchers have:

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The U.S. is a "developing" democracy?  In what way?

This is just another example of America-bashing by Left-wing nutjobs.

[Blue Rectangle]

It also doesn't mention that homicide, STD, teen pregnancy and abortion are all nearly zero in Saudi Arabia (but that would counter their pre-conceived conclusion).

Ah, so we can conclude by this that it would be a good thing for the US to become more like Saudi Arabia?

According to their own statements on what constitutes the quality of a society, then absolutely.  Numbers don't lie.

That was sarcasm, of course.  But it does demonstrate how screwed up the very premise of the study is.  It is even more relevant criticism when you consider that the causal relation between religion and those measures of society in Saudi Arabia is crystal clear, while the study's proposed link in the U.S. and Europe is pretty muddy.

[Blue Rectangle]

Since a reviival of religious interest during "lean times" is a documented trend throughout history (unless it is institutionally prevented) I find that this study seems to be determined to put the horse before the cart.

Yes, they have the causality backwards.  The resurgence of religion in the U.S. over the past few decades has been driven largely by the view that society has been going to Hell in a handbasket ever since the '60s.