Community | March 27, 2011 | 9 comments

Religion on the verge of extinction in many countries

source: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-religion-verge-extinction-countries.html

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A study recently released by a team from Northwestern University and the University of Arizona shows that religion and religious affiliations may be on the verge of extinction in the nine countries studied. Utilizing a mathematical model of nonlinear dynamics, the team analyzed data from censuses taken in nine different countries dating as far back as a century.

The team studied Australia, Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the Netherlands because these countries had gathered census information on religious affiliations for as long as a century.

Results came back from the data analyzed that these nine countries were showing an increase in responses by individuals categorizing themselves as non-affiliated with religion. Data shows that the non-affiliation percentage in the Netherlands is 40 percent and the highest number seen was in the Czech Republic with 60 percent.

The team took those percentages and applied the nonlinear dynamics model they created, with parameters adjusted for the merits of membership in a non-religious category. The theory behind this non-affiliation increase boils down to something similar to social networking. Groups with larger numbers and more members offer more attraction to be a part of. The bigger a group, the more members they are able to draw in.

With people perceiving a greater benefit from not being affiliated with a religion, the idea that they will draw in more people of the same belief leads to the idea of religious extinction in the countries studied.

One of the team’s members, Daniel Abrams of Northwestern University, used a similar mathematical model in 2003 to show the reasoning behind the decline in certain world languages being spoken. It shows that the decline in such languages as Welsh could be connected to the societal gain given to speaking a language such as English over the more regional Welsh language.

The paper also suggests that this basic theory could be used and applied to any social system, suggesting things such as smokers versus non-smokers. With this idea in mind, one can see a similar idea. With the laws changing worldwide to ban smokers, and the stigma placed on them, the social benefit is no longer there, leading many to quit and the draw for new smokers no longer there.

The researchers believe that by using the mathematics of dynamical systems and perturbation theory, the ability to better understand and make assumptions in human behavior will be possible.



http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-religion-verge-extinction-countries.html
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9 comments // Religion on the verge of extinction in many countries

  • UtopianSky
    • +3
      UtopianSky  

    • Eventually religion will disappear, no doubt about it- but it will happen gradually.

      I think that religions wil evolve, as all things evolve. The magical parts will disappear, resulting in something that is nothing more than a cultural label with sets of traditions, holidays, and rituals that have no other meaning.

      For example, Judaism and Hinduism are both practically secular. Many Jews are atheists, many Hindus believe the gods are just symbols, not actual beings. to them, religion is about family and culture.

      I think all religions will evolve that way, and eventually the word "Christian" will simply mean someone from Europe or it's former colonies.

      Then, as cultures (and races and languages) are more and more intertwined, those labels will disappear as well.

    • 1 year ago
  • ninetyseven
  • LI_Mom
    • +2
      LI_Mom  

    • The problem isn't with religion. The problem is that ORGANIZED RELIGION is becoming more & more out of touch with the community it wants to serve. When organized religion starts to alienate reasonable people they are only sabotaging themselves.

      Also, the current amount of attention that religious extremists (of ANY religion) are generating also has the affect of making people question how they feel about religion & even God.

      Unless moderates speak up & speak out, the only chatter we hear is what the religious nutjobs are saying or doing. Religion becomes hijacked & people tune out.

    • 1 year ago
  • ninetyseven
    • +2
      ninetyseven  
    • LI_Mom:

      I Tuned out of Organized religon some time ago.Tuned in to "That Still Small Voice Within"
      the one that nobody listens to ..A famous cartoon creature said that in a movie a long time ago.
      Can you guesss who said it ?

    • 1 year ago
  • UtopianSky
    • +2
      UtopianSky  
    • LI_Mom:

      The problem is both- yes, organized religion and religious extremism has all of the problems you describe, but even simple "nice" religion is not healthy.

      Religion, as a whole, is the concept of accepting something as truth simply because you were told to. It's faith, without requiring evidence.

      That in and of itself acts as a mental barrier to learning anything new that is different from those preconceived notions.

      It creates false world views- that nature was created for mankind, that the human body is perfect in it's design and cannot be improved, that nature is perfect and cannot be improved, that scientists "play God", etc.

      All of that magical thinking prevents scientific and technological progress.

    • 1 year ago
  • ninetyseven
  • Jeremy_Benson
    • +2
      Jeremy_Benson  
    • ninetyseven:

      Some people do. Then, often organized religion can serve a purpose beyond spirituality. I won't argue against the notion that organized religion is often slow to respond to a changing society or that it can offer a platform for what many would deem 'immoral' behavoir, i.e. islamic jihadists or the catholic sex scandals. I would agree with LI's post in that aspect, and add that often such atrocities are commited outside the context of religion, and therefor such behavior is not confined to religious people.

      Religion offers more than just... well, religion. I was raised Jewish and grew up in a Methodist-dominated area. I spent almost as much time in Methodist churches as I did synagogues. One of the things I noticed was that amongst the parishioners, no one really held a solid view of 'god'. I knew a fair few who were actually atheists, as well as quite a bit of buddhists. So why congregate in a church or similar setting? It provides a community that we as pack animals require, and in a setting of emphasis on moral values. The notion that it takes a village to raise a child is in direct conflict with the notion that we should be wary of strangers. A religious community satisfies both, giving a friendly and familiar atmosphere to exchange ideas, opinions, and experiences.

      I adhere to the idea that "all religions are true in spirit, and flawed in teaching." The effectiveness of a church - or a similar secular organization - to produce sensible and intelligent people is inherently tied with how and what it teaches.

    • 1 year ago
  • ninetyseven
    • 0
      ninetyseven  
    • Jeremy_Benson:

      Point well taken J-B.
      On a personal level I tend to go straight to the top in all things spiritual...and am answered in many different ways.The Almighty speaks to me in voices ..Of Man...Nature..Events.Hermit style.

    • 1 year ago
  • UtopianSky
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