Religion vs. Welfare Spending

A research study suggests that the bigger the government, and the more intrusive it is in the lives of its citizens, the less likely a nation is to be religious.

A recent study of 33 countries around the world by Anthony Gill and Erik Lundsgaarde, political scientists at the University of Washington, indicates that there is an inverse relationship between state welfare spending and religiosity. Specifically, they found that countries with larger welfare states had markedly lower levels of religious attendance, had higher rates of citizens indicating no religious affiliation whatsoever, and their people took less comfort in religion in general. In their words, “Countries with higher levels of per capita welfare have a proclivity for less religious participation and tend to have higher percentages of non-religious individuals.”

This is part of a fascinating article entitled "More Government, Less God: What the Obama Revolution Means for Religion in America."

It's good reading, if somewhat disturbing in its implications.