h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Interesting article here I thought was worth a look-see. Very much challenges the conventional idea that religiosity is increasing in the world and in fact puts forward a completely contrary case. Worth a read...

http://www.edge.org/documents/archive/edge209.html#gp

W

yeah, saw that off the dawkins foundation page. Some good stuff linked off there.

Somehow though the feeling of fear and insecurity in the US as basis for third-world levels of religiosity in the US doesn't seem to ring true. Is the US that different to Western Europe or Canada in terms of insecurity about the future? I would have thought that the reasons are more historical, or perhaps better put as the *absense* of history. Consider the Mid-West / Bible Belt, the wellspring of religiosity in America. You could argue that these areas have been the most socially stable areas on the planet in the last 130 years. I'm just wondering if the relative lack of challenge to the old order has contributed to its longevity?

No one expects the.... Unquisition!!!

http://www.jwharrison.com/blog/2007/05/04/the-colbert-report-%e2%80%93-the-dogma-of-anti-vangelicalism/

Oh, and this has probably already been posted here somewhere...

"Twenty-five percent of Americans believe it is at least somewhat likely that Jesus Christ will return to Earth in 2007, a new poll from the Associated Press and AOL News shows."

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/208/story_20828_1.html

Disquieting, no?

Some interesting articles, thank you. Random Mood

I suppose the interesting point here is that Sam Harris etc spend a lot of time waking people up to the dangers of religion and more specifically fundamentalist religion, whereas the data seems to imply that religiosity is waning anyway (at least in first world countries).

What I think they have done is to make explicit to people that the choice to be areligious is valid, logical and acceptable - this may be a big shot in the arm for waverers and sceptics in countries where public displays of religion are very common, and where denying God is a taboo subject.

two bits of good news today , 100,000's protest in turkey to keep the country secular and far fewer people than expected turned up for the popes final mass in brazil .

best fishes.......tod