[Âåðåùàãèí]

Netherlands less religious than Belgium?

[Gofthooxdix]

The worst thing for religion is to have a state church.

Freedom, like America, is the best.

Jon Miller

[appletango]

WTF are you on, Jon?

We're not in the 17th century anymore. It's not like anyone nowadays (well, in NA and Europe, that is) is forced to adhere to Roman Catholicism or Anglicanism.

Or did you mean something else?

[Intory]

Europe is still feeling the effects of a mellennium of religiona nd politics being combined...

It is why religion is so small there. If it is suppressed, religion advances (see communist countries or early Rome).

Jon Miller

[heinz_1966]

Half of Finns believe in Gunderscored? I'm surprised.

[Tinasblue]

There were religious laws less than 100 years ago in europe. There have been some in the US (but fewer), but generally they get struck down... which is a very good thing.

Jon Miller

[Mappaindy]

In God we trust - That goes back to the 50's. Not recent.

[logpogingg]

Originally posted by _BuRjaCi_
In God we trust - That goes back to the 50's. Not recent. And our nation goes back to the late 1700s. Yes, it's recent. IGWT was just a knee-jerk propaganda reaction to the Godless Commies. We're a relatively religious society, but we were content to keep it out of gov't for a long time.

[Ad0i89Od]

1700s is very recent.

[SeelaypeKet]

Originally posted by Oncle Boris


Naive…



Perhaps.

I take it Palestinians enjoy freedom of religion, too? IS it taught in their schools?

Are there laws that legislate it?

Jon Miller

[Marlboro-oroblraM]

I'm surprised the UK is as high as 30%.

[slarceSelia]

Originally posted by MikeH
I'm surprised the UK is as high as 30%. Yeah, must try harder!

[Super-Luser]

We're being overrun with Poles!

[Tumarimmicdak]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
Well, there are a decent number of Muslims in your country?

Jon Miller Less than 2 million, maybe 3%.

[ThzinChang]

Originally posted by MrWhereItsAt
TBH I'm surprised it's this high. Or maybe NZ is just one of those countries where the church-going community is small or quiet or both. Saw an article on CNN a while ago about discrimination against atheists in the US being more prevalent than against any other minority and it still knocks my socks off. You'd be surprised what kinds of weird and wonderful religions are tucked away in NZ!

IIRC for example there's loads of those exclusive brethren people all over the country, came face to face with a bunch of those near Motueka - very strange!

I guess the reason is that NZ is sparsely populated, so these groups can get on relatively unmolested.

[Lictimind]

Originally posted by Colon™
Netherlands less religious than Belgium? I don't think that sounds so strange. After all, the poll indicates how many people believe in a God, not how fanatically they hold to those beliefs.

Belgium is traditionally Catholic. Most are probably not quite so devout anymore, yet still religious, while the Netherlands has a smaller, but more fanatic, Protestant minority.

Edit: And it seems the Dutch are more "spiritual" than the Belgians so it balances out...

According to the report:
BelgiumThe NetherlandsI believe there is a God43%34%I believe there is some sort of spirit or life force29%37%I don't believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force27%27%

[xyupi]

Originally posted by MikeH
1700s is very recent. On the scale of human history, yes. But if we've been around since ~1780, and have had problems with people mixing religion and politics for only the past fifty years (and not too successfully either), it's fair to say that said problem is a relatively recent phenomenon. No?

[Fiipolera]

Scientifically proven, we have one too!

[salomal-qask]

Is that a bit like fish and red wine?

[occallExtet]

Originally posted by Spiffor

And Poles. Don't forget the Poles