Study - belief in hell predicts a country's crime rate (America, atheist)
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Belief in Hell Predicts a Country's Crime Rates More Accurately Than Other Social or Economic Factors
Religion is often thought of as psychological defense against bad behavior, but researchers have recently found that the effect of religion on pro-social behaviors may actually be driven by the belief in hell and supernatural punishment rather than faith in heaven and spiritual benevolence.
In a large analysis of 26 years of data consisting of 143,197 people in 67 countries, psychologists found significantly lower crime rates in societies where many people believe in hell compared to those where more people believed in heaven.
The bottom line of the study is that nations with a belief system in hell predict a lower crime rate than those with just a belief system in heaven. It seems to imply that the fear of eternal hell works as a deterrent to crime among believers. Any thoughts?
I'd be cautious. False correlation not to mention statistical misapprehension can bedevil these types of results.
That doesn't mean that I dismiss it just because it shows the effectiveness of Hell - belief in keeping people in order. I am well aware of that function in social control. I just wonder how easy it is for people to sideline the religious fears they have and do something that is actually not legal - perhaps they can tell themselves that it is just man's laws and, if they believe in Jesus, then peddling a bit of hash or flesh to make a living is not going to send them to hell. After all, we are ALL sinners before God, whether we fiddle our tax or exceed the speed limit or not.
And before the theists leap in crowing that a scientific survey has come out in favour of Christianity, they should reflect that the survey only seems to prove that fear of the hellfire threat is the driving force, rather than love of God.
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The US has the highest belief in hell of Western nations, and also one of the highest crime rates.
The most atheistic countries like Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands.etc all report much lower violent crime rates. Same goes for Europe as a whole.
The nations with the highest violent crime rates? Mostly Africa and South America where belief in hell is high.
In the US the South has the highest violent crime rate, and demographically speaking African Americans over-represent. Both these groups have a higher than average belief in Hell.
Nations like China, Singapore, Japan, also have a low belief in hell.
I have no idea how this study was conducted as the opposite seems to be the case.
I don't know how seriously I would take the information that places like India and places with Atheistic religion produce a lower crime rate. For one thing, how many crimes go unreported there? Also, how controlling are the governments. Remember the Tianaman Square massacre? (I know i misspelled it, but i don't know how it's spelled). Simply put, the statistics could be deliberately biased, or perhaps unintentionally so. I doubt it would be much fun living in a country with Atheistic national religion, and such places can be violent toward Christians.
I'd be cautious. False correlation not to mention statistical misapprehension can bedevil these types of results.
That doesn't mean that I dismiss it just because it shows the effectiveness of Hell - belief in keeping people in order. I am well aware of that function in social control. I just wonder how easy it is for people to sideline the religious fears they have and do something that is actually not legal - perhaps they can tell themselves that it is just man's laws and, if they believe in Jesus, then peddling a bit of hash or flesh to make a living is not going to send them to hell. After all, we are ALL sinners before God, whether we fiddle our tax or exceed the speed limit or not.
And before the theists leap in crowing that a scientific survey has come out in favour of Christianity, they should reflect that the survey only seems to prove that fear of the hellfire threat is the driving force, rather than love of God.
And the death penalty reduces the murder rate...... not
And the death penalty reduces the murder rate...... not
I can give you anecdotal evidence that definitely supports the claim that an executed murderer will not kill again. I can also tell you of a case where 2 people raped a woman, beat her up, then dragged her across the state line to a non-death penalty state to kill her. They planned ahead enough to recognize they wanted to avoid it.
I don't know how seriously I would take the information that places like India and places with Atheistic religion produce a lower crime rate. For one thing, how many crimes go unreported there? Also, how controlling are the governments. Remember the Tianaman Square massacre? (I know i misspelled it, but i don't know how it's spelled). Simply put, the statistics could be deliberately biased, or perhaps unintentionally so. I doubt it would be much fun living in a country with Atheistic national religion, and such places can be violent toward Christians.
That doesn't explain away the far lower crime rates in the secular nations of Europe as compared with the highly religious United States.
No, gun ownership isn't much of a factor, either. Sweden, for instance, allows private gun ownership and their crime rate is still very low.
In every study I've seen, there exists a correlation between high religiosity and high crime rates. At the very least, there is a correlation between religiosity and dangerous behaviors (teen pregnancy, the spread of STDs, abortion rates, etc.).
However, this study should derail those Christians who claim that Hell is not the biggest motivator for their beliefs.
I can give you anecdotal evidence that definitely supports the claim that an executed murderer will not kill again. I can also tell you of a case where 2 people raped a woman, beat her up, then dragged her across the state line to a non-death penalty state to kill her. They planned ahead enough to recognize they wanted to avoid it.
I'd be cautious. False correlation not to mention statistical misapprehension can bedevil these types of results.
I believe the discussion could have stopped right there.
The article almost struck me as humorous, like something you'd read in The Onion. Does the University of Oregon really have a "Culture and Morality Lab"? The actual study (there is a link in the article) is even more humorous -- academic lunacy at its best. But just to err on the safe side, I think felony statutes should be rewritten to say something like "Murder in the first degree shall be punishable by death -- and by the way, you'll burn in Hell."
A stern believe in anything or nothing seems to help as well. The spirit dwellers are to blame.
Looks like atheists and the religious share something.Wow, happy days.
Most studies are really, seriously flawed. We want to control it but we just can't seem to make sense of it all.
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