posted March 09, 2009 10:57 AM           

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From 2007
http://www.gadling.com/2007/08/23/least-religious-countries/

1. Sweden (up to 85% non-believer, atheist, agnostic)
2. Vietnam
3. Denmark
4. Norway
5. Japan
6. Czech Republic
7. Finland
8. France
9. South Korea
10. Estonia (up to 49% non-believer, atheist, agnostic)

The one that surprised me was Israel, ranking 19th, with up to 37% claiming to be non-believer, atheist, agnostic. Compare that with the United States, ranking 44th, with 3-9% non-believers, atheists, agnostics. (I think I have met them all on the streets of New York City, too.)

The survey concluded that "high levels of organic atheism are strongly correlated with high levels of societal health, such as low homicide rates, low poverty rates, low infant mortality rates, and low illiteracy rates, as well as high levels of educational attainment, per capita income, and gender equality. Most nations characterized by high degrees of individual and societal security have the highest rates of organic atheism, and conversely, nations characterized by low degrees of individual and societal security have the lowest rates of organic atheism. In some societies, particularly Europe, atheism is growing. However, throughout much of the world -- particularly nations with high birth rates -- atheism is barely discernable.

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posted March 09, 2009 12:37 PM         

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well i know my european friends consider the US to be overly religious but they didn't include ME in that survey!! most of the people i know are not religious...nor were my parents or their friends, in fact my parents considered religion to be the excuse for most persecution and wars and actively discouraged it in my home!! not that they forbade us to experiment...

and i thought sweden had a high suicide rate? otherwise a very healthy society...

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posted March 09, 2009 12:56 PM           

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I'm not religious either. didn't grow up in a religious family. Also my friends and the people i went to school with were the same way

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posted March 11, 2009 08:33 AM           

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edit sorry im talking nonsense

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posted May 22, 2009 10:42 AM         

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Wonder if Sweden has any churches.

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"Fortune favors the bold." Erasmus

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posted May 27, 2009 03:59 PM         

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they have some. it was once a christian country like all of europe...

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