So the typical Dane or Swede doesn't believe all
that much in God. And simultaneously, they don't
commit much murder. But aren't they a dour,
depressed lot, all the same? Not according to
Ruut Veenhoven, professor emeritus of social
conditions for human happiness at Erasmus
University Rotterdam. Veenhoven is a leading
authority on worldwide levels of happiness from
country to country. He recently ranked 91 nations
on an international happiness scale, basing his
research on cumulative scores from numerous
worldwide surveys. According to his calculations,
the country that leads the globe ranking No. 1
in terms of its residents' overall level of
haappiness is little, peaceful, and relatively godless Denmark.
The connection between religion or the lack
thereof and societal health is admittedly
complex. It is difficult to definitively
establish that secularism is always good for
society and religion always bad. However, the
often posited opposite claim is equally difficult
to substantiate: that secularism is always bad
for a society and religion always good. To be
sure, in some instances, religion can be a strong
and positive ingredient in establishing societal
health, prosperity, and well-being. And when
considering what factors contribute to the making
of a good society, religion can be a positive force.
<http://chronicle.com/temp/reprint.php?id=gqchf08syrq7qfcxqfzjh9d949ndm2k2>Link
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Posted By johannes to
<http://www.monochrom.at/english/2009/01/scandinavia-atheist-heaven.htm>monochrom
at 1/30/2009 09:57:00 PM
