http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071003/OPINION02/710020304/1006
Norway flourishes as secular nation
Rev. Rick Mason notes that atheism is on the rise. He blames Christian
fundamentalism. Certainly the ineptness, dishonesty and lack of ethics
of the overtly God-fearing Bush administration may be turning people
off on God.
A case study shows what this could mean for America. Norway has
embraced secularism at the expense of its Christian roots. A 2005
survey conducted by Gallup International rated Norway the least
religious country in Western Europe.
In Norway, 82.9 percent of the population are members of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church (they are automatically registered at
birth and few bother to be unregistered). However, only approximately
10 percent regularly attend church services and identify themselves as
being personally Christian.
A 2006 survey found: 29 percent believe in a god or deity; 23 percent
believe in a higher power without being certain of what; 26 percent
don't believe in God or higher powers; 22 percent have doubts.
Depending on the definition of atheism, Norway thus has between 26
percent and 71 percent atheists. The Norwegian Humanist Association is
the world's largest humanist association per capita.
And what has secularism done to Norway? The Global Peace Index rates
Norway the most peaceful country in the world. The Human Development
Index, a comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education
and standard of living, has ranked Norway No. 1 every year for the
last five years.
Norway has the second highest GDP per capita in the world, an
unemployment rate below 2 percent, and average hourly wages among the
world's highest.
David N. Miles
Orange Beach
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