Comments on: Is There A Connection Between Religion And Standard Of Living? http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/03/31/is-there-a-connection-between-religion-and-standard-of-living/ Online travel magazine dedicated to exploring travel in the 21st century. Offering travel news, compelling interviews, online travel tools, and more. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:31:24 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: JDD http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/03/31/is-there-a-connection-between-religion-and-standard-of-living/comment-page-1/#comment-94514 JDD Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:21:00 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=781#comment-94514 "Correlation does not prove causation." ~ Statistics 101 “Correlation does not prove causation.” ~ Statistics 101

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]]> By: Tim http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/03/31/is-there-a-connection-between-religion-and-standard-of-living/comment-page-1/#comment-89124 Tim Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:52:45 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=781#comment-89124 Maybe the analysis needs to consider a broader time frame, to wonder what the lingering effects of past religiosity are. The Evangelicalism of Northern Europe was not so long ago pretty severe, and my guess has always been that even if children there today don't go to church or consciously even think about religion, they are still affected by a culture that was formed by it. I think this would be true of almost any culture. I've certainly seen it in families and individuals. Maybe the analysis needs to consider a broader time frame, to wonder what the lingering effects of past religiosity are. The Evangelicalism of Northern Europe was not so long ago pretty severe, and my guess has always been that even if children there today don’t go to church or consciously even think about religion, they are still affected by a culture that was formed by it. I think this would be true of almost any culture. I’ve certainly seen it in families and individuals.

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]]> By: Carlo Alcos http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/03/31/is-there-a-connection-between-religion-and-standard-of-living/comment-page-1/#comment-89086 Carlo Alcos Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:08:06 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=781#comment-89086 I agree with Matt. My first thought as I read this was about education. In educated/wealthy nations you are more likely to question things and have an open mind, and have access to more world views and interaction with other cultures. You learn how many different ways there are to live your life. In impoverished countries religion is more ingrained in culture, something passed generation to generation, where you don't question it and you only know one way to live. Or that's my take on it anyway. I agree with Matt. My first thought as I read this was about education. In educated/wealthy nations you are more likely to question things and have an open mind, and have access to more world views and interaction with other cultures. You learn how many different ways there are to live your life.

In impoverished countries religion is more ingrained in culture, something passed generation to generation, where you don’t question it and you only know one way to live.

Or that’s my take on it anyway.

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]]> By: Christine Garvin http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/03/31/is-there-a-connection-between-religion-and-standard-of-living/comment-page-1/#comment-89077 Christine Garvin Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:17:33 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=781#comment-89077 Hi Matt, Actually, I did mean to ask the question of correlation, using the United States as an example of the fact that this purported correlation doesn't necessarily always hold up. But I do think the answer to why that is the case has to do with the casual relationship, and that this is the larger, and probably more important, question of the results of this study, and one to which people have been pondering in this thread. Thanks for your feedback! Hi Matt,

Actually, I did mean to ask the question of correlation, using the United States as an example of the fact that this purported correlation doesn’t necessarily always hold up.

But I do think the answer to why that is the case has to do with the casual relationship, and that this is the larger, and probably more important, question of the results of this study, and one to which people have been pondering in this thread.

Thanks for your feedback!

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]]> By: Matt http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/03/31/is-there-a-connection-between-religion-and-standard-of-living/comment-page-1/#comment-89074 Matt Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:49:13 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=781#comment-89074 Just to reiterate a point that was made above, the question you meant to ask isn't whether there is or is not a correlation, which is pretty simple to figure out -- as this study showed, there clearly is a correlation, which simply means a measureable statistical relationship. What I think you actually mean to ask is whether this relationship has some sort of causal basis to it, i.e. whether religion actually leads to poverty or whether poverty leads to religion. The alternatives are that there is a confounding variable which causes both a propensity for religion as well as high rates of poverty, or that the correlative effect actually works in the opposite direction and that having a high rate of poverty leads to religion (or having wealth leads people to abandon religion).Realistically, it seems much more likely that education serves as a confounding variable -- poverty-stricken societies tend to be worse-educated, and people with less education tend to be more religious. Just to reiterate a point that was made above, the question you meant to ask isn’t whether there is or is not a correlation, which is pretty simple to figure out — as this study showed, there clearly is a correlation, which simply means a measureable statistical relationship. What I think you actually mean to ask is whether this relationship has some sort of causal basis to it, i.e. whether religion actually leads to poverty or whether poverty leads to religion. The alternatives are that there is a confounding variable which causes both a propensity for religion as well as high rates of poverty, or that the correlative effect actually works in the opposite direction and that having a high rate of poverty leads to religion (or having wealth leads people to abandon religion).Realistically, it seems much more likely that education serves as a confounding variable — poverty-stricken societies tend to be worse-educated, and people with less education tend to be more religious.

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]]> By: Carlo Alcos http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/03/31/is-there-a-connection-between-religion-and-standard-of-living/comment-page-1/#comment-89070 Carlo Alcos Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:57:22 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=781#comment-89070 Maybe in these wealthy countries, people don't have time for God. They're too busy working. Maybe in these wealthy countries, people don’t have time for God. They’re too busy working.

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]]> By: Tim Patterson http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/03/31/is-there-a-connection-between-religion-and-standard-of-living/comment-page-1/#comment-89069 Tim Patterson Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:17:47 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=781#comment-89069 Interesting question. When I was in rebel territory in Myanmar I was really impressed by how devout the local people were, and how important religion was in their lives. These folks are in a tight spot, caught between China and the Burmese junta, but when they were caroling or in church they had this light of hope and peace about them that was truly special. Great post, Christine! Interesting question. When I was in rebel territory in Myanmar I was really impressed by how devout the local people were, and how important religion was in their lives. These folks are in a tight spot, caught between China and the Burmese junta, but when they were caroling or in church they had this light of hope and peace about them that was truly special.

Great post, Christine!

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]]> By: DHarbecke http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/03/31/is-there-a-connection-between-religion-and-standard-of-living/comment-page-1/#comment-89064 DHarbecke Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:19:11 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=781#comment-89064 @Scott - Depends which religion! There are some that believe God favors the righteous with bling. I wonder how that attitude affects the overall standard of living of everyone else in the community... “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” - The Bible. "Send money, or God will call me home!" - Oral Roberts (paraphrased). He ended up raising over $9 million. Hallalujah! @Scott – Depends which religion! There are some that believe God favors the righteous with bling. I wonder how that attitude affects the overall standard of living of everyone else in the community…

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” – The Bible.

“Send money, or God will call me home!” – Oral Roberts (paraphrased). He ended up raising over $9 million. Hallalujah!

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]]> By: John Pelley http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/03/31/is-there-a-connection-between-religion-and-standard-of-living/comment-page-1/#comment-89059 John Pelley Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:06:03 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=781#comment-89059 "The Standard of living" is purely relative. Any religion which touts materialism, even though it calls itself Christian, is anything but. We need to work with nature and increase our standrd of living according to God's plan and not Madison Avenue's plan “The Standard of living” is purely relative. Any religion which touts materialism, even though it calls itself Christian, is anything but. We need to work with nature and increase our standrd of living according to God’s plan and not Madison Avenue’s plan

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]]> By: Christine http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/03/31/is-there-a-connection-between-religion-and-standard-of-living/comment-page-1/#comment-89046 Christine Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:01:48 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=781#comment-89046 Great, Cindy, can't wait to hear what you come up with! Great, Cindy, can’t wait to hear what you come up with!

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