East Germany world's most Godless area

[rug]

The former East Germany is officially one of least religious places on the planet, with more than half of people living there saying they do not believe in God.

Published: 20 Apr 12 16:20 CET

A study by social scientists at the University of Chicago showed that the legacy of the state atheism of the formerly Soviet-controlled East was still keenly felt, with 52 percent saying they did not believe in God.

Just eight percent of East Germans surveyed said they believed in a God “personally concerned with every human being.”

The study used data from 1991, 1998 and 2008 in 30 different countries, Die Welt newspaper said this week. In West Germany just 10 percent of those asked said they did not believe in God.

Neighbouring Poland is far more religious than either part of Germany, with almost 60 percent saying they believed in God.

http://www.thelocal.de/society/20120420-42081.html

[dimbear]

1. In round numbers, there are 200 countries depending on how you count them.

Might be some godless lurking in some of those not surveyed.

Considering how closely Bangladesh resembles Hell, for instance, seems likely.

[xfundy]

2. I'd have to say the USA is most godless

Where the clear teachings of Jesus have been twisted beyond recognition, and the word "Christian" has become synonymous with ignorance, hate, and repiglicans. Wait, that was redundant.

"Christian love" is just another rebranding effort, such as the one the Southern Baptists are attempting now.

For those ignorant of the beginnings of the Southern Baptists, they broke off from the rest of the country because they were pro-slavery. And many of them still haven't changed their minds. They did apologize for their position, though. In the late 80s, as I recall.

[Rob H.]

3. It was even later than that: 1995

A full 150 years after the Southern Baptists split from the American Baptists over the issue, and 130 years after the Civil War ended. The same statement also apologized for supporting segregation during the Civil Rights Movement.

Better late than never, but not much.

[cbayer]

4. Thank for pointing out the problem that liberal/progressive christians struggle with.

This statement:

"the word "Christian" has become synonymous with ignorance, hate, and republicans"

is the heart of the problem.

[cbayer]

5. They don't speculate much on the why. Is this just part of a larger trend or unique

to East Germany?

[rug]

6. It's an extract, published in Germany, from Chicago's survey released last week.

I presume they were focusing on the local angle.

Here's the full report:

http://www.norc.org/PDFs/Beliefs_about_God_Report.pdf

[onager]

7. In a close race with the Czechs...

A 2006 poll of the Czech Republic showed only 33% belonging to a religion and 11% attending church once a month.

According to psychiatrist Libor Growsky: "I’m a nonbeliever. It’s connected to our history. Religion limited the freedom of the people. I don’t see a difference between the Communists and the Catholics. They each want people to comply with their ideals...."

http://atheism.about.com/b/2006/02/15/czech-republic-most-atheist-country-in-europe.html

A 2011 study said 60% of Czechs are atheist, the highest percentage in Europe. The lowest atheist population was the Netherlands - only 40%.

Jebus. ONLY 40% atheists? ONLY?

http://www.rationalpublicradio.com/nine-countries-are-on-the-path-to-atheism.html

Relying on the worst evidence - personal experience - I found the Czechs to be wonderfully irreverent. e.g., our tour guide explaining the famous Defenestration of Prague, when two Papal representatives were tossed out a window: "The Catholic Church said they survived because angels guided them to the ground. The truth is, they were unharmed because they fell in a pile of horse manure."

Hungary is "officially Catholic" but apparently has a limit. When I went there, we were shown a beautiful old school building in a small town. The tour guide said after Communism fell, the Catholic Church applied to re-open the school, for boys only. The Hungarian government told the Church the school would be open to boys AND girls, or it would stay closed. The Church backed down and admitted both genders.