Religion and economics: study released shows interesting connections - GoFuckYourself.com

$5 submissions · 11-18-2009, 06:01 AM

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/id...ion/?page=full Interesting findings re economics and belief in hell.

Among the most provocative findings have come from Robert Barro, a renowned economist at Harvard, and his wife, Rachel McCleary, a researcher at Harvard?s Taubman Center. McCleary, the daughter of a Methodist missionary, felt that she had seen religion change people?s economic behavior, and wondered why economists didn?t look at it as a potential factor in economic development. Barro found the idea intriguing.

The two collected data from 59 countries where a majority of the population followed one of the four major religions, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism. They ran this data - which covered slices of years from 1981 to 2000, measuring things like levels of belief in God, afterlife beliefs, and worship attendance - through statistical models. Their results show a strong correlation between economic growth and certain shifts in beliefs, though only in developing countries. Most strikingly, if belief in hell jumps up sharply while actual church attendance stays flat, it correlates with economic growth. Belief in heaven also has a similar effect, though less pronounced. Mere belief in God has no effect one way or the other. Meanwhile, if church attendance actually rises, it slows growth in developing economies.

Carmine Raguso · 11-18-2009, 06:13 AM

12clicks · 11-18-2009, 06:27 AM

I wonder how that research jives with the fact that America is and always has been a christian based, God believing society and has developed into the leading economic powerhouse in the world?

Brujah · 11-18-2009, 06:31 AM

"It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Matthew 19:24)

11-18-2009, 06:01 AM	#1
$5 submissions I help you SUCCEED Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Pearl of the Orient Seas Posts: 32,195	Religion and economics: study released shows interesting connections http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/id...ion/?page=full Interesting findings re economics and belief in hell. Among the most provocative findings have come from Robert Barro, a renowned economist at Harvard, and his wife, Rachel McCleary, a researcher at Harvard?s Taubman Center. McCleary, the daughter of a Methodist missionary, felt that she had seen religion change people?s economic behavior, and wondered why economists didn?t look at it as a potential factor in economic development. Barro found the idea intriguing. The two collected data from 59 countries where a majority of the population followed one of the four major religions, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism. They ran this data - which covered slices of years from 1981 to 2000, measuring things like levels of belief in God, afterlife beliefs, and worship attendance - through statistical models. Their results show a strong correlation between economic growth and certain shifts in beliefs, though only in developing countries. Most strikingly, if belief in hell jumps up sharply while actual church attendance stays flat, it correlates with economic growth. Belief in heaven also has a similar effect, though less pronounced. Mere belief in God has no effect one way or the other. Meanwhile, if church attendance actually rises, it slows growth in developing economies. __________________ Need a NON-ADULT income stream? We build your YOUTUBE CHANNEL for only $20 per video! For Hire: $3/hour or $400 per month Marketing Specialist Virtual Assistants

11-18-2009, 06:27 AM	#3
12clicks Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: God's right hand Posts: 19,788	I wonder how that research jives with the fact that America is and always has been a christian based, God believing society and has developed into the leading economic powerhouse in the world? __________________ I'm not a dinosaur, I'm a crocodile. I've seen dinosaurs come and go and I'm left unimpressed.

11-18-2009, 06:31 AM	#4
Brujah Beer Money Baron Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: brujah / gmail Posts: 22,157	"It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Matthew 19:24) __________________ Free Premium Domain Lists and Tools at Clickmojo.com For Sale: Obscenity.com

11-18-2009, 06:13 AM	#2
Carmine Raguso So Fucking Banned Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Prescott, AZ Posts: 2,158