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dumbseeker
Guest
I noticed the politics in Europe doesn’t involve that much God or religion in it. Do they tend to be less religious? Why does religion plays a bigger role in America than in Europe?
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4Squarebaby
Guest
Some say it was the shock of losing a generation to WWI and the great flu epidemic followed by their children fighting another great war with a nation engaged in genocide turned Europe from religion.
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Blade_and_Blood
Guest
Oh yeah, Europe is less religious, not that that’s bad. 
I personally think Europe is less religious because they are ahead, if you think about it.
Experience does a nation good, I guess. 
But, that’s just my personal opinion. I really have no idea because I’ve never been to Europe; I’m only judging on what I have researched for recent project. 
Ironically Yours, Blade and Blood
I personally think Europe is less religious because they are ahead, if you think about it.
Experience does a nation good, I guess. But, that’s just my personal opinion. I really have no idea because I’ve never been to Europe; I’m only judging on what I have researched for recent project. Ironically Yours, Blade and Blood
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dumbseeker
Guest
What’s your recent project if you don’t mind telling me.Oh yeah, Europe is less religious, not that that’s bad.
I personally think Europe is less religious because they are ahead, if you think about it.
Ironically Yours, Blade and Blood
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LDNCatholic
Guest
These conflict. Only one is right.Oh yeah, Europe is less religious, not that that’s bad.
I personally think Europe is less religious because they are ahead, if you think about it.
Ironically Yours, Blade and Blood
Europe as a whole might be less overtly religious than North Americans (Not Americans, as I’m pretty sure the central and south Americans have you guys beat), however some Europeans are still very religious, and day by day I see more returning.
I partially agree with 4square, 15 million deaths in the Great War, millions more with the Spanish flu, 70 million plus while fighting a genocidal maniac intent on destroying most of the good in the world, 2 million in the Great Purge, ethnic, religious and idealogical differences blossomed onto violence and oppression regularly and on a massive scale. That can do a lot to dent people’s faith.
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JulianN
Guest
European Catholics, for example, have about a 7 percent adherence rate; the U.S. was at about 50 percent a few years ago, but is now closer to 25.
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Blade_and_Blood
Guest
Well, I take AP English Literature, where it’s almost like a European history class.
Europe has obviously had a lot of religious events going on, like the Inquisition, the Crusades, the Gordon riots, etc. It seems like Europe (if I might personify) has learned from its past mistakes–and, honestly, if you don’t learn from them, it repeats. Ironically Yours.
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Gottle_of_Geer
Guest
Oh yeah, Europe is less religious, not that that’s bad.
I personally think Europe is less religious because they are ahead, if you think about it.
Ironically Yours, Blade and Blood
Another way of putting it might be, that the US is mired in superstition It’s possible to be far too religious - it needs to be diluted with a dose of common sense & reason.
It’s not a fair comparison to compare the USA with Europe - the US is a single nation, whereas Europe is made up of at least 40. The population is roughly the same, but that is about it. Another difference is in history - the USA is much younger than most European countries. There are so many differences that a fair comparison is very difficult.
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roanoker
Guest
By all studies and measurements that I have seen Americans are far more religious, and I think thats a shame, considering the hundreds of years of history of the church in the European countries. I would think they would be far more religious. I know they’ve had bad wars, but so have we. That’s no excuse. They should be leading the way…
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survive
Guest
Most European-Americans are descended from people who fled into the unknown at enormous risk and cost rather than abandon one or another part of their identity, religion, family, politics, etc. We come from people who care about those things enough to take a big chance on anonymous death at sea to – maybe – get to protect them. Those who felt that the risk was too great were more likely to stay behind. It’s now much harder to wrest those things away from us.
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LDNCatholic
Guest
Sorry, nowadays all we hear is that America is at war, but, and I take no pride in this, America has a long way to go before they can match the brutality of some of the European wars pound for pound.
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ralphinal
Guest
I had a history professor from England who stated it something like this: After WWII, Eurpeans started thing that there could be no God if there could be so much evil and death in the World. As point out, it had been a rough, rough 50 years. Americans said there must be a God who let us be strong enough to twice save the world in 30 years.
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LDNCatholic
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Be fair, you did have a little help in that endeavour, and it wasn’t like the war was entered for entirely selfless reasons.
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bbarrick8383
Guest
I take offense to that little statement there. Prove to me that Europe is ahead.I personally think Europe is less religious because they are ahead, if you think about it.
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ralphinal
Guest
True, the Brits and Ausies were good help on each side of the earth in the Second go-round, and the Brits held the line as well as possible in the first. Other than that, it was pretty much us
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The_Fool
Guest
I always figured being a religious zealot was an American stereotype, and for people who may be losing traces of their culture, and/or are very proud of said culture, the desire to differentiate themselves from similar neighbors would be natural. It might just be me, but I also figured if someone called you an American over there it isn’t a compliment, unless they are perhaps referring to some historical event like WWII. This could also be the effect of the media affecting how I think others view Americans.
Alternatively, it is a desire of European leaders to show they are not the same as their ancestors, and thus pulling away from religion. Think about it, what era did they start saying that religion was irrational and thus not a basis for anything? When did it seem to become a more common comment amongst the educated popular people? But again, it could be the effects of the horrifying blue left(Why is it blue over here? Shouldn’t it be red?) on my poor innocent mind.
Alternatively, it is a desire of European leaders to show they are not the same as their ancestors, and thus pulling away from religion. Think about it, what era did they start saying that religion was irrational and thus not a basis for anything? When did it seem to become a more common comment amongst the educated popular people? But again, it could be the effects of the horrifying blue left(Why is it blue over here? Shouldn’t it be red?) on my poor innocent mind.
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4Squarebaby
Guest
I beg to differ it was pretty much the Soviets, but then America held the line and promised to back free Europe against the Soviets.True, the Brits and Ausies were good help on each side of the earth in the Second go-round, and the Brits held the line as well as possible in the first. Other than that, it was pretty much us
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humble_in_doubt
Guest
because we’re overall less evolved then they are
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tomarin
Guest
I think it’s easy to make that assumption, perhaps because European secularism seems so cosmopolitan and even blase. But I think it’s an error because 1. it presumes uni-directional evolution, which is somewhat naive in a sociohistorical sense and 2. it assumes that everything about secularism is good, which I’m pretty sure is not the case (for example, whatever our faults Americans have, I think, a strong sense of cultural self-confidence that seems to have deserted Europe, and I believe this is related to religious belief).I personally think Europe is less religious because they are ahead, if you think about it.
It’s easier to see this if you believe traditional, “organized” religion has some value and if you’ve spent some time in Europe, AND if you’re old as Methuselah.
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The_Fool
Guest
It wasn’t the Soviets, it was geography. What idiot invades Russia in the winter… wearing summer clothes?
Cool, so we’re, like, different species now! (Forgive my humor)
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