Religious decline does not equal moral decline, says researcher

[CopyBoy]

Morality is not rooted in religion and religion matters less for moral values now than it did 30 years ago, says a University of Manchester researcher.

Dr Ingrid Storm’s findings, based on her analysis of European survey data, found that religious decline does not equal moral decline.

According to Dr Storm, whose research is published in Politics and Religion, involvement in religion makes the most difference to morality in the most religious countries, and matters less for moral values now than it did in the 1980s.

“Religion has been in sharp decline in many European countries. Each new generation is less religious than the one before, so I was interested to find out if there is any reason to expect moral decline” she said.

Her study found that religion is only related to some moral values, and more so in religious countries and when people do not trust the state.

Read more at: phys.org/news/2016-01-religious-decline-equal-moral.html#jCp

 

[Stilldreamn]

The researcher considers matters of abortion, homosexual activities, etc to be matters of tradition not morals. Wonder what the next study will exclude?

 

[ProdglArchitect]

Read more at: phys.org/news/2016-01-religious-decline-equal-moral.html#jCp

How is she defining what’s moral? Is it what society accepts, or is she still using Judeo-Christian morals as a baseline?

If it’s the first, then claiming a society is more or less moral is inconsequential because it’s only being judged against itself. If the society’s views change, what’s “moral” will also change to keep up with it.

If it’s the second, then I honestly can’t comprehend how she arrived at this conclusions given the decline in adherence to Judeo-Christian values the entire western world has seen in the last few decades.

Either way, I call bs.

 

[Picky_Picky]

The researcher considers matters of abortion, homosexual activities, etc to be matters of tradition not morals. Wonder what the next study will exclude?

Not at all. She divides morality into two types, one of which includes matters such as abortion and homosexuality. Whether she is justified in doing so is another thing, but, at least according to the report referenced in the OP, she does not exclude the matters you mention.

 

[Picky_Picky]

How is she defining what’s moral? Is it what society accepts, or is she still using Judeo-Christian morals as a baseline?

If it’s the first, then claiming a society is more or less moral is inconsequential because it’s only being judged against itself. If the society’s views change, what’s “moral” will also change to keep up with it.

If it’s the second, then I honestly can’t comprehend how she arrived at this conclusions given the decline in adherence to Judeo-Christian values the entire western world has seen in the last few decades.

Either way, I call bs.

Well, no, she appears to be defining any change in morals as being reflected in answers to questionnaires from 1981 to 2008. Assuming the questionnaires are essentially identical, there is no “keeping up with changing society” involved in the methodology as far as it is described in the reference from the OP.

 

[Used2beSherryG]

Well, no, she appears to be defining any change in morals as being reflected in answers to questionnaires from 1981 to 2008. Assuming the questionnaires are essentially identical, there is no “keeping up with changing society” involved in the methodology as far as it is described in the reference from the OP.

So, in 1981, there was no moral acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle let alone recognizing such an abomination as “same sex marriage”… are you saying that has not changed at all according to the “research” “scientist”??

 

[Piney_Woods]

All that article said to me was that the frog is nearly boiled to death. People stop going to church and, at the same time, things that were formerly regarded as gravely immoral are rebranded; is that supposed to be surprising?
Also, r.e. any study of this nature:
weeklystandard.com/article/making-it-all/1042807?nopager=1

 

[Picky_Picky]

So, in 1981, there was no moral acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle let alone recognizing such an abomination as “same sex marriage”… are you saying that has not changed at all according to the “research” “scientist”??

According to the article, the “scientist” specifically says there has been a change in attitudes to such matters as homosexuality. That would be my impression, too, and, I surmise, yours.

 

[cjforJesus]

According to the article, the “scientist” specifically says there has been a change in attitudes to such matters as homosexuality. That would be my impression, too, and, I surmise, yours.

There has been a change of attitude in almost all issues
regarding morals and even the definition of morality is relative.
Our society is in deep moral decline but it has been prophesied that these things would occur. Men will be lovers of self and lovers of money with no natural affection;proud covetous and arrogant.

 

[edwest2]

All that article said to me was that the frog is nearly boiled to death. People stop going to church and, at the same time, things that were formerly regarded as gravely immoral are rebranded; is that supposed to be surprising?
Also, r.e. any study of this nature:
weeklystandard.com/article/making-it-all/1042807?nopager=1

Yes. Make the bad sound good or neutral or whatever you want it to be. God always leaves a faithful remnant. The frog does not realize it is boiling to death in too many cases, but at least some do. In the Bible, how many times does God try to help the Israelites and shortly after, they become less than what God wants for them/us? He won’t stop loving us but we have to turn away from whatever behaviors hold us back.

Rebranding. Show people, especially in movies and on TV, that immoral behavior is fun and good or at least, average. Make them think immoral living has no bad consequences. That living without the truth causes confusion and we need the truth, as the Church gives it to us, to lead Godly lives which leads to lasting happiness and behaviors that reflect our desire to keep the Lord’s Commandments.

Best,
Ed