Not related to this study, but still relevant.

A recent study (PDF) analyzing the growth and decline of competing social groups (specifically religious and irreligious) using techniques from dynamical systems and perturbation theory suggests that religion may eventually become completely extinct in nine nations – Australia, Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Switzerland.

The research team says those countries have experienced a steady increase in the numbers of those claiming no religious affiliation, which they say is due to the fact that the perceived utility of religious non-affiliation is greater than that of adhering to a religion.

Probably adding major points to the unpopularity of religion is the fact that in Russia priests plunge naked boys into frozen rivers to baptize them (video). I certainly wouldn’t want to be a part of that.



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