Correlation between education, religious belief
Compare the religiousness of Europeans to Americans and it becomes clear that America has become a religious Mecca. Seventy-one percent of Americans “believe in God with absolute certainty.” Compare that with an EU average of 50 percent.
Mississippi is the most religious state, where 91 percent of Mississippians hold a “certain” belief in God. But what other characteristics do highly religious states exhibit?
Mississippi also holds the following titles: highest illiteracy rate, lowest median family income, lowest percentage of high-school graduates, and the most obese. On the other hand, Colorado, which ranked the 41st most religious in the study, carried the following titles: third in percentage with a bachelor’s degree or higher; and the lowest obesity rate. Extend this comparison to the religiousness of other states and there is a clear connection between poverty, an under-educated populace, and being religious.
Religion is a valuable source of comfort and guidance for many Americans. However, it is something worth investigating when the more educated and logical a populace becomes, the less religion plays a part in life.
Alex Eckstein, Denver
This letter was published in the Dec. 30 edition. For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here.