What is so difficult in these questions for you to not even acknowledge that Ive asked them. Have I or have I not at least acknowledged that you are asking me a question (repeatedly) and I have repeatedly attempted to answer it even if not to your satisfaction.

How about acknowledging my questions or even....crazy thought.....answering it?  Pretending they aren't there will not make them go away.

Actually maybe I should back up.   If you have a point to make about state atheism , what is it?  Is your point that state atheism makes the state a bad place?  Or that atheists are bad?  What is your point?

Secondly, if your point is that atheists are "bad"  or in some ways or are "lesser" or "amoral" or whatever, then why are they not so in the countries I've mentioned and how can those countries be so successful, happy, safe, productive in the absence of religion?

According to UN figures, around 900 of the fatalities are men.

I'll leave you to decide if they were "mostly civilians" as is claimed.

Consider three things:

1) Hamas put out an instructional video telling palestinians that every death should be described as a "civilian casualty"

2) Hamas controls everything in Gaza including the Health Ministry

3) Hamas 'clears' their dead from scenes.


After Cast Lead in 2009, they claimed 46 dead.

It was only about 6 months later that they owned up to 600-700 dead. They had lied to the media and the UN.

come on zolace....grow some balls and try to respond.

How can a largely areligious and atheistic society have such high morals and do so well working together in social cohesion for the benefit of all in a safe crime-free society with happy people?   How can you explain that?

No problem Ill do it for the 60th time.

"countries that enjoy peace, freedom, good healthcare, quality education, a functioning political system and plenty of opportunity"

"Legatum scores the world’s countries on entrepreneurship, personal freedom, health, economy, social capital, education, safety & security"

"History of social cohesion"


Now pay close attention .  Their peace, their opportunity, their personal freedom, their social capital and social cohesion, their safe crime-free society.......DID NOT COME ABOUT WITH ANY RELATION TO RELIGION BECAUSE THEY ARE THE MOST ARELIGIOUS PLACE ON THE PLANET AND ALMOST NO ONE GOES TO CHURCH.

Clearly, the lack of religion does not have the effect that you assume.  They are the happiest place around even with no religion.  The lack of religion in a place like North Korea and their horrendous condition is NOT related to religion or a lack thereof.  It is a spurious relationship.

How do you reconcile your insinuated thread premise that an atheistic society is bad and the fact that the most atheistic societies in the world are among the best?

Never made the claim.

For the rest I really don't care any more. This will go on until Hamas has been thinned out and need to regroup and a truce will go on for a while until they decide to start back up again after they have had some more rockets snuck in. Attacks will continue regardless. Israel will continue to do their thing as well.

Come on zolace...you can do it.  Ive made my case and you know my position well.  These Scandinavian countries (and New Zealand) are ranked as happy places because they score highly on social cohesion and personal freedom as the article you cite clearly says.  The data also show that they choose to be religious at a very low rate (with only 13% attending church and over 60% having no religion at all or atheist).  These are the most non-religious places on the planet.  These areas are also full of the most decent law abiding people on the planet as evidenced by the lowest crime rates.  I also posted these data.

How is it they have happiness and social cohesion, have high moral standards and don't commit crime, and no religion???   How can people who lack religion be so morally sound, law abiding and happy?   That is counter to the premise of your thread .

You have avoided any response for over 180 posts now. I respond to your every request. The fact you don't like my responses is another matter. I may not like your response to the questions above, but it would be nice if you had the balls to respond.

I'm sorry  I'm doing a scientific study on displacement behavior.  zolace is a unique opportunity to study avoidance and obfuscation. He's a lab rat who keeps himself in his own cage. ....all meanings apply.

These are people with social cohesion and freedom as a factor in their happiness (cut and paste from the link you keep harping about), and they by and large choose to be atheist, to not be religious and/or not go to church (by a great majority....also cut and paste from a number of links).  SO HOW IS IT THEY CAN BE SO HAPPY WITHOUT YOUR RELIGION ?

How can a society be happy if they freely chose to not worship or be religious?  How can a society score so highly in social cohesion if there is no church or religion?

sorry.  I gave you too many examples.  I should have stuck to just one instead of the many.

If you can forgive me for cutting and pasting many examples instead of one, maybe you can for once in your  life answer my question.

I think the point being is that religion does not boost happiness. Likewise, the lack of religion does not bring about despair.

http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/104/art%253A10.1007%252Fs10902-007-9045-6.pdf?auth66=1402614722_85f2838cc147c241238cbecfeeb91e82&ext=.pdf

Religiousness and happiness in three nations: a research note

Other surveys show us that a clear majority of Norwegians have no religion or are atheist.  A mere 13% ever go to church.  I posted these facts in links as well.

Now lets put one together with the other and make two.  These are people with social cohesion and freedom as a factor in their happiness, and they by and large choose to be atheist, to not be religious and/or not go to church (by a great majority).  SO HOW IS THEY CAN BE SO HAPPY WITHOUT YOUR RELIGION ?

How can a society be happy if they freely chose to not worship or be religious?  How can a society score so highly in social cohesion if there is no church or religion? 

This is where you again do not answer my questions and obfuscate by again posting the article you claim I didn't cite that I again cited for the 50th time.

I already did post it  many times.  I posted that they have freedom to choose and social cohesion...right out of the article.  Do you need me to help you find those words in the link to the article that you keep reposting ad-infinitum?  That's pretty sad.

 Read the  article THAT YOU KEEP POSTING OVER AND OVER AND OVER....freedom to choose and social cohesion are listed factors of happiness in Norway...as ONE example of the numerous countries I listed.   These are factors that make them happy as the surveys indicate.

We've learned two things. NO matter how many times I answer zolace' question, I cannot answer it the way he desires.....and he will never answer my questions.  I am doing a study to see how many times he will keep asking the same answered question in order to avoid my questions. Thus far the conclusion is infinity.

How can a society be happy if they freely chose to not worship or be religious?  How can a society score so highly in social cohesion if there is no church or religion? 

This is where you again do not answer my questions and obfuscate by claiming I didn't post something to your satisfaction.

These are people with social cohesion and freedom as a factor in happiness (from the article), and they by and large choose to be atheist, to not be religious and/or not go to church (by a great majority). 

So atheism certainly is not a factor in their sadness is it zolace?   

I have.  I have pasted it many times. I have explained it many times.

zolace being braindead is not the same as me not having made my case.  I made it.  The fact you are too stupid or willfully ignorant to recognize it is not my problem.

They have strong social cohesion as at least one factor.  That's right there in the article.  I pasted it now at least a dozen times.

Perhaps you can tell me how a people can be happy and socially cohesive without religion?

Again, this is where you avoid the question for the 25th time.

It's all horrific and total bullshit at the same time. The crisis will only end when the Jews are dead or forcibly removed from Israel. Creation of a Palestine state won't end persecution of the Jews nor stop attacks on Israel. Bowing to Hamas and stopping the blockade will do nothing but allow Hamas to build up their arsenal for bigger attacks.

Rinse, repeat.

I'm not dismissing anything. If Israel did indeed bomb the school simply to kill kids and UN staff then there should be an appropriate reaction to it. If it is reactionary to Hamas playing their standard game then the UN should take their resources and oust Hamas leaders. Granted, that will not happen. Sure, people seem to note it but don't give a shit what Hamas is doing.

Now lets put one together with the other and make two.  These are people with social cohesion and freedom as a factor in happiness, and they by and large choose to be atheist, to not be religious and/or not go to church (by a great majority).

So atheism certainly is not a factor in their sadness is it ?   

How can a society be happy if they freely chose to not worship or be religious?  How can a society score so highly in social cohesion if there is no church or religion? 

This is where you again do not answer my questions and obfuscate by claiming I didn't post something to your satisfaction.