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By Jim Coggins
CANADIANS who believe in God are more likely to value forgiveness,
generosity, kindness and honesty than those who do not believe in God.
That is the latest finding by University of Lethbridge sociologist
Reginald Bibby, drawn from his 2005 survey of 1,600 Canadians.
In a news
release issued on Thanksgiving Monday, October 8, Bibby compared the
responses of the 49 percent of respondents who said they definitely
believe in the existence of God or a higher power with the responses of
the seven percent who said they definitely did not believe.
Both groups were asked if they considered a group of 12 values as "very
important." In every case, a higher percentage of theists than atheists
answered yes. The gap ranged from 5% (94% - 89%) on honesty to 23% (88% -
65%) on family life, 30% (67% - 37%) on generosity, 32% (84% - 52%) on
forgiveness and 33% (72% - 39%) on patience.
While there is no guarantee that holding these beliefs translates into
action, Bibby said it is at least more likely. Thus, Bibby said he can
offer a more nuanced answer to the age-old philosophical question "Do
people need God to be good?" It is: "People who believe in God are more
likely to value being good, enhancing the chances that they will be good."
The key, Bibby said, is theists are more likely to attend religious groups
which teach those values. He added that if those groups were to disappear,
there is no obvious alternative for teaching those values, since schools,
families, governments and media don't have the inclination or ability to
do so.
Bibby told the National
Post that even when non-believers highly value morality, it is
often a lingering legacy from previous generations which held deeper
religious views. The farther one gets from "Grandma," the less likely that
future generations will maintain those values.
The other values Bibby found believers to hold more highly are kindness
(88% - 75%), being loved (86% - 70%), friendship (85% - 74%), courtesy
(81% - 71%), concern for others (82% - 63%), politeness (77% - 65%) and
friendliness (79% - 66%).
Social change possible
University of Manitoba historian Gerry
Bowler told CC.com he is not surprised by Bibby's findings. The 20th
century "tried atheist morality on a huge scale," he said, and the result
was the gulags of the Soviet Union, the re-education camps of China and
the concentration camps of Nazi Germany.
Bowler also agreed there is no ready alternative to the teachings of
religious groups. "There are gaping holes where the church used to be,"
particularly in the inner city and suburbia, he said. The problem is not
just the disappearance of churches, but also the disappearance of boy
scouts and service clubs which used to teach the same values because "the
leaders were the kinds of people who went to churches."
It is difficult to see the media replacing the churches as a teacher of
positive values, said Bowler, because contemporary music in particular
often teaches values that are directly opposite to virtue. Television
"seldom challenges traditional virtues but often subverts them," by
portraying fathers as "helpless boobs" for instance. Even in schools, said
Bowler, "much of the day is used in promoting values that Christians are
uncomfortable with."
On the other hand, the situation is far from hopeless, said Bowler. The
"civil genteel society" that was the dominant ideal in England and North
America from the mid-1700s to the 1960s was itself an innovation, he said.
A broad-based movement led largely by Christian moralists fought slavery,
prostitution, child labour, animal cruelty and violence and promoted
literacy and kindness, but it took a century to establish a genteel
society in the face of fierce opposition from the corrupt ruling classes
of the day.
The forces of corruption may have seized power again in the last
half-century, said Bowler, but "it doesn't take very much to change a
social climate" -- as the environmental movement has recently proven. In
fact, he said, in the modern age, "social change is much faster than it
used to be."
Churches need to regain their perspective and preach the lost virtues,
said Bowler. Christians need to enter the media and "make virtue
attractive." Religious people could find allies in non-religious people
who realize that the future of their children is at stake. The movement to
change Western society for the better would have to start with local
efforts, but the Internet could be used to turn these efforts into a
national and international movement.
Bibby was unavailable for comment at press time.
Related stories:
Social
virtues linked to faith
A new Canadian survey has found that
believers are more likely than atheists to place a higher value on love,
patience and friendship, in findings the researcher says could be a
warning that Canadians need a religious basis to retain civility in
society. The survey of 1,600 Canadian adults, led by University of
Lethbridge professor Reginald Bibby, gave a list of 12 values -- from
honesty to family life to politeness to generosity -- and asked the
participants if they found each "very important." In each case, theists
ranked the values as more important than atheists.
National
Post, October 11
October 20/2007
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