Inverse correlation between spread of religion and prosperity?

Question

Someone mentioned an hypothesis that usually the decline in a very
prosperous country is preceded or coincides with the spread of
religion. Are there any white papers, online research or even books
that talks about this with examples.

Answer 1

The more ignorant or illiterate a person is, the more fervently religious they are. The same can be said for entire societies.

Answer 2

Based on a few historical examples, I'm not sure that this theory will be able to carry much weight. For example, the Greeks flourished as a society as their polytheistic religion grew. The Spanish embraced Christianity and had a serious period of "known-world" domination. Their demise wasn't related to the spreading of religion. Even America has always been fairly religious as a nation (even if we don't all agree on what religion to follow) and has prospered nicely over the last few centuries. Plus, when missionaries go to "spread the word", such missions are often followed by the building of churches and other buildings in the village and a renewed understanding and appreciation for ones fellow man, which always leads to more prosperity.

As for the comment about religious people being ignorant and illiterate... just goes to show you how foolish some people are. Even Einstein believed in a God.

Answer 3

I think prosperity brings about a decline in religion. Note Europe and our own decline as an example.

Answer 4

Not true. The Islamic Empire was one of the most prosperous times in history.

Answer 5

It is a very commonly known fact that the Western nations are economically very properous compared to the rest of the world precisely because they were Christianized, and practiced Biblical principles whereas the rest of the world did not.

Answer 6

Decline of a country is the loss of religion.

Answer 7

None that I have found.. you will just have to make some up... what countries have the most religion? not so much best religion... but fully covered .... are they the poorest countries? and is it because before religion they just didn't know how poor they were?

Answer 8

well our country was founded and prospered in times of religious revivals. Although that sucks.

Answer 9

I wish I could explain to everyone who phrases their questions with "religion" verus "faith." Religion is the practice of something. Christianity is a state of being---we are Children of God. We are not just practicing faith---the Holy Spirit lives in us and we are either the faithful or we are not. According to Wikipedia---and as defined by Christians---the word "religion" is used in the more restrictive sense of "organized religion" — that is, an organization of people supporting the exercise of some religion, often taking the form of a legal entity (see religion-supporting organization).

This has nothing to do with FAITH or the state of being a child of God. Religious practices are more like learning that you genuflect in church, you stand up, sit down, stand up, and recite, adnauseum, something that is not the inspired Word of God just to follow a particular religious script. That has nothing to do with Faith or Christianity. Those are merely ceremonies---not faith-based nor even Biblically supported.

FAITHFUL, SAVED, AND DILIGENT CHRISTIANS know now and have known what will happen in the last days. We are not afraid. "Come Quickly, Lord!"

Your hypothesis may be correct, in that the prophecy that this would happen is in the Old Testemant: These scriptures tell us that when they "come up against Israel," that will be in the latter days. The lost or the "lukewarm" Christian may be seeing what they've known from the beginning--but have denied and rationalized away.

Isaiah 11:11
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

Zephaniah 2:1-15 describes how God will take down anyone who stands in the way of Israel having the land that God promised them. The lands described are Egypt, Ethoopia, Niniveh, Ammon, Assyria, Moab, Ashkelon, Palestine, Caanan, the Nation of the Cherithites, and Gaza.

On that day, God made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river the Euphrates. The land of the Kenites, Kenizites, Kadmonites; the Chitties, Perizites, Refaim; the Emorites, Canaanites, Gigashites and Yevusites." - Genesis 15:18-21

These descriptions encompass a region that extends from the "River of Egypt"[2] to the Euphrates. Areas known to be included are the modern State of Israel, the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), the Gaza Strip, and much of modern-day Syria and Lebanon. The biblically described region also encompasses the Sinai Peninsula, which is widely believed to encompass the route of the Hebrew Exodus from Egypt. The land allocated east of the Jordan River in Numbers 34:1-15 includes much of Jordan.

Genesis 15:18-21 describes what is referred to in Jewish tradition as Gevulot Ha-aretz ("Borders of the Land") regarded as the full extent of the land promised to Abraham.

Numbers 34:1-15 describes the land allocated to the Israelite tribes after the Exodus. The tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh received land east of the Jordan as explained in Numbers 34:14-15. Numbers 34:1-13 provides a detailed description of the borders of the land allocated to the remaining tribes. The region is called "the Land of Canaan" (Eretz Kna'an) in Numbers 34:2 and the borders are known in Jewish tradition as the "borders for those coming out of Egypt". The English expression "Promised Land" can denote either the land promised to Abraham in Genesis or the land of Canaan, although the latter meaning is more common.

The definition in Ezekiel, describes the area within the Land of Israel which, according to Ezekiel's prophecy, would be allocated in equal portions to the 12 tribes in end times. It is similar in size to the region of Canaan described in Numbers. It has the river Jordan as its eastern border and the Brook of Egypt in the West. It encompasses most of modern Israel, the territories, a small part of modern Egypt, southern Lebanon, and the southwestern tip of Syria.

The Red Sea and Euphrates are mentioned which can be understood to mean that the whole Arabian peninsula is included as well. More reticent interpretations take the southern border to be a line from the mouth of the Euphrates to Eilat or a line of latitude from the mouth of the Gulf of Eilat. The Euphrates forms only a northern border and that the southern and eastern border extends from Eilat to an undetermined point on the Euphrates.

"The Land of the Hittites" in Canaanwas conquered by Joshua, and refers to the entire empire of of Central Turkey.

Now, if you are a lost person, a non-Christian, and you begin to see these prophecies coming to pass, wouldn't you decidei that, "Hey, maybe I better find out if I'm on the right road. These Christians may have something here!" And get to a church to talk to a pastor----(please, not an unsaved priest!)

Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till He have performed the thoughts of His heart: in the Latter Days, you shall consider it perfectly. Jeremiah 23:19

And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.".... Ezekial 38:13

"Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD." .... Ezekial 38:23

"I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel.... And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land. Ezekial 39:11

Religious organizations, church buildings, chapels, etc., may get a rise in occupancy from people who are lost, non-Christians, who are frightened and finally understand that they will be forever lost in the Lake of Fire if they are not saved. But Jesus told us to ward against those folks. People who have mocked Christians, persecuted them for their testimony, and called them idiots for believing the Bible. Well, the prophecies are coming to pass, and they are going to be the vengence of God!

THE EXODUS BACK TO ISRAEL -
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:6-8.

And shall not God avenge his own elect [Israel], which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:7-8.

I believe your hypothesis may have some feasibility, since non-Christians, those who have denied Christ all the lives, may find all of these prophecies being fulfilled a little unsettling. So, I pray they do get to someone who can lead them to Christ---before they are lost for eternity.