Are atheists just less likely to commit crimes?
2006-10-02 12:07:29 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Two possibilities.
Atheists are less inclined to commit crimes.
Atheists are better at getting away with crimes.
2006-10-02 12:10:56 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure a person's religious beliefs are necessarily related to whether one will be a criminal or not. Besides, percentages in prisons are skewed anyway. Minorities are incarcerated in much higher rates than their percentage of the general population would dictate. Does this mean that minorities are more likely to commit a crime? Even if one answers yes, this doesn't address the underlying causes, such as poverty, or the fact that minorities, being poor, are less likely to get a defense that will provide them with some leniency in front of the judge or jury. But I'm getting off topic. As far as athiests representing a small part of the prison population, I'm inclined to think it's a fluke, or maybe it's a case of many convicts finding religion once they get behind bars. Who knows?
2006-10-02 12:16:05 · answer #2 · answered by Tommy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, atheists are less likely to commit crimes and the prison population has a higher incidence of brain damage because of rough living.
2006-10-02 12:13:40 · answer #3 · answered by Kim-Hotti 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My theory is that atheists, being a more intelligent bunch than the other 90% (including the Christian crowd which the Bible itself describes as being "foolish things of this world which will confound the wise,") are at LEAST as likely as the rest of the population to commit crimes, but not so likely to get caught.
You take Bill Gates for example, who made his billions at the helm of the Good Ship Microsoft...a company that had antitrust issues. Say fellers, lets charge $200 for software that we KNOW the sucker customers are going to have to buy an upgrade for pretty soon in order to keep it working. No-lo problem-o.
The guy is slumming it on a paltry few billions left over after his charitable contributions, and the Atheist World falls on their knees before him in worshipful adoration. No jail time for that big boy.
2006-10-02 16:41:31 · answer #4 · answered by miraclewhip 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
That's what the statistics are telling us, yes?
2006-10-02 12:10:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋