Lower crime rate in atheist societies?

Question

So, in addition to being "superior" to all of religious mankind, no atheist ever runs afoul of the law? What's their secret? Are there no police in atheist societies that are competent to do the job? But what's their secret? Or, is it because in atheist societies/communities the DNA is all the same and there's no dental records?

Terry W- according to some of your brethern, you'd be wrong. Seems there exists a correlation between the two that somehow doesn't apply to societies with an overall religious indication.

Stainless steel- representative really is the wrong word to use. Again, it has been suggested in here that such societies, of which Amsterdam is supposedly one, because of overall absence of religion, crime is low. How much more arrogant is that over generalization? Or is it ok because it's trendy to stigmatize believers of religion? Real pathetic.

Giorgio- exactly my point, but its opposite is assumed as "fact"

U98- I'm not sure how old you are, but I can assure you that religion in Russia was a no-no up until no more than ten years ago. The media there is controlled by the state and you hear what they want you to hear. Yes, there has always been religious folks in Russia, but they wind up in Siberia. Ask Haralon Popov (not literally, but) Atheism is the state religion in Russia. There, clergy are quite lonely people. Harrassed, too.

tellit- would those be "freethinkers" only?

Papa Bear- Yes-you are correct. Atheism still is predominant in Russia, and they have a massive problem with crime of every kind. But to read the atheists in this forum they're somehow sqeaky clean in a way that only they can be-everyone else be damned. Must be all that "freethinking" up there on such ponderous heights.

Universal Pants- Hmm. Do tell- which part disqualified it from being a fully "evolved" question?

Answer 1

You really almost had a question there.

Answer 2

Lots of police able to solve crimes using the scientific methods, instead of just praying for solutions.

The population knows this so they don't do the crime unless they are willing to do the time.
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edit:

Other answers are very wrong. The Russians allowed religion back and they got crime (communism as practiced under the Soviet Empire could be considered as a religion in it's own right, complete with Hero worship)
China never was an atheist society, just a repressed one.
Japan might be considered as atheist, possibly.

The measure to look at is the relative atheism of the population, not of the Government.

Scavenger Meat's answer is confusing atheism with ignosticism (note ignostic intead of agnostic, two different things)

Answer 3

For Vox Populous you are a poor representative. Crime rate has nothing to do with the presence or absence of religion. So far there has not been any "atheist society" So all we know of is crime in religious societies. But an educated guess will tell you that nothing will change.

Answer 4

one doesnt relate to the other. there is no such thing as an atheist society, because what we deem to be atheist, is totalitarian by practice. A toatlitarian society like the soviet union, china or north korea, by nature controls every aspect of peoples lives. there are no civil liberties. therefore crime is lessened, but no one counts the fundamental human rights crimes that the government commits against citizens, particularly those who do believe in the existence of God and preach or practice it.

lower crime in these societies is a misnomer because the statistics only guage individal citizens breaking the existing laws of the state. those laws in themselves are unjust compared to western and eastern democratic societies that allow freedom of religion. these societies are not necessarily religios as communist countries are not necessarily atheist.

Answer 5

What are u on? I'm an atheist, however i know that a atheist run society will have more or less the same crime rate as that of a Christian or Muslim society.

The only societies which have low crime rates is where the penalties and policing are so Draconian that it makes life a nightmare for everyone.

Answer 6

The research I just finished reading clearly shows that the most secular countries in the western world have the lowest crime rates. They outperform the US (the only seriously religious country left in the 1st world) in other standards as well. Also only 1% of the prison population in the US is atheist. Why? Maybe because we search for real answers to problems rather than beleiving in abstractions and superstition. Also its easier to ask "god" to forgive you than to actually face your victims and ask their forgiviness.

And the USSR was not an atheist country, communism was the state religion and many people had absolute faith in it.

Answer 7

Isn't the denial of the existence of an intangible being as crazy as believing in the existence of such a being?

Answer 8

As underdude grow to be putting forward; "For all have sinned and fall shorth of the enormous distinction of God." Romans 3:23. no one is perfect. Christians are not perfect. Athiests are not perfect. Athiests are everywhere. Christians are everywhere. in simple terms because there's a low crime cost and a severe % of the inhabitants is Athiest, would not recommend that Athiests are more advantageous positive. i do not imagine that Christians are more advantageous positive than Athiests, and that i do not imagine Athiests are more advantageous positive than Christians. we are all sinners, subsequently all of us should flow to Hell. i'm now unlikely to sit down and argue with you that Hell is authentic, yet in case you refuse to believe then it is your loss. Please. As Christians, we in simple terms want to share our faith and basically desire that you comprehend. anyhow, you'll all be in my prayers. God bless you! :)

Answer 9

So obviously your not an atheist right? Sounds like your trying to be a wise ***. Anyway, there are less atheist in prison then there are religious people!

Answer 10

It is said, "There is no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole."

So, no atheist ever runs afoul of the law because there are no atheists before a judge who makes them swear on a bible.

It is impossible to believe that there is no god. That's like trying to prove a negative. If I say, "I don't believe there is a god", I would be lying because it is obvious that I know the definition of what a god is. If there is a definition, then it exists, even if only in one's mind.

Now if you asked me, "Do you believe in a god." And I said, "what is a god?" Then you would know a true atheist.

Answer 11

I think you rolled that last smoke with your left hand.