With God On Our Side, Who Needs Enemies?

For being God's chosen nation, we sure do pass a bunch of clap betwixt us.

A study in yesterday's Journal of Religion and Society compares several social benchmarks in America with those of more secular industrialized nations and finds us wanting. Despite our fervent religiosity and widely-held belief that our country is special in God's eyes (or whatever He uses that approximates the human sense of sight), we have higher rates of homicide, teen pregnancy, STDs, suicide and abortion than the European nanny-states.

Despite loving the easy irony of such an observation, there are too many possible cofactors out there to pin this all on too much religion. Nevertheless, you can't argue with Europe's superior health outcomes.

"The non-religious, proevolution democracies contradict the dictum that a society cannot enjoy good conditions unless most citizens ardently believe in a moral creator," asserts study author Gregory Paul.

Put another way, call on God if you want, but row away from the clap.