Take a look at red states what problems do they have in general.
Alcohol and drug related problems and then you take a look at education.
So all 3 of those problems and you have and chances are that state has poor people
and chances are they are religious. Then you have blue states they have some religious people
and they have some wealth and are better off. The thing here is the more wealth a person has
and the more well off they tend not be religious and if they are they don't really follow their own book.

I don't believe it is due to religion that poverty occurs. If anything it is the needy have a greater reliance upon God. The bible says it this way "deny me riches and poverty, riches least I forget God, and poverty least I steal and profane the name of the LORD may God".

On a personal note God has always helped me get richer, more prominent, never less. The current job that I have I truely believe god gave me. Six months ago I applied for a job with the government, but was rejected. At the time I prayed and said to God "if you think I can do this job, please get it for me some how". Six months latter a job agent asked me if I was interested in a job with the department of education, I was going to say "not really interested", but God prompted me strongly to apply. Through a feeling deep with in me. So I applied. Got the job, and it turns out it was the job I had applied for six month earlier. I find the job easy and rewarding.

To top this off I pray blessing over my clients, or I did I should say, when I worked in my own business, or for general employers. I distinctly remember after praying for many weeks for a client to be blessed, God spoke to me as I worked and asked me the question "How would you like to work for channel 9", chanel 9 was a free to air TV station in our country. I was working on a clients Website at the time, the one I had been praying for, so I was super careful with it in case it was put on TV. That was the feeling I got. A few weeks latter the client came to us and said they were asked by channel 9 if they could appear on TV. They got a spot on A Current Affair, and when the show went to air, their business received thousands of sign ups in one night. It was a boon for the brand, and a blessing both to them and me. To them for their business, to me to know God has answered my prayers for them.

(April 20, 2017 at 7:13 am)hopey Wrote: I don't believe it is due to religion that poverty occurs. If anything it is the needy have a greater reliance upon God. The bible says it this way "deny me riches and poverty, riches least I forget God, and poverty least I steal and profane the name of the LORD may God".

On a personal note God has always helped me get richer, more prominent, never less. The current job that I have I truely believe god gave me. Six months ago I applied for a job with the government, but was rejected. At the time I prayed and said to God "if you think I can do this job, please get it for me some how". Six months latter a job agent asked me if I was interested in a job with the department of education, I was going to say "not really interested", but God prompted me strongly to apply. Through a feeling deep with in me. So I applied. Got the job, and it turns out it was the job I had applied for six month earlier. I find the job easy and rewarding.

To top this off I pray blessing over my clients, or I did I should say, when I worked in my own business, or for general employers. I distinctly remember after praying for many weeks for a client to be blessed, God spoke to me as I worked and asked me the question "How would you like to work for channel 9", chanel 9 was a free to air TV station in our country. I was working on a clients Website at the time, the one I had been praying for, so I was super careful with it in case it was put on TV. That was the feeling I got. A few weeks latter the client came to us and said they were asked by channel 9 if they could appear on TV. They got a spot on A Current Affair, and when the show went to air, their business received thousands of sign ups in one night. It was a boon for the brand, and a blessing both to them and me. To them for their business, to me to know God has answered my prayers for them.

Nope sorry, even with worship of the state like North Korea and worship of the party like Catholic Cuba, all you have to do is sell enough of the mass ideas of utopias, dangle a carrot in front of them they cant reach and put them on the hamster wheel and they will chase it gleefully and vote against their own self interests. The red states in America are worse off and are more religious, there is no polite way to put it.

 7 billion humans many whom live in crime infested and war ravaged famine rampant places and lucky you. You got the job not because of talking to yourself, you got the job because someone looked at your application. Do you seriously think nobody else applied? You think those people don't pray to the same god, which is highly likely on average. 

And Jews and Muslims and Hindus and Buddhists ALSO chalk their good fortune up to their clubs. Get in line and take a number.

(April 20, 2017 at 7:25 am)Brian37 Wrote:

(April 20, 2017 at 7:13 am)hopey Wrote: I don't believe it is due to religion that poverty occurs. If anything it is the needy have a greater reliance upon God. The bible says it this way "deny me riches and poverty, riches least I forget God, and poverty least I steal and profane the name of the LORD may God".

On a personal note God has always helped me get richer, more prominent, never less. The current job that I have I truely believe god gave me. Six months ago I applied for a job with the government, but was rejected. At the time I prayed and said to God "if you think I can do this job, please get it for me some how". Six months latter a job agent asked me if I was interested in a job with the department of education, I was going to say "not really interested", but God prompted me strongly to apply. Through a feeling deep with in me. So I applied. Got the job, and it turns out it was the job I had applied for six month earlier. I find the job easy and rewarding.

To top this off I pray blessing over my clients, or I did I should say, when I worked in my own business, or for general employers. I distinctly remember after praying for many weeks for a client to be blessed, God spoke to me as I worked and asked me the question "How would you like to work for channel 9", chanel 9 was a free to air TV station in our country. I was working on a clients Website at the time, the one I had been praying for, so I was super careful with it in case it was put on TV. That was the feeling I got. A few weeks latter the client came to us and said they were asked by channel 9 if they could appear on TV. They got a spot on A Current Affair, and when the show went to air, their business received thousands of sign ups in one night. It was a boon for the brand, and a blessing both to them and me. To them for their business, to me to know God has answered my prayers for them.

Nope sorry, even with worship of the state like North Korea and worship of the party like Catholic Cuba, all you have to do is sell enough of the mass ideas of utopias, dangle a carrot in front of them they cant reach and put them on the hamster wheel and they will chase it gleefully and vote against their own self interests. The red states in America are worse off and are more religious, there is no polite way to put it.

You know you guys are so blind, you speak of North Korea as if it were a religious state. It is not it is the worlds most pure atheist state. Sure they treat Kim like a God now, but the philosophy of that state is atheism. Atheism is the religion of Communism. But you as an atheist don't want to be associated with the truth that atheistic societies oppress people, especially religious people. North Korea is one of the worlds worst persecutors of Christians, not due to religion, but due to the fact it is banned. Religion is banned.

---

Sorry if i appeared a little short with you ... but it gets under my skin that your philosophy hurts not heals the world and you parade it around as if it were the worlds saviour. See yo are still under my skin.

Then there is the "lets deny his experiences" ... grrrr

(April 20, 2017 at 7:32 am)hopey Wrote:

(April 20, 2017 at 7:25 am)Brian37 Wrote: Nope sorry, even with worship of the state like North Korea and worship of the party like Catholic Cuba, all you have to do is sell enough of the mass ideas of utopias, dangle a carrot in front of them they cant reach and put them on the hamster wheel and they will chase it gleefully and vote against their own self interests. The red states in America are worse off and are more religious, there is no polite way to put it.

You know you guys are so blind, you speak of North Korea as if it were a religious state. It is not it is the worlds most pure atheist state. Sure they treat Kim like a God now, but the philosophy of that state is atheism. Atheism is the religion of Communism. But you as an atheist don't want to be associated with the truth that atheistic societies oppress people, especially religious people. North Korea is one of the worlds worst persecutors of Christians, not due to religion, but due to the fact it is banned. Religion is banned.

---

Sorry if i appeared a little short with you ... but it gets under my skin that your philosophy hurts not heals the world and you parade it around as if it were the worlds saviour. See yo are still under my skin.

Then there is the "lets deny his experiences" ... grrrr

So, atheism is the religion of the Communist State, and religion is banned.

As far as our "philosophy hurting the world",  Fuck off.  The egotism, greed and self-righteousness of your religion
has done more damage to the world than any other.

(April 20, 2017 at 7:47 am)Harry Nevis Wrote:

(April 20, 2017 at 7:32 am)hopey Wrote: You know you guys are so blind, you speak of North Korea as if it were a religious state. It is not it is the worlds most pure atheist state. Sure they treat Kim like a God now, but the philosophy of that state is atheism. Atheism is the religion of Communism. But you as an atheist don't want to be associated with the truth that atheistic societies oppress people, especially religious people. North Korea is one of the worlds worst persecutors of Christians, not due to religion, but due to the fact it is banned. Religion is banned.

---

Sorry if i appeared a little short with you ... but it gets under my skin that your philosophy hurts not heals the world and you parade it around as if it were the worlds saviour. See yo are still under my skin.

Then there is the "lets deny his experiences" ... grrrr

So, atheism is the religion of the Communist State, and religion is banned.

As far as our "philosophy hurting the world",  Fuck off.  The egotism, greed and self-righteousness of your religion
has done more damage to the world than any other.

Are you such a child that you have to pick disputes over words. You know what I mean, and it is true, marxism, communism, have their root in pure atheism. And every such state (that has banned religion, as they do) results in oppression. Just  like YOU trying to ban religion, or should I say push away God. Wake up fool.

(April 20, 2017 at 7:32 am)hopey Wrote:

(April 20, 2017 at 7:25 am)Brian37 Wrote: Nope sorry, even with worship of the state like North Korea and worship of the party like Catholic Cuba, all you have to do is sell enough of the mass ideas of utopias, dangle a carrot in front of them they cant reach and put them on the hamster wheel and they will chase it gleefully and vote against their own self interests. The red states in America are worse off and are more religious, there is no polite way to put it.

You know you guys are so blind, you speak of North Korea as if it were a religious state. It is not it is the worlds most pure atheist state. Sure they treat Kim like a God now, but the philosophy of that state is atheism. Atheism is the religion of Communism. But you as an atheist don't want to be associated with the truth that atheistic societies oppress people, especially religious people. North Korea is one of the worlds worst persecutors of Christians, not due to religion, but due to the fact it is banned. Religion is banned.

You don't know history and you have been falsely sold the idea that it is religion free. You need to learn the difference between oppressing all religions, which THEY DO NOT, and oppressing all types of dissent, which they do, not just religion.

"Unauthorized" is what the state says, so they DO authorize the religions that support their party. DISSENT of any kind, not just religion, but political dissent as well. 

Oh fuck off, I am an atheist, if I spoke out there I would be in prison or dead too. Persecution of ANY label depends on geography, I do get fucking sick of ANY label acting as if they are the only to ever suffer in human history. Atheists would also be persecuted along with Christians in NORTH KOREA if they hold western values. Christians and gays and LGBT and even minority Muslims are persecuted depending on which part of the Arab Muslim east they live in. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of...orth_Korea

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_North_Korea

There are far more Buddhists in North Korea than Christians so they are ALSO oppressed as well. 

Atheist author Christopher Hitchens wrote "Jefferson, Author Of America", he considered Jefferson the most important figure of the founders. He HATED Kim Jong Ill and North Korea. If he had tried to bring that book or "God Is Not Great", a book in which he equates  God to a "celestial dictator, ruling over a celestial NORTH KOREA", if he had left either of those books in a North Korean hotel, it would be as much a crime as leaving a bible in their hotel rooms.

You don't get to paint all atheists as evil just because you don't like that we don't buy your god claim. 

I do take issue with the articles falsely misusing the word "secular" as meaning godless. I really wish more atheists would push media to stop doing that. 

A section of a population is "sectarian" which can be political sect or religious sect or overlap of both. Cuba is a SECTARIAN Catholic majority 1 party state. Saudi Arabia is a sectarian Sunni theocracy. North Korea is worship of the state. They all value blind loyalty. 

No westernized atheist I would call sane values dictators or theocracies. Sorry you don't like me not believing but that is your baggage, that does not mean I value despots.









In the west Christians are NOT persecuted. GROW UP. "Christians are persecuted in North Korea" yea and, so what, anyone including Buddhists or Confu

Ok ... what is your morality? What is right and wrong for you? .... states based on atheism have no morality, only that that which is passed down from past generations past. As time progresses there is no moral law under such a system, only survival of the fittest. And how do you survive by following the strongest. An a strong one with no morals is a killer, as Kim is.

Only Jesus teaches "love", i..e "love your enemies" ... Kim teaches what ... nothing ... no morality ... only serve the strongest.

His teachings are a little more complex than that ... but I think you get my drift.

(April 20, 2017 at 7:47 am)Harry Nevis Wrote:

(April 20, 2017 at 7:32 am)hopey Wrote: You know you guys are so blind, you speak of North Korea as if it were a religious state. It is not it is the worlds most pure atheist state. Sure they treat Kim like a God now, but the philosophy of that state is atheism. Atheism is the religion of Communism. But you as an atheist don't want to be associated with the truth that atheistic societies oppress people, especially religious people. North Korea is one of the worlds worst persecutors of Christians, not due to religion, but due to the fact it is banned. Religion is banned.

---

Sorry if i appeared a little short with you ... but it gets under my skin that your philosophy hurts not heals the world and you parade it around as if it were the worlds saviour. See yo are still under my skin.

Then there is the "lets deny his experiences" ... grrrr

So, atheism is the religion of the Communist State, and religion is banned.

As far as our "philosophy hurting the world",  Fuck off.  The egotism, greed and self-righteousness of your religion
has done more damage to the world than any other.

FUCK YOU, you do not get to claim atheism means dictators. I am getting tired of this bullshit.

China is a majority Buddhist.
Russia is a majority Russian Orthodox Christianity
Cuba is a majority CATHOLIC.
Germany is has always been, prior to WW2 AND even now, has always been a majority CHRISTIAN
Saudi Arabia is a majority Sunni Muslim
Iran is a majority Shiite Muslim.


Closed states oppress anything that doesn't tow the blind worship of the powers. Theocracies and 1 party states. 

It is not my fault someone sold you the bullshit that all atheists are evil. We are not. None of the countries above, not even North Korea is 100% religion free.

---

(April 20, 2017 at 8:11 am)hopey Wrote: Ok ... what is your morality? What is right and wrong for you? .... states based on atheism have no morality, only that that which is passed down from past generations past. As time progresses there is no moral law under such a system, only survival of the fittest. And how do you survive by following the strongest. An a strong one with no morals is a killer, as Kim is.

Only Jesus teaches "love", i..e "love your enemies" ... Kim teaches what ... nothing ... no morality ... only serve the strongest.

His teachings are a little more complex than that ... but I think you get my drift.

What about Buddha's teachings?
What about Mohammed's teachings?
What about the Jewish Torrah and Talmud?
What about the Hindu Bhagavad Gita and Vedas?

OH THAT'S RIGHT on a planet of 7 billion magically you hit the lottery and everyone else who doesn't share your label is fucked? 

"It's complex", yep I agree, but needlessly complex and old to boot.

China - philosophy is not Buddhist, my wife is from China, its philosophy is atheist, she was taught atheism. Buddhism is the biggest religion yes, but it is not the philosophy that built the dictatorship ... that is atheism ... sorry.

Russia - when communist (at the height of its oppression) was again atheist. Still recovering from that one.

Cuba - don't know much about it.

Germany - irrelevant - an occasional dictator appears - who for the record stated he hated Christianity. See secular sources on Hitler and religion.

Saudi Arabia and Iran - are Muslim not Christian. Their religion teaches violence, and oppression.

Western nations, particularly ones with protestant backgrounds are the freest in the world.

Now lets compare no religious states -North Korea, China, Soviet Union - wow do we see a secular revolution?