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Wow, check out this article. A big difference in the views on whether religion is a force of positive or negative effect in our world.

For people who still think Canadians and Americans are basically the same - please note the difference in this poll.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/11/ ... blair.html

Poll underlines sharp divide on religion
Last Updated: Friday, November 26, 2010 | 7:00 PM ET
CBC News

The world is deeply divided on the question of whether religion is a force for good, a survey by Ipsos Reid suggests.

Is religion a force for good?
Country % who agree
Saudi Arabia 92
Indonesia 91
India 69
United States 65
Russia 59
Italy 50
Turkey 43
Canada 36
Australia 32
Great Britain 29
Japan 29
France 24
Belgium 21
Sweden 19

Source: Ipsos Reid

The pollster found that 48 per cent of the more than 18,000 people it reached online in 23 countries agreed that "religion provides the common values and ethical foundations that diverse societies need to thrive in the 21st century."

A bare majority — 52 per cent — thought otherwise. They agreed with the sentiment that "religious beliefs promote intolerance, exacerbate ethnic divisions and impede social progress."

There was wide regional variation in the results. Respondents in Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, where there are large Moslem populations, overwhelmingly said they believed religion was a force for good, while respondents in European countries tended to disagree with that.

About two-thirds of Americans polled thought religion was a force for good, but only 36 per cent of Canadians thought the same.

The survey was commissioned as a backdrop to a much-anticipated debate on religion Friday night in Toronto between former British prime minister Tony Blair and writer Christopher Hitchens.

Be it resolved

The two men will debate the question of whether religion is a force for good in the world.

Taking the "No" side is Hitchens, author of God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and author Christopher Hitchens meet ahead of their debate on religion in Toronto Friday. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and author Christopher Hitchens meet ahead of their debate on religion in Toronto Friday. (Mark Blinch/Reuters)

The avowed atheist has written that organized religion is "violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism, and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children."

Hitchens, who is battling esophageal cancer, added that if "religious instruction were not allowed until the child had attained the age of reason, we would be living in a quite different world."

Blair will argue the opposite side. He converted to Roman Catholicism after leaving 10 Downing Street in 2007.

Blair has spoken often about the role of faith in his life since leaving office and has formed the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, which promotes "respect and understanding" among the world's major religions.

He will argue an understanding of faith is necessary in a world of globalization and rapid social change.

"Religious faith has a major part to play in shaping the values which guide the modern world, and can and should be a force for progress," he said earlier.
Debate sold out

The moderator of the debate said it's not about the existence of God.

“We have asked Mr. Blair and Mr. Hitchens to wrestle with the more immediate question facing developed and developing nations: is religion a force for peace or conflict in the modern world?” said Rudyard Griffiths, co-organizer of the Munk Debates.

The debate, at Roy Thomson Hall, quickly sold out. A live video stream of the debate can be watched online for $4.99.

The Munk Debates are a series created through the Aurea Foundation, a Canadian charity established by businessman and philanthropist Peter Munk.

Notes on the poll: Ipsos Reid said its online panel included respondents aged 18-64 in Canada and the United States and 16-64 in all other countries. The respondents were polled between Sept. 7 and 23. About 1,000 were polled in each of Canada and the United States.

Well all I will say is.

Questioning reglion comes from the atrocities done in the name of all religons in the past and present. But having said that even if there was no religon man would find and has found other reasons to do no good. Culture, Nationality, Race, Sex, Creed.

The biggest agitators never did anthing in the name of religon. Xerxes, Alexander, Ghengis Khan, Napolean, Hitler, Mussolini, Pol pot, Kim Jong Ill etc etc.

My personal view is most people who claim to be very religious don't know their religon. From the Bible bashers of the bible belt, to the fatwa supurters of SA. Thus giving every religion a bad name.

But not saying that only a believing person can be morally and ethically superior to a non believer.

I'd hazard a guess that the poll reflects the levels of observance of religious teachings in each of the countries, and the results are not surprising to me at all.

What is good to see is that in all countries there are those who do believe religion is a force for good, and hopefully are living their lives to prove that belief.

Cheers,
Shafique

Well, I can say I'd rather live in Sweden than Saudi. They seem to have a pretty decent society there for having a lack of religious observance.

Agree that people in the name of religion have committed all sorts of crimes and attrocities. Nevertheless I believe that relgion is good as long as it isn't rammed down your throat. Faith in a higher power is important - gives you hope, resilience in troubled times, etc and has helped me cope with my problems in the past. I love all faiths as ultimately we all pray for the same things - good things for us and our loved ones and allows us to clear our hearts and conciensce of what troubles us. People you hurt others are commit murder and other crimes in the name of religion are misguided usually due to wharped teachings and intolerance.

Indeed , Religion should not be instituted by any state authority (well not atleast in the times that we live in)