children from secular families are more altruistic than kids from religious ones

According to this Guardian piece, children from secular families have been found to be more altruistic than kids from religious ones: ”Academics from seven universities across the world studied Christian, Muslim and non-religious children to test the relationship between religion and morality. They found that religious belief is a negative influence on children’s altruism.” The article points out that this runs counter to the commonly held view that belief in god instills morality in people; but to me it’s perfectly obvious. Religion makes one think that your worldview is the only valid one; it tells you that you are right and everyone else is wrong. This inevitably brings with it an arrogance, and thus a selfishness. ”The report was ‘a welcome antidote to the presumption that religion is a prerequisite of morality’, said Keith Porteus Wood of the UK National Secular Society.”

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