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→Atheists and apathy to practice self-discipline
A comprehensive study by [[Harvard University]] professor Robert Putnam found that religious people are more charitable than their irreligious counterparts.<ref>[http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/Religious-people-make-better-citizens-study-says.aspx Religious people make better citizens, study says] by Pew Research Forum, May 13, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm Religious people are 'better neighbors'] by ''USA Today'', 11/14/2010</ref> The study revealed that forty percent of worship service attending Americans volunteer regularly to help the poor and elderly as opposed to 15% of Americans who never attend services.<ref>[http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/Religious-people-make-better-citizens-study-says.aspx Religious people make better citizens, study says] by Pew Research Forum, May 13, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm Religious people are 'better neighbors'] by ''USA Today'', 11/14/2010</ref> Moreover, religious individuals are more likely than non-religious individuals to volunteer for school and youth programs (36% vs. 15%), a neighborhood or civic group (26% vs. 13%), and for health care (21% vs. 13%).<ref>[http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/Religious-people-make-better-citizens-study-says.aspx Religious people make better citizens, study says] by Pew Research Forum, May 13, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm Religious people are 'better neighbors'] by ''USA Today'', 11/14/2010</ref>
A comprehensive study by [[Harvard University]] professor Robert Putnam found that religious people are more charitable than their irreligious counterparts.<ref>[http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/Religious-people-make-better-citizens-study-says.aspx Religious people make better citizens, study says] by Pew Research Forum, May 13, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm Religious people are 'better neighbors'] by ''USA Today'', 11/14/2010</ref> The study revealed that forty percent of worship service attending Americans volunteer regularly to help the poor and elderly as opposed to 15% of Americans who never attend services.<ref>[http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/Religious-people-make-better-citizens-study-says.aspx Religious people make better citizens, study says] by Pew Research Forum, May 13, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm Religious people are 'better neighbors'] by ''USA Today'', 11/14/2010</ref> Moreover, religious individuals are more likely than non-religious individuals to volunteer for school and youth programs (36% vs. 15%), a neighborhood or civic group (26% vs. 13%), and for health care (21% vs. 13%).<ref>[http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/Religious-people-make-better-citizens-study-says.aspx Religious people make better citizens, study says] by Pew Research Forum, May 13, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm Religious people are 'better neighbors'] by ''USA Today'', 11/14/2010</ref>
== Atheists and apathy to practice self-discipline ==
== Atheists and apathy to good health ==
''See also:'' [[Atheism and health]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and health]]
*[[Baby boom generation, irreligion and obesity]]
*[[Baby boom generation, irreligion and obesity]]
== Atheism and apathy towards economic productivity ==
Overall, [[atheism|atheistic]] societies have tended to have higher rates of sloth and as a result have eventually experienced economic problems (see: [[Atheism and sloth]]).
[[File:Sloth-1873.jpg|thumb|290px|right|American [[Yeomen]] farmers hated laziness, ignorance and sloth]]
In the former [[Soviet Union]], a popular joke was that the workers pretended to work and the Soviet Union pretended to pay them.<ref>[http://ipezone.blogspot.com/2015/08/you-pretend-to-work-putin-pretends-to.html You Pretend to work and Putin pretends to pay you]</ref> A study performed in the former Soviet Union found that over 50% of the work force admitted to drinking alcohol while on the job (See also: [[Atheism and alcoholism]]).<ref>[http://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/cs201/projects/communism-computing-china/workethic.html Communism and computer ethics]</ref> In [[China]], the growth in religion has accompanied China’s fast economic growth over the last twenty years.<ref>[http://blog.tifwe.org/the-protestant-work-ethic-alive-well-in-china/ The Protestant Work Ethic: Alive & Well…In China] By Hugh Whelchel on September 24, 2012</ref>
Western Europeans work less hours than Americans and workers in many other countries.<ref>[http://www.forbes.com/2006/05/20/steven-landsburg-labor_cx_sl_06work_0523landsburg.html Why Europeans work less hours than Americans], ''Forbes''</ref><ref>[http://www.businessinsider.com/average-annual-hours-worked-for-americans-vs-the-rest-of-the-world-2013-8 Check Out How Much The Average American Works Each Year Compared To The French, The Germans, And The Koreans], Business Insider</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18144319 Who works the longest hours?], BBC, 2012</ref> Commenting on this matter, [[Niall Ferguson]] wrote a 2004 article published in ''The Telegraph'' entitled, "''The atheist sloth ethic, or why Europeans don't believe in work''".<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3609338/The-atheist-sloth-ethic-or-why-Europeans-dont-believe-in-work.html The atheist sloth ethic, or why Europeans don't believe in work] by Niall Ferguson, The Telegraph, 2004</ref>
Niall Ferguson also noted in his article:
{{cquote|There are, for example, many more Europeans out of work than Americans; over the past decade, US unemployment has averaged 4.6 per cent, compared with 9.2 per cent for the EU. Another difference is in labour participation. Between 1973 and 1998, the percentage of the American population in employment rose from 41 to 49 per cent. But in Germany and France, the equivalent percentage fell to, respectively, 44 and 39 per cent.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3609338/The-atheist-sloth-ethic-or-why-Europeans-dont-believe-in-work.html The atheist sloth ethic, or why Europeans don't believe in work] by Niall Ferguson, The Telegraph, 2004</ref>}}
[[File:Flag of Sweden.png|thumbnail|left|200px|In 2014, Sweden's new Social Democrat prime minister Stefan Loefven said, "Sweden is in a serious situation -- unemployment has become entrenched at high levels, school results have collapsed and the welfare system has major shortcomings".<ref>[http://www.afp.com/en/news/new-feminist-government-green-tinge-sweden New 'feminist' government with a Green tinge in Sweden]</ref>]]
Aging populations in secular Europe/[[Japan]] and sub-replacement fertility rates is leading to economic stagnation in those regions (see: [[Atheism and sloth#Atheistic societies, low fertility rates and the work associated with raising children|Atheistic societies, low fertility rates and the work associated with raising children]]).<ref>[http://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2012/05/30/whats-really-behind-europes-decline-its-the-birth-rates-stupid/ What's Really Behind Europe's Decline? It's The Birth Rates, Stupid], ''Forbes'' magazine, 5/30/2012
*[http://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-economy-population-idUSKCN0T113A20151112 Japan targets boosting birth rate to increase growth]</ref> ''Reuters'' reported in 2015, "Japan plans to include steps to raise the birth rate, such as easier access to childcare and tax incentives, in a package of reforms due this month to tackle the biggest bottleneck to economic growth."<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-economy-population-idUSKCN0T113A20151112 Japan targets boosting birth rate to increase growth]</ref>
The regions of [[secular Europe]] which are performing better than the rest of Europe often have a cultural legacy of the [[Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism|Protestant work ethic]]. For example, a 2011 ''Telegraph'' article noted: "Either way, not a single Protestant or Germanic EU country has so far needed a bailout."<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100116846/yet-another-catholic-country-needs-a-bailout-from-the-protestant-north/ Another Catholic country needs a bailout]</ref> The Protestant [[Reformation]] started in Germany and Germany has one of the strongest economies of Europe.
Due to lower economic productivity, atheistic [[communism]]/[[socialism]] can lead to a country to eventual financial ruin or significant economic problems which is what occurred to the [[Soviet Union]] and is currently happening in [[secular Europe]] via the [[Eurozone]] financial crisis (see: [[Atheism and sloth#Sloth in atheistic communist countries vs. Protestant work ethic|Sloth in atheistic communist countries]] and [[Atheism and sloth#Secular Europe's economic crisis|Sloth and Secular Europe's economic crisis]]).
== Laziness in atheistic communist countries vs. Protestant work ethic ==
== Laziness in atheistic communist countries vs. Protestant work ethic ==