Faith comes at a price: the economic cost of believing in God
Only 23% of Spaniards believe in the biblical God. The economic cost of religion in wars and demographics comes under scrutiny.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Faith comes at a price: the economic cost of believing in God
In a Spain where only 23% of the population believes in the God of the scriptures (Ipsos 2023), the debate over the economic cost of religion is flaring up again. While secularism advances, religious conflicts keep generating multimillion-dollar bills in sanctions, wars and displacement. The case of Israel is paradigmatic: the theological justification of the occupation not only has a human cost, it also weighs down Middle East trade relations and keeps energy markets on edge.
The business of faith: wars everyone pays for
Every time a conflict is wrapped in divine banners, stock markets tremble. The confrontation between Israel and Iran, fueled by messianic readings, has already driven up the price of oil and diverted investment flows. Those who argue that "without religion there would be no genocides" find support in the data: religiously motivated wars are, on average, 40% longer and costlier. The argument that atheists are "accomplices through silence" runs into the reality that 77% of the Spanish population does not believe in a personal God, and yet keeps paying taxes that fund foreign missions and embassies in theocratic countries.
Demographics: the atheism trap
But the other side of the debate is demographic. While secular countries see their birth rates plummet, religious populations —especially Muslim and evangelical ones— are growing well above replacement level. In Europe, this imbalance is reshaping the labor market and the welfare state in the long term. Those who argue that "unbelief leads us to extinction" point out that by 2050 Spain will need a workforce that is not being reproduced today. The dilemma is clear: secularization reduces conflict, but strangles the foundations of growth.
Is religion a luxury we can afford, or an inevitable burden? What is clear is that the bill, one way or another, is paid by everyone.
Related debates in the forum
In a Spain where only 23% of the population believes in the God of the scriptures (Ipsos 2023), the debate over the economic cost of religion is flaring up again. While secularism advances, religious conflicts keep generating multimillion-dollar bills in sanctions, wars and displacement. The case of Israel is paradigmatic: the theological justification of the occupation not only has a human cost, it also weighs down Middle East trade relations and keeps energy markets on edge.
The business of faith: wars everyone pays for
Every time a conflict is wrapped in divine banners, stock markets tremble. The confrontation between Israel and Iran, fueled by messianic readings, has already driven up the price of oil and diverted investment flows. Those who argue that "without religion there would be no genocides" find support in the data: religiously motivated wars are, on average, 40% longer and costlier. The argument that atheists are "accomplices through silence" runs into the reality that 77% of the Spanish population does not believe in a personal God, and yet keeps paying taxes that fund foreign missions and embassies in theocratic countries.
Demographics: the atheism trap
But the other side of the debate is demographic. While secular countries see their birth rates plummet, religious populations —especially Muslim and evangelical ones— are growing well above replacement level. In Europe, this imbalance is reshaping the labor market and the welfare state in the long term. Those who argue that "unbelief leads us to extinction" point out that by 2050 Spain will need a workforce that is not being reproduced today. The dilemma is clear: secularization reduces conflict, but strangles the foundations of growth.
Is religion a luxury we can afford, or an inevitable burden? What is clear is that the bill, one way or another, is paid by everyone.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (93 replies).
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