Religion is an important strategic tool of ‘cold’ war fare in a new age of global economic war. There is mounting evidence that religion is a silent killer of prosperity and provides a method of retarding economic activity. If you want a nation state to become backward – send in missionaries. They will do more to retard a country than the CIA can ever accomplish with agents inside a government. If the U.S. is scared of China – ok then – send in the missionaries!! Scared of Iran’s rise – ok then – bring on the Mullahs.If you don’t believe me look at this data. America’s poorest states, are also the most religious and also Republican. For all the claims by Republicans that they have the right policies and a magic formula for prosperity – the data does not support it at all. Secularism has a lot going for it.Contrast Turkey’s economic prosperity with no natural resources over the past 30 years with Iran’s demise – and you get another data point that confirms this. Look at how religiously liberal Dubai is versus Iran, and contrast the economic growth rates these past 30 years. More confirmation!It just goes to tell you, if you want Iran to prosper you have to get the Mullahs out of power. Or conversely, could it be that the West was so afraid of Iranian economic growth that they finagled an Islamic regime on Iranians. Is that what they will try to do to any client state they want to establish – and be default destroy their future independence and economic vibrancy? (Take note: Libyans, Egyptians, Tunisians, Yemenites, etc. as you prepare your new constitutions and governments).Anyway, this chart lists states by order of religious fervor (according to a Gallup poll) and then provides median household income for four years from 2006 through 2009. So for example Mississippi is the most religious state and also the poorest with median household income of $36,646 in 2009. And Kentucky is the 10th most religious state, but also the 3rd poorest. (I should point out that Georgia is an exception on this list …being the 29th poorest …part of it is that there is a real contrast between a large (heavily populated city that is urbane and cosmopolitan like Atlanta and rural Georgia). But overall the “general” observation applies.
1. Mississippi
50 Mississippi $36,646 $37,790 $36,338 $35,261
2. Alabama
46 Alabama $40,489 $42,666 $40,554 $38,473
3. South Carolina
42 South Carolina $42,442 $44,625 $43,329 $40,822
4. Tennessee
44 Tennessee $41,725 $43,614 $42,367 $40,676
5. Louisiana
41 Louisiana $42,492 $43,733 $40,926 $37,943
6. Arkansas
48 Arkansas $37,823 $38,815 $38,134 $37,420
7. Georgia
29 Georgia $47,590 $50,861 $49,136 $46,841
8. North Carolina
39 North Carolina $43,674 $46,549 $44,670 $42,061
9. Oklahoma
45 Oklahoma $41,664 $42,822 $41,567 $40,001
10. Kentucky
47 Kentucky $40,072 $41,538 $40,267 $38,466
