by: Denny J. A.
How to explain the question that is the title of the essay above?
These are the things the writer ponder over and over again. Two complete data on more than one hundred countries have just been read.
These two data sets are the result of a credible research institute. Academics have recognized and praised the footsteps of this institution.
One is done by the United Nations (UN) itself, through the Sustainable Development Solution Network (SDSN). A ranking of 153 countries has been published based on the happiness of citizens, in 2020.
In compiling this ranking, SDSN uses world survey data from the Gallup World Poll and the World Values Survey.
One more dataset is also from the Gallup Poll, in 2009. This data lists countries based on the question “how important is religion in your life?”
The two data sets are independent. One does not explain the other.
But, if we check the results, and put them together, Wow! Top 10 countries whose citizens are the happiest no longer consider religion to be important in their lives.
Is it true?
Let us start with those two studies first.
-000-
Since 2012, the UN through SDSN initiated another way of measuring the growth of a country.
Humans don’t just live on bread. It is not comprehensive if we measure the progress of a country solely from economic progress.
The Human Development Index (HDI) has also been developed. The measure of the country’s growth is seen as more multi-dimensional. It is not only the economic side that is assessed, but also health, education, even the quality of government.
In 2012, HDI was considered inadequate. The focus should be more on the happiness of citizens. What’s the use of all development if people are unhappy? Isn’t happiness the deepest meaning of life?
And let the citizens themselves judge happiness through self-claim. Don’t be the experts claiming.
They were also asked: Ladies and gentlemen, do you feel happy or unhappy? They are also given a scale of 0-10. Number 10 for complete happiness. The number 0 is for total unhappiness.
Then, experts in various fields, from economics, sociology, education to psychology, enriched the findings.
Since 2012, a list and a report called the World Happiness Report have been published. In 2020, this is the eighth annual report.
A total of 153 countries were assessed and made a ranking. Indonesia, for example, is ranked 84th, with an average score: 5,286.
Top 10 countries with happy citizens in 2020 and the scores are as follows:
1. Finlandia (7.809)
2. Denmark (7.646)
3. Switzerland (7.560)
4. Iceland (7504)
5. Norway (7488)
6. Netherlands (7449)
7. Sweden (7353)
8. New Zealand (7300)
9. Austria (7294)
10. Luxemberg (7238)
The ten happiest countries are dominated by Scandinavian countries (Nordic countries).
-000-
The second data set is completely different. This data is from the Gallup Poll to categorize how important religion is in people’s perceptions.
The question is simple: Is religion important in your daily life?
The answer is just YES or NO. However, some did not answer or answered that they did not know.
Based on that answer, in 2009, the Gallup Poll compiled a list of countries based on the percentage of YES answers.
Thus, a list of 149 countries in various categories was compiled. At the top, more than 90 percent of citizens stated that religion was important in their daily lives.
The lowest, under 40 percent stated that religion is important in their daily life. In which the majority consider religion no longer important in everyday life.
We also get a map of the world in the Google era. In which countries where the population considers religion important, above 50 percent? Even above 90 percent?
An example of a list of countries that say religion is important over 90 percent, for example India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Philippines, Indonesia.
An example of a list of countries that do not consider religion important, below 40 percent, for example Japan, Hong Kong, France, England and Australia.
-000-
Now, let’s combine the two data above. For the Top 10 countries with the happiest citizens (World Happines Report, 2020), do residents in that country consider religion important in their daily lives? (Important of Religion by Countries, Gallup Poll, 2009). (2)
Below, a ranking of the top 10 countries that make citizens happy. Next to it is a percentage of how important religion is to their daily lives.
1. Finlandia (28 %)
2. Denmark (19 %)
3. Switzerland (41 %)
4. Iceland (no data)
5. Norway (22 %)
6. Netherlands (33 %)
7. Sweden (15 %)
8. New Zealand (33 %)
9. Austria (55 %)
10. Luxemberg (39 %)
In eight of the nine countries with the happiest citizens, the majority of citizens do not consider religion to be important in their lives. Only one, in Austria alone, has over 50 percent of the population consider religion important.
In Sweden even only 15 percent of the population consider religion to be important. Also in Denmark only 19 percent think religion is important.
If the average for the countries is set above, only 31.6 percent of the population in these countries consider religion important. In other words, the majority of the citizens of the happiest countries in the world do not attach importance to religion in their daily lives.
What about the countries where religion is more important than 90 percent? What is the level of happiness of citizens in that country?
I take the example of different religious centers. In brackets, each name of the majority religion. In addition, data on what percentage of citizens consider religion important in that country. On the other hand, how do the countries rank based on the happiness of their citizens?
1. India (Hindu, 90 %, 144)
2. Philipines (Catholic, 96 %, 52)
3. Saudi Arabia (Islam, 93 %, 27)
4. Thailand (Buddha, 97 %, 54)
5. Indonesia (Islam, 99 %: 84)
For a country where the majority of the population considers religion to be important, above 90 percent of the population, whether Muslim, Catholic, Hindu or Buddhist, the happiness of its citizens is moderate to bad.
In India, 90 percent of citizens consider religion important (majority Hindu). The country’s happy ranking is at the bottom of the list: 144 out of 153 countries surveyed.
In Indonesia, 99 percent of citizens consider religion important (majority Islam), the ranking of happiness for citizens is in the middle to lower half of the board: ranking 84 out of 153 countries surveyed.
How to explain this phenomenon? Why do citizens who are the happiest in their public spaces no longer consider religion important?
-000-
Three keys determine: Social Trust. Freedom to make life choice. Social Support.
Social trust can be understood as the intimacy of citizens. If fellow countrymen are fostered warmth, mutual trust, friendship, regardless of the identity background of the citizens, that is the eco system of public space that makes it comfortable.
Social trust will be damaged if the opposite happens. A spirit of hatred, hostility, high walls divides citizens.
Humans then are not judged by their character and behavior, but from their religion, even from their religious interpretation. If this is the color, the familiarity of the citizens disappears.
A sectarian public space, colored with social hostilities, is bad for creating social trust.
In addition to its many good points, religious behavior among fanatics, with a horse’s point of view, which monopolizes God and heaven as if it belongs only to their group, which develops a spirit of hostility, hatred for different interpretations and religions, damages social trust.
Religious fanaticism and separatism are elements that worsen social trust. The more religion is in the narrow spirit above, the less it plays a role, the better the social trust.
Second, freedom to make life choice. Every adult citizen will be comfortable if he is allowed to “Be Yourself,” as long as he does not commit coercion and crime.
Regarding how the lifestyle is chosen, which concept of God he believes in from the 4300 religions, it is entirely his personal matter.
What will happen in the hereafter, if he believes, is a personal consequence too. No one can take responsibility to God. Not clerics / priests. Not a mass organization. Not even the country.
Public spaces filled with fanatical religious organizations often seem to be the spokesperson for the Lord of the universe, take justice into their own hands, burn or seal houses of worship from followers of different religions. This is what breaks “Freedom to make life choice.”
On the other hand, the public sphere that is less and less colored by religious mass organizations that take justice into their own hands, which frees the individual to “Be Yourself”, is more appropriate to the various times.
Third, social support. Every citizen will be more comfortable if there is support from the environment. This is mainly related to the citizen welfare program that is being pursued by the government.
It starts with health programs, education, and benefits for the weak economy.
More social support can be provided by high-income countries. This is more of an economic dimension.
However, it is true that in a country with a strong economy, which has grown due to industry, in general the citizens no longer regard religion as important.
The three variables above explain why in a country where the public space is no longer dominated by religion, where the majority of its citizens consider religion no longer important in their lives, they are the happiest.
-000-
Then, is the influence of religion in the public sphere bad based on the data above?
The answer to the author: it depends on how religion is interpreted.
What is bad is a religious interpretation that “takes justice into its own hands,” justifying elements of violence and spreading hostile sentiments.
However, religion like that developed by Jalaluddin Rumi, actually brings depth.
One of Jalaludin Rumi’s reflections: “My religion is love. Every heart is my holy house. ”
If the dominant religion is interpreted with the spirit of Rumi, the religious spirit does not only strengthen social trust and freedom to make life choice, it also brings us to authentic happiness.*
NOTE:
1. The World Happiness Report 2020 in various countries can be seen here
2. Gallup Poll 2009 about the list of countries based on the importance of religion
Source: Facebook DennyJA_World
