The Social Impact

I have managed to find an interesting article from USA Today written by Noelle Knox on August 11, 2005. Published in the article was this table:

One of the most striking consequences of the decline of religiosity in Europe is the correlating decline in birth rate. This implies an increased use of artificial birth control, a deed looked down upon by the Roman Catholic Church. An increased use of birth control doesn't appear detrimental to society in itself, however, this article argues that the populations of several European countries have decreased significantly to cause a potential labor shortage, thus, hurting the economies of these nations.

In addition, with the gradual disappearance of religion, public opinion on issues such as divorce, abortion, gay marriage and stem cell research have become more liberal in Europe. However, just the opposite has occurred in the "more religious" United States, where 11 voted in 2004 to amend their Constitutions banning gay marriage.

Whether these changes are positive or negative is up for debate right now in Europe.