Lack of religion may lead to selfishness

It seems like we slowly, slowly are getting less religious. The graph shows how Australians are connected, and there is since 1986 a tendency towards a religionless society. While immigrants are coming to the country, bringing their own belief system, that is at least not presented in these data from ABS.

Lack of beliefs in something "bigger" may affect our civil society and community spirit. Scientists from University of California gave volunteers overt or subliminal cues to activate brain circuitry encoding thoughts of someone who offered unconditional love and protection – a parent, a lover, God. The goal was to induce the feeling of security that makes it more likely someone will display, say altruism and not selfishness. It worked. People became more willing to give blood and do volunteer work, and less hostile to ethnic groups different from their own.

Since we have less real friends and more people stay single, this is combined with lack of beliefs in that there is someone else loving you, may create a "each to their own" spirit. I hope not.