[Roger the Dodger]

The terms seem synonymous these days.

[Litotes]

Really? I have seen no such link being suggested. Rather a stretch, too, given US as the most capitalistic country in the World and the most religions country in the West.

[hat__boy]

[The Bulldog]

You seem to imply that something's changed? Please do elaborate.

I don't think they're synonymous. Maybe they are more correlated these days, but certainly far from synonymous.

[buddyholly]

Ask the Vatican.

[djokovicgonzalez]

I don't see this at all. The opposite is closer to true

[Fujee]

What? America is the foremost capitalist nation, and they are THE nation of God botherers.

[Echoes]

The link is as obvious as can be.

Read history and you'll see.

Realists, opportunists, go-getter have almost always been atheists.

[coluta]

Nope. Historically speaking I would rather suggest a strong link between capitalism and protestantism (the idea of private property being so important comes from here).
And Jewish people were allowed to lend money with interest while Christians were not, so for a long time the European "banking system" (as underdeveloped as it was at the time) was almost purely Jewish.
Also, communists didn't believe in God (at least in theory).
Above you have 3 things you can further research so you can answer the question yourself.

However, I am pretty sure you simply view capitalists as evil people who don't care about others. And you also view atheists as evil people who don't care about others, hence your question. Am I wrong?

[buddyholly]

Not always, but it makes sense. Clear and intelligent thinking in both cases.

Although I have no idea where you saw the terms used synonymously. Probably nowhere.

[Filo V.]

No, you are not wrong, coluta. The OP is a fundy.

[Time Violation]

Originally Posted by Litotes

Really? I have seen no such link being suggested. Rather a stretch, too, given US as the most capitalistic country in the World and the most religions country in the West.

Well, just because someone claims to be religious doesn't mean he actually is. I can't remember where I saw it, but some survey said the most conservative States at the same time have the most registered online porn consumers, something like that

[Roger the Dodger]

Originally Posted by Litotes

Really? I have seen no such link being suggested. Rather a stretch, too, given US as the most capitalistic country in the World and the most religions country in the West.

Originally Posted by Fujee

What? America is the foremost capitalist nation, and they are THE nation of God botherers.

This argument is wrong. We have to view it individually, not at national level. I'm saying the God bothering sect and the capitalist sect in America are not the same people. Therefore, America remains both the most capitalistic and the most religious country in the west. Its a case of numbers.

Originally Posted by Echoes

The link is as obvious as can be.

Read history and you'll see.

Realists, opportunists, go-getter have almost always been atheists.

This.

Both Capitalists and Atheists spring from the common seed of rational individualism. They believe only in this world and the existence of no other, believe this world as the source of all happiness, the conquest of this world alone and gain in this visible world is the only point in life.

Originally Posted by coluta

Nope. Historically speaking I would rather suggest a strong link between capitalism and protestantism (the idea of private property being so important comes from here).
And Jewish people were allowed to lend money with interest while Christians were not, so for a long time the European "banking system" (as underdeveloped as it was at the time) was almost purely Jewish.
Also, communists didn't believe in God (at least in theory).
Above you have 3 things you can further research so you can answer the question yourself.

However, I am pretty sure you simply view capitalists as evil people who don't care about others. And you also view atheists as evil people who don't care about others, hence your question. Am I wrong?

I view neither as evil, only because I believe one cannot believe in God unless one has a defining experience or reason to do so. So as far as the individual right to lead your own life based on your own experiences goes, I'm all for it.

But Atheism serves as the exact foundational line of thought that any true capitalism would base itself on. I mean people who believe in God do not simply trample over the 'competition' for their own gain and triumph. Capitalists who claim otherwise must be simply hungry for political power (or power of some kind), for there, some purported religiosity is often fodder for elections.

Take the case of Mitt Romney affiliate Paul Ryan who is essentially an Objectivist (Ayn Rand) by thought, but hides behind a Catholic front.

[Jimnik]

OP obviously living in a parallel universe.

[scoobs]

Nonsense. Quite the contrary. There has always been a strain of religious capitalists who took the nostrum

"the Lord helps those who help themselves"

extremely literally, and so help themselves to as much as they can possibly get - and claim that it's a blessing from God, who is obviously "on their side".

This is especially true in the Protestant strand of Christianity, with their famed puritanical streak, dourness and belief in work over fun.