Where is the only really secularised place in the world? Well broadly speaking that would be Europe. Of course there are plenty of religious types here (Yes i'm european, british actually) but Europe on the whole is much more secular than anywhere else, the pinnacle of which is Sweden where 90% of the population claim not to believe in a deity.
SO
I've been thinking recently the two main factors necessary for secularisation to occur are wealth (which i'm really defining as lack of poverty) and time. Europe has always been one of the wealthiest parts of the world and has been wealthy over great amounts of time. America hasn't had the time and everywhere else has either not had the wealth or the time. What I'm pointing to is if people are comfortable enough economically then they can begin to explore that which is outside of the thinking of survival and this naturally leads to secularism.

Part of what i concluded from this is that Sam Harris in his book "The End of Faith" (which you should really read if you haven't, particularly if you're one of those rare theists whose not completely closed minded) is a bit unfair on Naom Chomsky and co. when he claims religious attacks are entirely the product of religious faith. Bertrand Russell claimed religion as organised in its churches is the principle enemy of moral progress in the world. I think when he wrote that in the early 20th century it was true but now i'm increasingly thinking western patterns of "economic growth" are the real causes human suffering and that religion kind of acts to cover it up, or enflames reaction to this misery causing process to the extreme. Now one is obviously made worse by the other, but i just disagree with Sam Harris that religious hate crimes are entirely separate from western economic repression as a package for evil.

Sorry this is two threads really, paragraph one and two and paragraph three, but anyhoo, any general comments..?