"So, while I find that the extremism of religion in these countries do limit their opportunity to advance, and create some hideous conditions for its citizens, I don't see where the complete abandonment of religion is a sign of advancement/success. (as the west has plenty of ties to that same middle east primitive culture/religion) Actually, is there any country that is officially atheist? I know the Soviet Union was, but.....we all know what happened there. not really a great option, imo.
But, these countries also have enormous populations. Which is where I get confused in your point. If certain species are doomed for extinction, and if that doom is caused by a lack of advancing (in technology, science etc etc) then why is their population so immense?"

There is no single Muslim country (well maybe Indonesia is an exception) that has anywhere near the 300 million people out the United States. The core middle eastern countries are quite thinly populated, as those deserts can only sustain small populations. In the past few decades, Saudi Arabia's population grew susbstantially because they were able to sell the one resource they have, oil!

But there are dependant upon the West to drill for oil, dependant upon the West to drill their water or build their desalinization plants, and dependant upon Western imports for their food!

In regards to religion, I did not say the US should become an atheist country like the Soviet Union was. I did say that people who tend to center their lives around religion tend to be the poorest. I used states like Afghanistan or Somalia as an example.

Perfect Pitch, while being poor and uneducated does not make one religious, those who are really religious tend to be poor and uneducated.

There are studies out there backing this up. You don't have to take my workd for it.

Cities and metro areas that have the highest concentrations of wealth, like New York and Los Angeles, tend to not really be all that religious. Sure, there are churches, but people don't center their social lives around church.

Go to some small town in the Appalachian mountains, and you'll find a greater percentage of church goers. As well as a higher percentage of people who are poor and uneducated.

Yes, NYC and LA have their share of urban poverty, but between them those cities have businesses that control the nations media, banking systems, insurance, fashion, do much of the medical research, exert major power over the computer industry (IBM is headquarted in Armonk, which is suburb of NYC), among other things.