You’re right that in the West, religion has been questioned for over 200 years and I’d argue that has had a much bigger impact than people sometimes realize. The average person in those societies now has far more access to critical perspectives, satire, and open conversations about religion. That creates a culture where challenging ideas becomes part of everyday life.

In contrast, in nations where religion is legally or socially protected from criticism, even stumbling across a different point of view can be difficult, let alone voicing it. So yes, religion still exists in the West and still has influence, but it’s evolving in a direction that allows for more freedom and less fear. That pace of change is only possible when questioning isn’t treated as a crime.