" The state sucks out creativity and dynamism just as much as secularism does. Why do anything for yourself when the state will do it for you? Why take care of others when the state will do it for you? Why have ambition when the state is there to ensure that few or no individuals are rewarded more than others?

America has been the center of energy and creativity in almost every area of life because it has remained far more religious than any other industrialized Western democracy and because it has rejected the welfare state social model. "

Interesting...

America is on the wane, or haven't you noticed?

As far as being the most religious ( but it is still way behind in academic testing )
Industrialised western countries are on the wane due to a shift to India and China.
It is a cyclical thing.

I think you will find states like Iran, and the whole Islamic world for that matter, are far more religious than the USA and they do not have a welfare state so perhaps it's something else?