I believe it's just a simplistic view of history.

Britain had an empire around the world. How holy were they?

China is fast becoming powerful now. I have thought for some time that they would become the next superpower. They are not a Christian country.

Rome, Greece, Egypt, all polytheistic. According to this logic they should never have become powerful as they were idolaters. You might argue that these civilisations fell because they weren't Christian, but that would be highly debatable; like cities, civilisations rise and fall as surely as the tides.

It's easy to say that things go wrong because people turn away from religion. It gives comfort to some maybe, enables them to make sense of things, especially in times of crisis. It's what draws a lot of people into fundamentalism I think, because it gives a concrete explanation of the ills of the world. You have turned away from God -- simple as that. It's not a new idea.