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Studies show Religious people are happier and have less social problems.
Some how I think this has to be linked to the IQ difference between the religious and non religious.
I think the reasons are as outlined in the article: Churches put people in more social situations and that is probably healthier than not being in social situations - even if the basis of the socializing is most likely imaginary.
It doesn't validate religion or spirituality or god or hocus pocus or the supernatural or anything else. But, it still makes sense. I don't think anyone would argue that.
I would tend to believe the report simply because a church set up for people to be in a social atmosphere. Where as people not involved in a church have a local bar.
I am certainly not condemning the local pub. I call mine a home. However churches promote social outings and get together for the congregation as a group.
I would not necessarily say that the church members have better or worse friends but it is an organized social structure
I think depends on the individual. Some of the angriest unhappy people I know are christians while some of the happiest and content people I know are atheists. I've seen studies that say the opposite-that atheists are more happy than religious people. I think they're both about the same. There are happy/unhappy believers while there are happy/unhappy atheists. There are also secular social outlets that nonbelievers can take part in such as local atheist groups, friends etc.
I would tend to believe the report simply because a church set up for people to be in a social atmosphere. Where as people not involved in a church have a local bar.
I am certainly not condemning the local pub. I call mine a home. However churches promote social outings and get together for the congregation as a group.
I would not necessarily say that the church members have better or worse friends but it is an organized social structure
We faced this problem when we lived in Colorado Springs and in Huntsville, AL. We ended up meeting up on Sundays with the Colorado Springs Freethinkers. They had great (non-brainwashing) activities for kids like Telescope and Microscope Night, GPS Geocaching, BBQs, and "Free Thought, Free Kids" activities, etc. Huntsville had the North Alabama Freethought...the point is, we found non-religious social activities for Sundays that were family oriented.
According to what I have read there is a direct link between being religious, going to church and being happy. There is also a link between going to Church and not having social and personal problems. (such as drug and alcohol abuse, premarital sex, personality disorders, divorce, problems with marriages, career problems, etc.)
Studies have shown that people who are religious just do better in society and are better adjusted to our world. So, do you believe these studies?
"The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one."-George Bernard Shaw
"The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one."-George Bernard Shaw
I'd rather be a happy believer than an unhappy anything else. Happiness trumps truth, logic, rationale, objectivity, IQ, anything, power, wealth, health, anything.
"Die Religion ... ist das Opium des Volkes", translates to "Religion is the opium of the people" Karl Marx
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