Studies have often credited religion with making people healthier, happier and more engaged in their communities. But are religiously active people better off than those who are religiously inactive or those with no religious affiliation?
Actively religious people are more likely than their less-religious peers to describe themselves as “very happy” in about half of the countries surveyed. Sometimes the gaps are striking: In the U.S., for instance, 36% of the actively religious describe themselves as “very happy,” compared with 25% of the inactively religious and 25% of the unaffiliated. Notable happiness gaps among these groups also exist in Japan, Australia and Germany.
At the same time, the actively religious are generally less likely than the unaffiliated to smoke and drink. Religions often frown on certain unhealthy behaviors, and that tendency seems reflected in data on smoking and drinking. In all but two of 19 countries for which data are available, the actively religious are less likely than the unaffiliated to smoke, and, in all but one country, less likely than the inactively religious to do so. The actively religious also tend to drink less, although the findings are not as stark: In 11 of the 19 countries, people who attend services at least monthly are less likely than the rest of the population to drink several times a week.
People who attend religious services at least monthly often are more likely than “nones” to join other types of (nonreligious) organizations, such as charities and clubs. This is true in eight of the 26 countries surveyed. And in 12 countries, the religiously active are more likely than inactively religious people to join nonreligious groups. In the U.S., for example, 58% of actively religious people are also involved in at least one nonreligious voluntary organization, compared with just 51% of the inactively religious and 39% of the unaffiliated.
This all makes sense. Religious people have meaning in their lives, so of course they will be happier and not need to engage in self-harm in order to fill their void of misery.
But what about this stat? About a third of American atheists say they think about the meaning and purpose of life at least weekly (35%), and that they often feel a deep sense of spiritual peace and well-being (31%).
To put it a little bit differently - about one third of all atheists are delusional. How can they feel spiritual peace when there is no spirit [according to their proclaimed philosophy]? How can they feel well being? Their entire existence is in their mind a complete accident! NOTHING has true meaning. ALL meaning is contrived. Good people suffer for no reason. It is an INCREDIBLY unfair and cruel universe. Then we all die and are consumed by worms.
Why not just kill yourself? I haven't found a good reason for this yet. If things are good - hang around. Things get too rough? End it.
Wrote Albert Camus:
So how much gratitude we have to feel to our parents and teachers who have taught us that life and meaning and we are all here for a unique purpose. We don't just disappear after death but live forever. Our actions have eternal significance. The good will be rewarded!!! The evil will be punished. Isn't that a MUCH BETTER way to live??
OF COURSE!!!!
ישמח לב מבקשי השם!!! Life is AMAZING - no matter what is happening b/c it is all happening for a VERY GOOD REASON/S - even the Holocaust!!!!
So G-D FORBID, nobody should חס ושלום ever harm themselves. They should connect to the eternal part of themselves and of the world and live always in the presence of the One who loves us all.
