Believers are so happy…
Thursday, March 20th, 2008How happy are they?
Telegraph: ‘Believers are happier than atheists’
People who believe in God are happier than agnostics or atheists, researchers claimed yesterday.
A report found that religious people were better able to cope with disappointments such as unemployment or divorce than non-believers.
Moreover, they become even happier the more they pray and go to church, claims the study by Prof Andrew Clark and Dr Orsolya Lelkes.
[...]
Believers, for example, were less likely to look for a new job if they were out of work.
Countries with a more religious electorate had lower unemployment benefits.
The study, Deliver Us From Evil: Religion as Insurance, found that less than a sixth of churchgoers in Britain believe it is better to divorce than stay in an unhappy marriage.
The authors of the study said: “Religion tempers the impact of adverse life events.”
They’re so happy, they don’t care if their marriage sucks or they’re out of a job! Wow, isn’t that great? That makes me want to get some religion right now so I can be a shiftless layabout too!
(I jest, but seriously — this is supposed to be a good thing?)
3 Responses to “Believers are so happy…”
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We could get religion and become shiftless layabouts together!
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JB says:
March 21st, 2008 at 4:15 pmThis study seems to take a less sophisticated approach than previous studies in classifying its subjects’ level of belief or lack thereof. Other studies have shown that religious belief and levels of depression follow an inverted U, in which determined atheists and devoutly religious people are similar in happiness and those with slight religious belief and practice were the most miserable. Whether determined atheists or devoutly religious people tend to be happier depends on which study you choose to read. As the majority of people aren’t all that strong in their beliefs and may recognise that perfectly contented religious people have a tendency in history to maliciously reduce other people’s happiness, the most sensible course of action would be to start approaching G-d as a literary character.
March 21st, 2008 at 5:59 am
whilst I know you jest—-is it a bad thing if I agree?
M.
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