Religion 'linked to happy life'

[wil]

A belief in God could lead to a more contented life, research suggests.

Religious people are better able to cope with shocks such as losing a job or divorce, claims the study presented to a Royal Economic Society conference. Data from thousands of Europeans revealed higher levels of "life satisfaction" in believers. more from the BBC...

Sort of related, from a Christian youth group leadership weekend, one of the girls responded to "If you can combine any two things what would they be?" she said "I'd combine rose colored glasses with everyone's eyes. So they could have a new perspective on life."

[Tao_Equus]

Lol... definitely a " no s**t Sherlock" study that one. I propose a name for this.... "Ostrich Syndrome".

Tao

[Snoopy]

The president of the National Secular Society appears to equate happiness simply with time bound experiences rather than a more consistent state of mind or outlook on life.

s.

[wil]

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

Lol... definitely a " no s**t Sherlock" study that one. I propose a name for this.... "Ostrich Syndrome".

What do you want to take the blue pill or the red pill?

If we are in bliss and wish to stay there, what vicarious thrill do you receive from waking us up?

[Tao_Equus]

Originally Posted by wil

What do you want to take the blue pill or the red pill?

If we are in bliss and wish to stay there, what vicarious thrill do you receive from waking us up?

Absolutely none what so ever...!! I am green with envy!!

Tao

[Paladin]

Justin Thacker, head of Theology for the Evangelical Alliance, said that there should now be no doubt about the connection between religious belief and happiness. "There is more than one reason for this - part of it will be the sense of community and the relationships fostered, but that doesn't account for all of it.
"A large part of it is due to the meaning, purpose and value which believing in God gives you, whereas not believing in God can leave you without those things.

Did you ever get the feeling you were being talked down to?

I mean really, this sounds like he's talking to a bunch of errant children. "See what can happen if you don't believe, the blue meanies will get you!"

[Ahanu]

"The belief that religion damages people is still in the minds of many."

lol, no wonder David believes that they have the ostrich syndrome.

[cyberpi]

Originally Posted by Paladin

Did you ever get the feeling you were being talked down to?

I mean really, this sounds like he's talking to a bunch of errant children. "See what can happen if you don't believe, the blue meanies will get you!"

Yet the errant children get that feeling they are being talked down to.

When God speaks, should I shake my fist and exclaim how wrong he is to talk down to me?

That could have been many other subjects: marriage, giving to others, being honest, confessing, trusting others, eating healthy, getting exercise, doing the homework, being timely to work, loving those who hate you, ... someone may tend to not only disagree, but light themselves a fire over their internal feeling they are being talked down to.

[Paladin]

Originally Posted by cyberpi

Yet the errant children get that feeling they are being talked down to.

When God speaks, should I shake my fist and exclaim how wrong he is to talk down to me?

That could have been many other subjects: marriage, giving to others, being honest, confessing, trusting others, eating healthy, getting exercise, doing the homework, being timely to work, loving those who hate you, ... someone may tend to not only disagree, but light themselves a fire over their internal feeling they are being talked down to.

Wow a reply that was directly relevant to what I said, and wasn't a non-sequitur how very charming! I went back over the article and didn't see God being quoted, I did see what a man said however and it is that I had a problem with. Not everyone in the religious business is channeling God are they because few of them seem to agree with one another.

Yes I do believe the tone in that statement was patronizing. Somehow I cannot believe that God would need to be patronizing. Of course religion does tend to anthropomorphise God when it suits them.

[cyberpi]

Originally Posted by Paladin

Wow a reply that was directly relevant to what I said, and wasn't a non-sequitur how very charming!

Your call as always.

Originally Posted by Paladin

I went back over the article and didn't see God being quoted, I did see what a man said however and it is that I had a problem with.

If Jesus were standing before you, would you see God being quoted?

If a homeless person on the street, a fried drug user, or my own children speak to me as if to teach me a lesson, should I shake my fist and exclaim how wrong it is to talk down to me?

I will answer the question: NO... and that goes for everyone between them and God. If I did, then I would be an errant child feeling talked down to, with my own pride blinding me. If I did, I would be of little help to them or to myself.

Originally Posted by Paladin

Not everyone in the religious business is channeling God are they because few of them seem to agree with one another.

Whether sequitur or non-sequitur, I see your alleged logic being applied on top of your assumptions. Is it God's will that everyone agree with one another? Is it God's will that everyone speak the same language? Does God necessarily need men to channel a message?

Originally Posted by Paladin

Yes I do believe the tone in that statement was patronizing. Somehow I cannot believe that God would need to be patronizing.

Your call... how does the following sound: "You serpents, you generation of vipers... how will you escape the judgment of hell?"

Originally Posted by Paladin

Of course religion does tend to anthropomorphise God when it suits them.

And you or I don't? The institutions outside of whatever you are calling religion does not?

With my closest relationships as an example, while I know they exist and I know some of the will of the other person... I do not fully know their will. Neither do I fully know how my will appears to them. It is the same with God. Is that anthropomorphising God, as you say, or simply due to my own anthropomorphised state that I have to work with.

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by Paladin

Did you ever get the feeling you were being talked down to?

Yes, I can see that — However the article is dealing with effects rather than causes, and so your response is understandable but a tad unfair. It's just stating the 'facts' as the data presents — that people with an active religious dimension to their lives seem to have a more robust psychological constitution. I don't think it's talking down to anyone, it's just making an unsupported claim according to the data.

What it does not do is place the findings in any useful context. As a secularist Terry Sanderson replied

that studies purporting to show a link between happiness and religion were "all meaningless"

— which is the case if there is no accompanying vision of the human being as a person that explains the data.

He goes on:

"Non-believers can't just turn on a faith in order to be happy. If you find religious claims incredible, then you won't believe them, whatever the supposed rewards in terms of personal fulfilment.

And I couldn't agree more, but that is a subjective response to objective data. That one finds such claims incredible does not mean they are, as there are others who find them credible and convincing, so we're left with individual coping mechanisms and capacities.

Thomas

[Paladin]

Thomas,
I couldn't agree more that people who have great faith are more likely to weather the "slings and arrows..." but I don't think I'm being unfair in response to the statement that these things are unavailable to those who don't subscribe to a religion that holds a God concept.

An adherent of Zen for example might be quite content and be able to see and feel deeply the wonder and beauty of life but never reduce the majesty of the all in all to what some call God. Okay, maybe I'm expecting more from an article that is directed to everyday people whose world is much simpler, whose needs are more circumspect.

[China Cat Sunflower]

Is this the "opiate" effect?

Chris

[Tao_Equus]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

Is this the "opiate" effect?

Chris

You mean if you cant fix it...fix it

[seattlegal]

Interesting how the formula for Gross National Happiness doesn't take this into account.