I have read articles before about this subject. You have done explaining the studies and the effect that being religious helps people be happier. Thank you for this information and your insights.
Chuck SanfordOctober 25, 2017
When one looks at how religion is taught in the world, it's understandable why people latch onto seeming discrepancies and loudly proclaim that religion truly is the "...opiate of the masses", that it is without logic or foundation. Revelation from God brings truth to the people of earth---following the various "creeds" brings confusion and illogic. Thank heavens for modern revelation.
Gerry NelsonOctober 20, 2017
u didn't address the problem of skeletons in church history that a lot of ex saints have a problem with which this person obviously grappled with - its good to talk about the benefits of a good religious belief but this young man obviously felt that he was lied to and couldn't handle it. Forget these educated philosophers, what about those who are grappling with their loss of faith because of skeletons in the church and how can we justify some of the earlier and present statements made by the church that causes people to leave the church !!
Nadine N. AllenOctober 19, 2017
Brother Peterson, great article! It's worth sharing. Amen, Jane & Hal!
Jane NelsonOctober 19, 2017
I love this wonderfully researched article. "Man is that he might have joy" and our connection God opens that channel for us. I have observed that as people reject the foundational beliefs of their childhood, the light seems to slowly drain from their eyes. It's hard to measure happiness but this article does a good job of it.
HalOctober 19, 2017
Thank you so much for this article! I have seen the positive effects of living a faith-filled life and also the negative effects of denying one's faith. I interact with several families in my neighborhood who have abandoned their faith on the flimsiest of excuses and have spiraled into an ever-deepening pit of despair. They look haggard and seldom smile; one couple has divorced and two others have children who are aimlessly wandering through life with no direction; some have run afoul with the law. On the flip-side, those families in our neighborhood who strive to attend church, pray, and read the scriptures regularly, seem to be happy even in the midst of affliction. Some struggle financially, with health issues, or other problems, but they still smile and genuinely exude happiness. What a wonderful blessing it is to have a believing heart!
Nicol LegakisOctober 19, 2017
I'm interested in reading the study referenced in this article. "A 2004 study, however, showed that religious adults were a third less likely than secular adults to lack a high school diploma, and a third more likely to have at least one college degree. Given two people, one of whom has a college degree and one of whom doesn’t, but who earn the same salary and are identical in age, gender, race and political views, the college graduate will be 7 percent more likely to be a churchgoer."
Can you cite the source?
Comments | Return to Story
Jo Ann OkelberryOctober 25, 2017
I have read articles before about this subject. You have done explaining the studies and the effect that being religious helps people be happier. Thank you for this information and your insights.
Chuck SanfordOctober 25, 2017
When one looks at how religion is taught in the world, it's understandable why people latch onto seeming discrepancies and loudly proclaim that religion truly is the "...opiate of the masses", that it is without logic or foundation. Revelation from God brings truth to the people of earth---following the various "creeds" brings confusion and illogic. Thank heavens for modern revelation.
Gerry NelsonOctober 20, 2017
u didn't address the problem of skeletons in church history that a lot of ex saints have a problem with which this person obviously grappled with - its good to talk about the benefits of a good religious belief but this young man obviously felt that he was lied to and couldn't handle it. Forget these educated philosophers, what about those who are grappling with their loss of faith because of skeletons in the church and how can we justify some of the earlier and present statements made by the church that causes people to leave the church !!
Nadine N. AllenOctober 19, 2017
Brother Peterson, great article! It's worth sharing. Amen, Jane & Hal!
Jane NelsonOctober 19, 2017
I love this wonderfully researched article. "Man is that he might have joy" and our connection God opens that channel for us. I have observed that as people reject the foundational beliefs of their childhood, the light seems to slowly drain from their eyes. It's hard to measure happiness but this article does a good job of it.
HalOctober 19, 2017
Thank you so much for this article! I have seen the positive effects of living a faith-filled life and also the negative effects of denying one's faith. I interact with several families in my neighborhood who have abandoned their faith on the flimsiest of excuses and have spiraled into an ever-deepening pit of despair. They look haggard and seldom smile; one couple has divorced and two others have children who are aimlessly wandering through life with no direction; some have run afoul with the law. On the flip-side, those families in our neighborhood who strive to attend church, pray, and read the scriptures regularly, seem to be happy even in the midst of affliction. Some struggle financially, with health issues, or other problems, but they still smile and genuinely exude happiness. What a wonderful blessing it is to have a believing heart!
Nicol LegakisOctober 19, 2017
I'm interested in reading the study referenced in this article. "A 2004 study, however, showed that religious adults were a third less likely than secular adults to lack a high school diploma, and a third more likely to have at least one college degree. Given two people, one of whom has a college degree and one of whom doesn’t, but who earn the same salary and are identical in age, gender, race and political views, the college graduate will be 7 percent more likely to be a churchgoer." Can you cite the source?
ADD A COMMENT