It's unhealthy to be an atheist...

Seems it is quite unhealthy to be an atheist. Studies have shown that religious believers live longer and are healthier than the atheists. They are more apt to be happier as well. Meditation and prayer has been shown to be beneficial to human health and happiness. So it seems that the atheists are less healthy with shorter lives, and that is the price they pay for their atheism. So, it's a quite costly belief system what these people have chosen to believe.

Perhaps many of them as they age, will indulge in anatheism. Anatheists are people who reversed their atheism and embraced some sort of religious belief, that had been discareded earlier. The Prodigal Son returning home. So the question is, to the atheists here, what are the chances you will indulge in anatheism at some point in the future, once you get older, and grow up? Are you not all just Prodigal Sons?

 

Please excuse my ignorance but what is anatheism? A general google search was of little help.

As for theists in general living longer and/or being healthier... this does not surprise me. When I was an atheist I shouldered all my problems and crumbled under the weight. Since turning to God I found the challenges of life easier to bear. When I have fallen away from my belief the burden returns to the point that I see wisdom in renewing my faith. Now this is just my experience and in no way typifies the experience of all.

I see wisdom in finding a source of strength outside ourselves... this does not have to mean God. I have known some who are not religious but perhaps would say they are spiritual. How many of us have seen an exceptional sunset and felt its calming effect? To an atheist the sunset can be a brilliant display of nature and the cosmos... to one who is spiritual the sunset may be seen as a deep spiritual connection to nature... and to the religious the sunset may represent the splendor of God... but for all its a magnificent sight.

When it comes to health I have known some chillaxed atheists and some stressed out Christians.

 

There is no chance that this atheist will change his mind unless some god actually makes an appearance. I assure you I am all grown up.

As to the "cost" of non-belief, I would be interested in seeing what "studies" you are referring to.

For instance I meditate regularly as an aid to sleep, but that meditation has NOTHING to do with religion. Naturally I don't pray.

Interesting that you would attempt to use the argument "health and happiness" that religion supposedly confers, since theological argument is wholly ineffective in "reversing" atheism.

 

Ignorance is bliss

 

atheists without religion or with?

theists of what religion? religious fanatics or not?

I think your study is bs.... just saying.....

being a god warrior is bad for your health and the health of those around you....

[video=youtube;q3mDLsyn6ns]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3mDLsyn6ns[/video]

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As represented by many of the atheists here, they tend to be angry or hostile toward humanity and unnecessarily disrespectful. Having grown up in the western US and then having spent the last 20 years in the southeastern US, the culture is remarkably different. Although the diet may not be as healthy, people are undoubtedly happier and more social. I would contribute much of that to the religious differences. You would have a difficult time convincing me a weekly reminder of the futility of self righteous behavior would have anything but a positive impact on society.

 

Good question and one which is complex in its answer. True, the word "anatheism" is not found in my favorite dictionary, a study of the word structure can give a possible answer and that possible answer would be that the word 'anatheism' is actually a double negative. See here: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/double+negative

It is understood that the prefix "a" preceding 'theism' simply means 'not theism' ... the prefix 'a' meaning 'not' or 'without'.

Similarly the prefix "an" has the same meaning as the prefix "a". That is "not" or "without".

See here: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/an-
"an-[SUP]1[/SUP]
, a prefix occurring orig. in loanwords from Greek, with the meanings “not,” “without,” “lacking” ( anaerobic; anhydrous; anonymous); regularly attached to words or stems beginning with a vowel or h.Compare a-[SUP]6[/SUP]. "

In conclusion I would (imho) do as you have done and seek clarity of meaning from the poster using the term to determine his intent on such usage.

 

I am skeptical about your claims about atheists generally being less happy. Though it wouldn't TOTALLY surprise me, especially with new and/or young atheists, because the reality and truths of life as we know it can sometimes be extremely harsh. When the veil of false religious hope is suddenly lifted, it could be a little depressing, I'm sure.

As for me, personally, I was raised a Lutheran, and am now an atheist, and I am actually much happier now. I'm not saying it is BECAUSE I am an atheist, it just happens that my life situation now is much better than my situation back when I was a Lutheran and believed in God. I am actually very spiritual. I am constantly thinking about all the possibilities that life and beyond holds. I wonder about consciousness, and the future of this universe. And I recently began practicing mindfulness meditation.

Also, without religion or God, I have found that my accomplishments excite me and empower me more. It is a great feeling to know that I, myself, accomplished something or got to a certain benchmark in my professional endeavors simply due to my hard work and commitment, and not with the helping hand of some mystical being. ALSO, it allows me to put more thanks in other human beings who have helped me along the way. I truly love that feeling.

I think the bottom line is, different beliefs and understandings make different people happy. There are some who really need that crutch of religion to find happiness in their life. I would not put someone down for that, if that makes them happy, then more power to them.

I DO wholeheartedly believe though; those who find religious explanations for life more beautiful than scientific explanations most likely don't fully understand the science.

 

If the atheists that cruise these forums are any indicator I'm not surprised that believers are happier and healthier.
Atheists here seem exceedingly negative, mean spirited and hostile. I haven't walked a mile in their Birkenstocks but there is an undeniable nastiness to their snark.

 

I think it's unhealthy to dwell as you seem to do on what others think. I think it's unhealthy to hate as you seem to do. I think it's unhealthy to condemn an entire group based on a few or on wishful thinking. I think it's unhealthy to believe something with absolutely no proof whatsoever whether it's in a "god" or how you want atheists to be seen as.

I wonder when believers will quit believing in magic and superstition and grow up and be able to handle life without an imaginary crutch..

 

Sure atheists may not live as long as religious people who don't drink, or smoke or swear or chase women. The main question most people have of them, however, is why do they want to?

 

I can only speak for myself here, but when it comes to an individual's personal spirituality, I try my best to be understanding and impartial. But when it comes to organized religion, of course I'm going to be negative, of course I'm going to be hostile. I know that's not the effective way to get a point across, but when I hear about all the atrocities committed every day in the name of religion, it's sometimes hard to keep a level head. I call that passion.

 

everything 'done' in the name of a religion is not necessarily done because of religion. Matter of fact in my experience almost nothing is. Both theists and non theists like to cloak all sorts of human activity in religious cloth to suit a political, ideological or personal agenda. Most of the religious wars and crusades, 'jihads' served a secular or Machiavellian historical purpose. So every time you read about a religious dispute that ends in bloodshed, look for the money, the power, or the land that is or was really at stake.

 

Where would science be without the active imagination of the people involved? Assumptions are based on imaginary things... therefore the scientific method is justified because of the imaginary crutch of assumptions.

 

I was referring to religion......"""I wonder when believers will quit believing in magic and superstition and grow up and be able to handle life without an imaginary crutch"""

I was not referring to imagination in general as you well know....using imagination is valuable, using it to create a religion is silly. Scientists use their imaginations to QUESTION but have to PROVE anything that comes from that....

 

I heard the term from Rupert Sheldrake, and its been coined to identify those atheists that as they aged and grew wiser, returned, or found a new view of reality to include something far beyond their own egos and self images. A god if you will, even if it is not described, given qualities...

 

Don't you think that expressing an opinion such as that one highlighted above can also be considered as "silly" by some people? Your feeling that it is silly does not hold any logical credibility at all.

As to the scientists: Bearing in mind your argument regarding what scientists have to do with those imaginations; Then why have those scientists failed (as of this date) to validate/prove that "objective reality" actually exists? Objective reality is only presumed to exist.
"Working scientists usually take for granted a set of basic assumptions that are needed to justify the scientific method: (1) that there is an objective reality shared by all rational observers; (2) that this objective reality is governed by natural laws; (3) that these laws can be discovered by means of systematic observation and experimentation.[SUP][8][/SUP] Philosophy of science seeks a deep understanding of what these underlying assumptions mean and whether they are valid." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science

 

If mediation isn't revealing something to you, then I submit you are just indulging in mesmerizing yourself, not meditating. Real meditation will see an end to thought, an inner silence, with thought not moving at all. And once that happens, it becomes what some people would call religious. But most people don't mediate, they repeat mantras, or concentrate on something, which is not meditation. For meditation is not goal oriented. There is no "method" involved. Methods on create a mechanical mind, not a free mind.

So what people call meditation is not meditation, its something else. Repeating mantras, or concentrating on something, where the breathing or other things stupefies the mind, it doesn't silence it. It's just ego trickery. With some goal in mind.

I agree theological arguments do not convert atheists. For their problem is already due to an overly dependence upon thought, and thinking. A theological argument to an atheist is just something else to pick apart, argue against. If an atheist is ever to have a change of mind, it won't come from the superficialities of intellectual endeavors. If it comes, it will be only because of a wisdom that is beyond the intellectual. It will not be a product of thinking, for look where thinking got these people, in an intellectual delusion, where ideas and concepts are confused with reality. Atheists live in concepts, that is where they hang their hats. Only wisdom can break the spell of the intellect. The wisdom of uncertainty. Uncertainty is the platform one has to move from. So unless the ego of the atheist is weakened, by whatever means, they can't be an anatheist. Their problem is the same problem of the folks seeking fire insurance. Same problem, similar delusions. Caused by the demand for certainty. And the demand to KNOW, and the pride that comes with that delusion. An anatheist of course, loses ego arrogance. It seems to be a requirement. And atheists have tremendous, very strong egos.

 

How ironic.

A religious believer would like nothing better than to get to the great and benevolent eternity that awaits them when they die. But unfortunately, the atheists are beating them to the punch. If your final goal is in the afterlife, then how ironic it is that your religious beliefs make you live longer. #makingsense

Maybe the point of religion is not the afterlife, but the actual living in reality?

 

not so much 'wiser', as closer to death. that'll sometimes produce all sorts of regressive behaviour.

beyond their own egos ..... snorffles. you mean like "I'm far too special to die, I must have immortality NOW"?

 

they're so reluctant to die (and join the party upstairs) that they rend their garments, gnash their teeth, wail, and cling to this sinful and awful existence just as hard as the most nihilistic of non-believers. more evidence they don't believe any of it, bless 'em

 

re the OP,

I imagine that if this statistic is legitimate, it reflects only a particular point in space and time. That being that there exists still, in America, a conservative (clean living) incarnation of the religious - while atheism is still loosely associated with a liberal lifestyle. Since both of these expressions of the respective positions are effectively - or soon will be - anachronisms, the point is entirely moot.

I submit that if you were to carry out the same research on a more established secular (majority atheist) populace you would see equal results for both parties, or possibly even reversed figures.

Add to this the fact that in America atheists are effectively still demonised, and the results of such a study aren't especially surprising. Again, assuming they're legit.

 

Yes an inner silence. There is absolutely a method of achieving this state. And frankly it has NOTHING to do with "religion" or a god.

When I meditate I have a goal. It is to achieve "inner silence" the result of which is sleep.

I think you have it completely ass backwards. Wisdom ONLY comes from intellect. Wisdom is the product of sapience.
that you consider some non-intellectual "wisdom" (an impossibility by definition) to be the key to theism is extremely illuminating.

There is no problem with atheism. I do not find my lack of belief in a supernatural being nor my rejection of religious dogma to be even remotely a problem. In fact, I find it to be a significant benefit to my emotional and intellectual well being.

As far as delusions are concerned, I do not suffer from any delusion or confusion of what objective reality is. OTOH, belief in a supernatural being as described in religious scripture along with that scripture is itself a delusion and tool of sublimation. Granted that this widespread delusion enables many to deal with the objective reality they exist within.

 

Well, go to that thread entitled "what is objective reality" and give us all the true meaning of 'objective reality'. Enlighten the scientific community who seemingly don't know what it is. After all, if you know what it is, then you have positive knowledge of its existence... then you can prove that objective reality exists.