Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

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Mar 21 2008

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Kevin Bussey

Believers are happier than atheists?

Posted at 5:00 am under Christian, agnostic, atheists, happiness, joy, religion, research

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.

Read about it here.

[From me]

Well I have nothing to go on but my own experience. I wouldn’t say I’m happy all of the time. But I have joy every day. I’m not happy when something bad happens but I’ve learned to praise God in everything. So, I know I have more Joy than many other people I’m around.

I’m curious to know what my atheist, agnostic and believing friends think!

What do you think?

5 responses so far

5 Responses to “Believers are happier than atheists?”

AskAnAtheist.orgon 21 Mar 2008 at 7:37 am 1

I think believers are probably happier than skeptics on the whole. I do see a lot of skeptics that seem quite happy, but I see more that just seem angry. I also see a lot of angry believers too, but I see more who seem happy.

I think I’m personally happier than most people - believers and skeptics, but I don’t think that’s the norm. For example, I’m only somewhat disappointed by failure and only somewhat elated by success. Instead, I derive joy from personal relationships, by the feeling of awe I get when I contemplate how amazing life (sentience) is, how amazing it is that anything exists at all, how small I am compared with the immensity of the universe, how huge I am compared with the sub-atomic world.

George Bernard Shaw made an interesting comment on that same question:

The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one.

I think Shaw is right in that happiness is no indicator that a belief is true. However, I think happiness is important and if a certain belief makes one happy, then the belief (even if false) has some value.
Cameyon 21 Mar 2008 at 12:50 pm 2

Kevin,

I take joy over happiness any day. For joy can be found no matter the circumstances whereas happiness cannot. My own personal experiences tell me that there are numerous things in life that I should not have been or be happy about. Yet, I know that today…. this moment… I have more joy than ever. Praying to me is like breathing. And well, “church”… although I’m writing this from a physical building some consider that… I believe it is the individuals who make up the church. And I’ll take relationships over a building any day.

Have a joyful day!
Camey
Bryan Rileyon 22 Mar 2008 at 8:58 am 3

Great comment AAA
AskAnAtheist.orgon 22 Mar 2008 at 10:25 am 4

Thanks, Bryan
Unknownon 22 Mar 2008 at 4:38 pm 5

Thanks for the insight A3. I hope you have a Happy Easter.