I've seen a lot of posts in this group saying (more or less) that religion is responsible for a lot of tragedy. Imo this is a very complex issue and would better be served if dissected into its component parts. For example, what is "religion" in the above context? Is it a belief system, or is it an organization centered around a belief system, or is it a mandate given by leaders to the membership of an organization centered around a belief system, or is it something else entirely.
While we're thinking about that, take a look at
this article, which says (in part):
Quote:
A new study shows that attending religious services regularly can mean a more optimistic, less depressed, and less cynical outlook on life.
...
According to the report, to be published this week in the Journal of Religion and Health, those who attend services frequently were 56% more likely to have an optimistic life outlook than those who don't and were 27% less likely to be depressed. Those who attended weekly were less likely to be characterized by cynical hostility, compared with those who did not report any religious service attendance.
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So let's discuss the effects of religion, keeping close tabs on how we define our words.
