The following continues the serialization of Chapter 5 on Religion from SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanity:
Religion, on Balance, is Probably Good
Richard Dawkins provides a reasonably good argument that religion and God, per se, do not make people good or bad. However, my gut sense, especially now that I am a neo atheist, is that religion, on balance, is good. Yes, there were the Crusades and the irritating problem in Northern Ireland, plus those Islamic extremists. But the world is a far, far better place because of the benefits from religion. I am troubled about the basic premises regarding God and the afterlife, and therefore the obvious dishonesty and immorality of it all, but religion has been one of the best social inventions of Man. Early in our development, much of this had to do with power and control, but the fact of the matter is that there are many more plusses going for religion than negatives.
Among the pros (mostly culled from popular U.S. sources--go to the above book for exact references):
o Students who go to church have better grades and people who attend weekly religious services live 28% longer.
o For black people, the difference could well be 14 years. Why? The religious tends to use less alcohol, tobacco and drugs, and feel a common bond, reducing life’s stresses.
o Praying passes on the problem and stabilizes the psychology. Duke University researchers reported that those 64 and older who attended weekly religious services were 46% less likely to die over a six year period than those who went less often. The religious had lower blood pressures and healthier immune systems. All this is medically proven.
o Teens who consider religious beliefs to be important are three times less likely to smoke or use alcohol and seven times less likely to use illicit drugs.
o Religious people are happier than those who are not. After all, what is more important than genuine happiness?
o If you are caught in a dire emergency, being religious gives you more hope. In the 2003 Bam Iranian earthquake which killed 43,000, a 97 year old woman was rescued after nine days under the rubble, and said that reciting the Koran kept her going. Prayer, in general, has been well studied, and has been validated as being helpful in affecting the condition of a patient. Then, again, other studies have shown contradictions. But, as for example, that obligatory exchange between the child and Santa Claus, where the parent hears or reads what is being requested, which by some miracle, many times ends up under the Christmas tree. In other words, by mouthing your problems through prayer or confession, someone might hear or overhear and do something to help. The Catholic Church has raised this type of personal communication to a particularly high level, reducing the mental stress placed on its flock and providing the Church with information to develop some useful personal and political response strategy measures.
o There are religious books equating faith with weight loss, fitness and now, covering almost any subject you want on web logs, or blogs, and even podcasts.
o Very religious people fear death the least. This was deduced from a longitudinal (meaning that subjects were followed over time) study. I’ve long held this morbid concern that death results in eternal gloom. If I don’t think about it, no problem. But I do, now and then.
Rushton Couborn has been quoted to say, “societies become weak when religious zeal weakens.” This was way back in 1969. Perhaps this is why we are the only dominant world power with considerable confidence since that period to save Vietnam, attack Grenada, start the Gulf War, eliminate the Taliban from Afghanistan and invade Iraq, twice, all by Republican presidents. Today, faith-based programs receive more than $2 billion from the Bush White House, and, generally with beneficial results. Compared to Israel, Japan and France, Americans today still show all the signs of religious zeal. Plus, we are, maybe therefore, #1. I guess that must be good.
There is, though, a new study that suggests that religion does not produce healthier societies, and, in fact, might have just the opposite effect. Higher rates of belief in and worship of a creator correlate with increasing incidencies of homicide, juvenile and early adult mortality, sexually transmitted disease infection rates, teen pregnancy and abortion. In other words, the more religious a country, the more dysfunctional the society. The question could not be answered whether religion causes dysfunction, or whether they just flourish in these socially disordered areas. So, maybe Richard Dawkins is right. I guess, like in medicine, contradictions abound.
A following section also delves into the economic implications of religion, and the signs are mostly positive. Church attendance provides financial advantages through relationship building.
Finally, whether they like it or not, churches have become the solution for the homeless problem, or should. Church space is not used at night and the membership generally wants to do well. A well-organized community effort, moving these dispossessed to the religious “home” of their choice, will spread the predicament, provide contacts with caring members and furnish a second chance. There will be problems, of course—for the homeless are just that because they are on drugs and have a high incidence of dysfunctional characteristics—but, certainly, there should be solutions. Military bases, public schools and other concerns with capabilities, land and a roof to offer should be part of the team, of course, but churches are best. The problem is that most churches are still looking the other way. In time, success stories around the world will galvanize religion to work with government and industry to help solve the homeless problem.
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Oh, oh. The Dow Jones Industrials crashed 377 today, now down to 10,068. Worse, there was a precipitous fall at the end of the day. World markets also all dropped, with the Japan Nikkei now at 9757. Gold decreased $11/toz to $1185 and oil eased up to $70/barrel.
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There are now two tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean, but neither is expected to attain any significant strength. Tropical Cyclone Laila, though, did make landfall yesterday, killing 6 in India.
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