I think this is fascinating, and the data generally seems to bear this out. That said, it's hard to isolate the variables. Are they happier because they are religious (i.e. because a personal connection with God allows them to relate to the word better) or are they happier because religious people are disproportionately married, have fam…
I think this is fascinating, and the data generally seems to bear this out. That said, it's hard to isolate the variables. Are they happier because they are religious (i.e. because a personal connection with God allows them to relate to the word better) or are they happier because religious people are disproportionately married, have families, not lonely, etc.? A potential wrinkle in the story is that some of the happiest countries in the world—Norway, Sweden, Denmark—have extremely low levels of religious identification.
I think you could study that my looking at my demographic, suburban women. The somewhat religious Moms (church on Sunday and maybe a bible study class) seem happier, in general, then the not very religious.
Data seems to suggest that. The problem, though, is causation-correlation. Are they happier because they're more religious, or is their religiosity correlated with something else that makes them happier, such as having a stronger community and sense of belonging.
That is true, but I would also be curious for a closer read of the happiness data and perhaps those studies data. I say this as an American who was briefly a UK expat while pregnant. I felt food after having the baby, but the midwife had me retake the oral post partum depression quiz, because my initial admitting to my American level of doubt would have failed me (and I wasn't depressed. American's don't have the grin and bear it/chin up mindsets in many countries. I could be wrong, but it would be worth checking.
I think this is fascinating, and the data generally seems to bear this out. That said, it's hard to isolate the variables. Are they happier because they are religious (i.e. because a personal connection with God allows them to relate to the word better) or are they happier because religious people are disproportionately married, have families, not lonely, etc.? A potential wrinkle in the story is that some of the happiest countries in the world—Norway, Sweden, Denmark—have extremely low levels of religious identification.
I think you could study that my looking at my demographic, suburban women. The somewhat religious Moms (church on Sunday and maybe a bible study class) seem happier, in general, then the not very religious.
Data seems to suggest that. The problem, though, is causation-correlation. Are they happier because they're more religious, or is their religiosity correlated with something else that makes them happier, such as having a stronger community and sense of belonging.
That is true, but I would also be curious for a closer read of the happiness data and perhaps those studies data. I say this as an American who was briefly a UK expat while pregnant. I felt food after having the baby, but the midwife had me retake the oral post partum depression quiz, because my initial admitting to my American level of doubt would have failed me (and I wasn't depressed. American's don't have the grin and bear it/chin up mindsets in many countries. I could be wrong, but it would be worth checking.