Is religion really a bad thing, Mr. Dawkins ?

79 of 100 threads by ivanhoe are copy pastes with no added content. 1 in 100 people viewing said threads have reported a positive experience linked to the thread whereas 68 reported a negative experience.

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
79 of 100 threads by ivanhoe are copy pastes with no added content. 1 in 100 people viewing said threads have reported a positive experience linked to the thread whereas 68 reported a negative experience.

So in my ongoing survey of studies on the relationship between well being and reading Ivanhoe's threads can I put this down as:
1 found mixed or complex associations between reading ivanhoes threads and wellbeing;
or
1 found a negative association between reading ivanhoes threads and wellbeing.
?

Originally posted by twhitehead
So in my ongoing survey of studies on the relationship between well being and reading Ivanhoe's threads can I put this down as:
1 found mixed or complex associations between reading ivanhoes threads and wellbeing;
or
1 found a negative association between reading ivanhoes threads and wellbeing.
?

Well actually I performed my study 400 times so you have to record it 400 times.

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
Well actually I performed my study 400 times so you have to record it 400 times.

Well since I myself did a study in which I interviewed myself and found that I had rather enjoyed poking holes in the statistics, I shall record my study as having found a positive correlation between reading Ivanhoe's threads and well being. Sadly I would almost certainly get significantly different results if I bothered to read most of his other threads.

Originally posted by twhitehead
Well since I myself did a study in which I interviewed myself and found that I had rather enjoyed poking holes in the statistics, I shall record my study as having found a positive correlation between reading Ivanhoe's threads and well being. Sadly I would almost certainly get significantly different results if I bothered to read most of his other threads.

Well I say that we can't count your study in our study of studies of studies as your study is not a study of studies but just a study. I would accept a more in-depth study if you were to studiously apply yourself to a new study.

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
Well I say that we can't count your study in our study of studies of studies as your study is not a study of studies but just a study. I would accept a more in-depth study if you were to studiously apply yourself to a new study.

He should also by a Study-baker, they are oldies but moldies.

Originally posted by Palynka
Ivanhoe, do you have a link to the 2001 survey?

No. Please keep in mind that the text is merely a part of a lecture.

http://www.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk/faraday/CIS/mcgrath/lecture.html#_edn2

Originally posted by ivanhoe
No. Please keep in mind that the text is merely a part of a lecture.

http://www.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk/faraday/CIS/mcgrath/lecture.html#_edn2

The truth is that any study of religions effect on a persons well being is extremely hard to do properly as there are some related factors which are very hard to separate.
The following are some of the many complex factors involved:
*Many cultural practices are associated with religions but not necessarily the same thing as religion. If for example it is a benefit or detriment to *your well being when women cover their face in public then can we attribute that to religion?
Religion often has social implications.
*Places where more than one religion exist (or atheism) normally results in there being one religion in the majority and others in the minority. This often benefits the majority (though not always) so it is two sided. Being part of a minority may also result in both discrimination against you and benefits from sticking together (for example Jewish businesses)
*Religion may be related to social class, so wealthy people may be for example more likely to be religious even though the wealth is not a result of religion.
*Whether or not you are religious may depend partly on your character so it may be that successful people are also more religious or the reverse but the success and religiosity are cause by character not by each other.
*Different religions may have different amounts of detriments / benefits to well being. How do you judge religion in general?

"The growing body of evidence that religion actually promotes human wellbeing is highly awkward for him here."

Even if it does (which is doubtful), then it only proves that ignorance is bliss.
Also, such nonsensical beliefs turn the person into a spineless, unanalytic, reasonless, brainwashed, tedious sap. Much like IvanHoe.
Thus any possible benefits are instantly negated.

Originally posted by howardgee
"The growing body of evidence that religion actually promotes human wellbeing is highly awkward for him here."

Even if it does (which is doubtful), then it only proves that ignorance is bliss.
Also, such nonsensical beliefs turn the person into a spineless, unanalytic, reasonless, brainwashed, tedious sap. Much like IvanHoe.
Thus any possible benefits are instantly negated.

The question then becomes: Is it better to live in ignorant bliss or have a more analytical brain and a lower 'well being'?

Even religious people have to admit that everyone with a significantly different belief from theirs must fall into the ignorant bliss category.

Originally posted by Nemesio
Without being able to review Koenig's and Cohen's study, we aren't able to discern how they
define 'religious' and how they define 'well being.'

I mean, are they suggesting that people who go to church have a lower incidence of cancer? Or
are they suggesting that religious people enjoy their church services? Or are they suggesting that
there is an o ...[text shortened]... one meaningful association in religion; even
rwingett has said as much.

Nemesio

It's not a scholarly article - it's a book being sold for profit.

Not that that makes it wrong, but it makes it suspect, especially since it has not been peer-reviewed.

http://www.amazon.com/Link-between-Religion-Health-Psychoneuroimmunology/dp/0195143604

http://www.fstdt.com/top100.asp
This site is meant to be amusing, but there's a lot of hate in some of these posts. Question is, would these people be just as stupid or narrow minded if it weren't for organised religion?

Originally posted by howardgee
"The growing body of evidence that religion actually promotes human wellbeing is highly awkward for him here."

Even if it does (which is doubtful), then it only proves that ignorance is bliss.
Also, such nonsensical beliefs turn the person into a spineless, unanalytic, reasonless, brainwashed, tedious sap. Much like IvanHoe.
Thus any possible benefits are instantly negated.

You gotta admit .. howards hate for religion has brought him to a very bitter place in life.
Don't seen too happy .. everything he posts is negative and hateful IMO.

It's another one trick pony .. criticise everything .. offer no solutions.

He believes in .. nothing.

It could be because "such nonsensical beliefs turn the person into a spineless, unanalytic, reasonless, brainwashed, tedious sap."

could be.