Spirituality Makes You Healthy?

[Sophus]

Has anyone read any of Jeff Levin? There are claims that his research shows that regular church goers live longer than those who don't, and that the belief in a higher purpose buffers people from heart disease. Meanwhile John Hopkins researches say attending religious services reduces the risk of heart disease, suicide and cancer. Needless to say, I'm a wee bit skeptical.

[Tank]

Has anyone read any of Jeff Levin? There are claims that his research shows that regular church goers live longer than those who don't, and that the belief in a higher purpose buffers people from heart disease. Meanwhile John Hopkins researches say attending religious services reduces the risk of heart disease, suicide and cancer. Needless to say, I'm a wee bit skeptical.

I would have expected people who feel supported by the wider community and who have their world view affirmed regularly would suffer less stress and anxiety, conditions which are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, suicide and cancer. These results don't surprise me at all really.

[Martin TK]

Has anyone read any of Jeff Levin? There are claims that his research shows that regular church goers live longer than those who don't, and that the belief in a higher purpose buffers people from heart disease. Meanwhile John Hopkins researches say attending religious services reduces the risk of heart disease, suicide and cancer. Needless to say, I'm a wee bit skeptical.

Haven't read this study, but a "Prayer Study" was done about six years ago to study the effect of prayer on heart patients.  A double blind study was done, three groups were tested, one was prayed for and not told, one was NOT prayed for, and then one group was told they were prayed for.  Here's the funny part:  there was NO difference in the group that was prayed for and not told and the group that was NOT prayed for; however, the group that was told they were going to be prayed for actually healed slower, had more after surgery issues, and were in general overall poorer health.

This study was done by a Christian group, then of course the outcome was challenged by Christians in that you can't "test" god, but psychologically, I think that the group that was told they were being prayed for, experienced stress to perform well since they were representing a major test in the power of prayer.  I know that isn't what you were talking about in your thread, but thought I would share it.

My other thought is that if you ran the same study on any group that has social, political, and value sharing, you would probably find similar results.  Do the study among Masons, or any social group, and you would get similar results.

[none123]

Haven't read it, but I found this article http://longevity.about.com/od/longevityboosters/a/religion_life.htm In it, actively religious people lived 2 to 3 years longer, but it makes the point that could just be because healthy people can go to church regularly, while unhealthy people can't make it. In other words, it doesn't have to do with people going to church, but measuring people that can go somewhere. For instance if it measured people that go to a theatre regularly (once a week at least) and those that never go to a theatre, it might be the same 2 to 3 years longer for those that go to the theatre, because they are healthy enough to get out of the house and spend a few hours somewhere other than at their home.  

Also the 2 to 3 years might have a little to do with certain religions preaching bad stuff for you as a sin. So the follower's live the healthier lifestyle, not anything to do with god or a religion, just that they are eating better (for instance my family's religion makes it a sin to smoke or drink alcohol.)  But if praying can really cure your diseases, shouldn't the lifespan be 10-15 years, not 2-3 years.

And I thought about making a new post, but I will post it here. Can religion actually make you more mentally unhealthy? I couldn't find depression or suicide rates by religion, but found depression and suicide rates by state: http://www.nmha.org/go/state-ranking. So when you think of the most religions states, you might think of Utah (number 1 for depression, 7 for suicides) states in the bible belt: West virginia (#2 depressed), kentucky (#3 depressed). The chart could mean nothing at all, but for me growing up in a very strict, religious family, religion really made me depressed.

[The Black Jester]

Has anyone read any of http://www.religionandhealth.com/godfaithhealth.html]Jeff%20Levin? There are claims that his research shows that regular church goers live longer than those who don't, and that the belief in a higher purpose buffers people from heart disease. Meanwhile John Hopkins researches say attending religious services reduces the risk of heart disease, suicide and cancer. Needless to say, I'm a wee bit skeptical.

My suspicion is that you would easily find this correlation among regular practitioners of meditation, or any other stress reduction or relaxation techniques, as well, irrespective of their specific supernatural inclinations.  I hardly think it is restricted to western religious practices, and if broad correlations were indeed found, such would actually pull the rug out from under the claims of any specific religious group.  And furthermore, a mere 2-3 years is a rather weak benefit compared with what one might expect were religion or spirituality fundamental to human existence, as spiritualists and religionists like to claim.  

Can religion actually make you more mentally unhealthy? I couldn't find depression or suicide rates by religion, <snip>

Sophus stated in his original post that the Johns Hopkins study linked regular religious service attendance to a reduction in suicide.  But yes, I wonder what other studies say.

[The Magic Pudding]

I'm not surprised regular church goers may live a bit longer.
I’m sure the stats are better for married males over single.

There is an old joke, no drink, carousing etc, life just seems longer.

none123's comments are interesting, the believers do OK statistically, but their system produces victims.  
Get losses off your books, that’s the way to go.

I think the calculations should include all the lost weekend hours.
Hours spent in a state of deathly boredom.

[Tanker]

Or knowing you are universaly hated by 75% of your neighbors most of whom wouln't piss on you if you are on fire adds stress and stife which lowers you life expectancy and increases your health risks. Depends on your perspective doesn't it?

[Thumpalumpacus]

Spiritual theists are few and far between in my experience.   Most of the theists I've met are just as grubby and worldly as I.

[Davin]

[...]furthermore, a mere 2-3 years is a rather weak benefit[...]

Yeah, when you factor in how much time a person wastes on religion, 2-3 years doesn't make up the deficit. A person who goes to church every week for 80 years will waste like 2 two years of their life just on the church service (not to mention time getting ready for and traveling to and from, as well as a lot of religious people also spend time with other church activities, spend time on reading the bible and praying). So even if it were true, they'd be living two years longer just to spend that time on church. And a more average religious person would be wasting 6-7 years of their life to live 2-3 years longer. Kind of a negative benefit.

[elliebean]

I would consider involvment in an art form just as "spiritual" (whatever that means) as any religious activity, if not more. That has to be at least as beneficial to one's longevity... not to mention that it's a benefit in itself.

[The Black Jester]

I would consider involvment in an art form just as "spiritual" (whatever that means) as any religious activity, if not more. That has to be at least as beneficial to one's longevity... not to mention that it's a benefit in itself.

I would absolutely agree.  With the exception of my own field, acting - but I only suspect that is an exception because of the heavy drinking and smoking I often saw associated with that lifestyle.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I'm not sure if being a musician will give me a longer life, but I can attest that it gives me a richer life.  My guitar gives voice to whatever spirituality I feel compelled to express.

[Ihateyoumike]

Meanwhile John Hopkins researches say attending religious services reduces the risk of heart disease, suicide and cancer.

then why did I want to kill myself every mindnumbingly boring Sunday for 18 years at even the thought of having to go to church? I call shananigans on these so called "researchers".