It is not my intent to imply that every person should be involved in a religious community. I do not think an atheist somehow chooses not to believe in God. Rather, they simply see no reason to, and so cannot bring themselves to embrace a belief that seems irrational to them. For such a person to attend church would be extremely awkward, a very bad match. They would be a fish out of water, and that doesn't strike me as a good thing.
What I AM saying is simply what the science says, that an atheist is more likely to be diagnosed with mental illness than someone regularly involved with a religious community.
Insufficient evidence to conclude what is simply what science says." One research study that does not refer specifically to one religious belief or non-belief cannot translate to the conclusion that atheists and agnostics cannot have a "existential"commitment that can provide a "
sense that of coherence," imparting deep meaning and an organizing framework to individual life experience. This is culturally dependent research, and does not include the broader international basis for cultural relationships and belief including atheism, which is prevalent in other countries than the USA.
There may be a relationship in countries where there is a heavy pressure for individuals to comply with the traditional religious beliefs resulting in a lot of emotional and psychological problems resulting health problems for not belonging. Actually this is to a degree a problem with me as a Baha'i in a Conservative religious North Carolina culture.
A bit of contrary reference of Nordic countries where atheism/agnosticism is prevalent and the importance of religion is far less than other countries. They are Happy Campers where there is community support for a diversity of beliefs including atheists.
The World Happiness Report is a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the WHR’s Editorial Board. The report is produced under the editorial control of the WHR Editorial Board. From 2024, the World Happiness Report...
worldhappiness.report
From 2013 until today, every time the World Happiness Report (WHR) has published its annual ranking of countries, the five Nordic countries – Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland – have all been in the top ten, with Nordic countries occupying the top three spots in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Clearly, when it comes to the level of average life evaluations, the Nordic states are doing something right, but Nordic exceptionalism isn’t confined to citizen’s happiness. No matter whether we look at the state of democracy and political rights, lack of corruption, trust between citizens, felt safety, social cohesion, gender equality, equal distribution of incomes, Human Development Index, or many other global comparisons, one tends to find the Nordic countries in the global top spots.
