A new study by Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London Medical School says, spiritual people are more likely to develop a mental disorder, become dependent on drugs and have eating disorders.
It says, spiritual but not religious people are more likely to suffer from “any neurotic disorder,” “mixed anxiety/depressive disorders” or “depression” than their religious counterparts. Overall, 19% of spiritual respondents said they suffered from a neurotic disorder, while 15% of religious respondents responded the same way.
We should not forget about another study that says, intelligent people less likely to believe in God.
So, the conclusion is, intelligent people do not believe in God and non-religious and non-spiritual people are having better mental health than religious and spiritual people.
4 comments
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montanto
January 11, 2013 at 4:25 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
And perhaps because they believe that any disorder they have is due to “demons” or “lacking God’s love” they’re less likely to get treatment.
jackiepaper
January 11, 2013 at 4:28 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
They seem to miss the part where correlation is not causation. It may well be that people with mental illness, chemical dependence or eating disorders get tired of being told to pray them away or that their struggles are a gift from God or that they are the result of sin or moral failing on their part.
mikmik
January 11, 2013 at 3:36 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
It might have to do with education. Smarter people may generally achieve higher levels of education, but the education is what’s responsible for the critical thinking skills that do not take kindly to magic.
If there was an almost one to one correlation to IQ and atheism, then sure, it’s likely due to brain power. I’m not very sure that there is much of a significant difference if the samples are based on large populations.
It’s like ‘studies’ we’ve seen showing that the avg intelligence of blue states is higher that red states, but the difference is 5 or 7 percent in avg IQ. The fact that the scientifically educated have the highest rates of atheism points to critical thinking as the determiner. I’m sure that doctorates in other faculties are just as smart as the science grads, so why would the sciences show any difference if it is due to intelligence?
Present company excepted, because confirmation bias leads one to believe that if they are an atheist, then it follows that they are extremely brilliant, snnnffff!
Jade Schott
April 10, 2013 at 9:32 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
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