“If all religions teach peace, then why can't all religions achieve peace?” (Collective Evolution)
89%
of U.S. citizens say they believe in God, and 70.6% identify as Christian. With
a worldwide population of a 7.5 billion, 80% of people identify
with a religious belief. With 2.1 billion individuals, Christianity is the most practiced religion, which
is followed by Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. My religious beliefs influence (and shade) every
of who I am.
Some of the life areas this includes are: my viewpoint on God; the writing of this blog;
how I view the world (and politics); my relationships with those I associate (and communicate) with; my talents (and abilities); and the choices I make for
my life.
People who
are religious are more engaged with their extended families, more likely to
volunteer, more involved in their communities, and generally happier with the
way things are going in their lives. Health benefits of being connected with a
religious denomination include:
Healthier immune system-Older
adults who regularly attended religious services were almost half as likely as
those who don’t to have high levels of interleukin-6, an inflammatory protein,
in the immune system linked to certain cancers, autoimmune diseases, and some
viral infections.
Longer survival with cancer- Religious late-stage cancer patients had a higher (7.4%)
rate of resuscitation than those who weren’t (1.8%).
Longevity-People who attend religious services live 7 years longer
compared to those who never go. This is attributed to the social benefits of
religion.
Lower blood pressure-Religious older adults are 40% less likely to have high
blood pressure than adults who said they weren’t religious.
More satisfaction-Religious people are happier because regular church
attendance leads to strong social bonds within congregations. The degree of
happiness, satisfaction, and fulfillment our particular state in life brings
about will be equal to the degree to which you have successfully determined
God’s will for your life and made it your own.
Protects against depression- Older
patients with depressive symptoms often recover better if religion plays a
large part in their lives.
Reduces stress- Periods of respite from daily life lead to a reduction in stress. When you center yourself through being
quiet in God’s presence within us, you look at life with different eyes,
perhaps putting things into a balanced perspective.
“When
I do good I feel good. When I do bad I feel bad, and that's my religion.” (Abraham
Lincoln)[i]
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