Religion is, in general, beneficial for society

Religion -- A set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe Society -- An organized group of persons associated together for religious, political, cultural... or other purposes 1. Foundation of Society As the very definition of "society" implies, sometimes entire communities of people are associated together for the specific purpose of celebrating or practicing one's religion. Thus, I posit that religion is generally beneficial for these societies, as it is the basis of their entire foundation. 2. Health Benefits A) Physical: A new study presents evidence that higher religiosity among the elderly may be due to aging effects as opposed to simply secularization of younger generations. Religious people view themselves as more fit, reporting better health, more energy, and less pain. They're also less likely to smoke. Additionally, there have been cases where a person's religious beliefs have given them the confidence or personal inner strength to overcome obstacles and challenges threatening their health. B) Mental: Data suggests that participating in religious practices fosters one's health and well-being, most notably partaking in public religious participation, and positive religious coping. C) Psychological: Human beings crave romantic relationships and partnerships, and psychologists generally agree that being married contributes to one's overall psychological well-being. Religious individuals are found to be more likely to be married, have supportive friends, and be treated with respect. Their spiritual growth is also deemed very healthy in this regard, and moreover, being religious is known to contribute to one's creativity and self-expression. Additionally, attending church is considered a therapeutic mental break that many people find rewarding and necessary or helpful to their well being. In a social group, trust and loyalty provide a strong glue. Group rituals may additionally provide opportunities for networking. Any friend of my invisible friend is a friend of mine. Community rituals may also help build and maintain alliances and provide a catalyst for teamwork. Being able to work in groups is an extremely powerful resource. 3. Tradition Most people psychologically value tradition, and even in a progressive society, value traditional ideals. Because 92 percent of Americans are noted to believe in a God, they are able to apply traditional, religious values to their lives which offers them comfort and stability. Now, this is not an appeal to tradition fallacy; I'm not saying that something is right BECAUSE it's traditional. I'm saying that society VALUES tradition. 4. Politics The study, 'For Goodness' Sake: Why So Many Americans Want Religion to Play a Greater Role in American Life,' has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. The study found that Americans were skeptical about candidates who talk about their religious beliefs, with 74 percent of respondents saying that those candidates 'are just saying what they think people want to hear.' A majority said it was wrong for voters to consider seriously the religious affiliation of candidates when they decide whom to support. Asked whether the political system would be threatened if religious leaders and groups were to become more involved in politics, 31 percent agreed, but 63 percent said the system could handle it. 'While there's a wariness about injecting religion into politics, there's also the sense that the system is resilient and will not be hijacked by extremists,' said Deborah Wadsworth, president of Public Agenda. The study also shows that on average, 65 percent feel politicians should compromise their own religious views for the sake of gay rights, the death penalty, abortion, poverty and welfare to name a few. Further, several economists have linked religiosity with voting and counteracting the effects of childhood poverty. The point here is that while many Americans value their religious beliefs, most aren't in favor of breaching the right and necessary Separation of Church and State. 5. Tolerance and Ignorance Just because people are religious does not necessarily mean that they will not be tolerant of others. 'There's a paradox in America,' said Jean Johnson, senior vice president and director of programs for Public Agenda. 'So many Americans are strongly religious. On the other hand, they believe there has to be a tolerance for people of other religions.' Additionally, 58 percent of people surveyed in America said it was not necessary to believe in God to have good values. In other words, people don't necessarily assume that those who are not religious, or those who do not believe in their own personal God are immoral people. 6. Science and Evolution Evolutionary biologist and atheist David Sloan Wilson counters the infamous atheist and evolutionist Richard Dawkins, in presenting a theory that religion is not only pertinent but helpful in terms of evolution. Wilson's rival hypothesis is that "religious groups are products of cultural group selection... A given religion adapts its members to their local environment, enabling them to achieve by collective action what they cannot achieve alone or even together in the absence of religion. Even though elements of religion often appear bizarre, irrational, and downright dysfunctional to believers, when examined closely most of them will make sense." To support his theory, Wilson offers the case study of the Calvinists in sixteenth-century Geneva. At a time when factionalism and internecine conflict was rending the social fabric of the city, Calvin and his deputies introduced the Ecclesiastical Ordinances. Wilson surveys a wide body of historical scholarship that concludes that "there is little doubt that Calvinism was instrumental in solving the problem of factionalism and helping the city of Geneva survive as a social entity. Basically, it is his finding that morals specifically derivative from religion are the key to restoring social morale. "Wilson concludes, based upon this data, that at least in this one important case, the Dawkins view is wrong and his hypothesis is vindicated. The Calvinist leaders were not out to benefit themselves at the expense of everyone else. It is simply wrong to say that they got ahead while everyone else suffered. Rather, the opposite is true. Calvinism's dour doctirnes of original sin and predestination contributed to an unprecedented identification of leaders and followers and caused the introduction of checks and balances to curb the suspect tendencies in human nature. To put it in blunt evolutionary terms, Calvinism was socially adaptive." 7. Social Aspects In the congregation, one is likely to find another not just with similar interests but values as well, which can help one find a lasting friendship and/or romantic partner. 8. Religion Finally, we must consider the definition of religion. Because it merely refers to a belief about the cause or nature of the universe, one can argue that an individual who has any sort of belief about these things - including scientific or philosophical - can be a religious individual, even if they are an atheist. I posit that these individuals can have great impact on the world in terms of knowledge and theoretical contribution. References: [1] http://dictionary.reference.com... [2] http://dictionary.reference.com... [3] http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com... [3] http://www.tulsaworld.com... [4] http://www.unc.edu... [6] http://www.nytimes.com... [7] http://news.aol.com... [8] http://evolvingmind.info...