Attim And Religion: Atheism Vs. Religion

Atheism vs. Religion

Atheism: the disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods. In the context of understanding how atheism can have beneficial factors on one’s life, it is vital to create the comparison to religion. While both paths of observance are positive, atheism, compared to religion, is able to produce a more rational and level-headed person, which in turn creates confidence and self-esteem. The “practice” of atheism is a personal connection and in reference to its beneficial factors, it is able to use these points to strengthen the claim, according to research. Atheism, compared to the belief of a religion is very favorable in terms of intelligence. A study conducted by Edward Dutton and Dimitri Van der Linden

In an article titled “10 Reasons Why Atheists Do It Better”, number 4 on the list is Self-Esteem and Self-Reliance. Atheists have an indirect benefit of having more confidence and self-esteem. “ Atheists are not being told that they are guilty and sinful, as is the case with many religious teachings. This leads to higher self-esteem and a feeling of control over life’s events. As atheists do not expect a deity to help them solve a problem, they will address it personally and directly. When there’s no wheel of life, reincarnation, heaven or hell, the responsibility for made choices lies with individuals.” (Ratner) Additionally, in a study conducted by Gallup Data and World Happiness Index in 2010 and 2016, the world’s happiest countries are also the world’s least religious countries. “This year’s winner (2016) was Denmark, followed closely by Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway” as compared to 2010’s winners Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands, which were not much different.

In an article “Are Religious People Happier Than Non-religious People?”, it states “As studies show that religion gives people a sense of purpose and order and serves as a resource for coping with negative life experiences and existential fears.” It then states “Though people, especially in individualistic nations like the United States, talk about religion as an internal or personal belief system, religion is rarely done in solitude. Religion is typically a social activity and research indicates that social ties are one of the most important contributors to happiness.” (Routledge) Thus it’s not religion itself that creates happiness, but the social aspect of a shared bond. This differs from atheists who find happiness in making their own decisions. To continue, in the article, “Religious People Have Higher Self-Esteem But Only In Some Countries, Study Shows”, it states “Studies have shown that God-fearing folks tend to have higher self-esteem than nonbelievers”. (Searles) A claim such as this, challenges the assertion that atheists have higher self-esteem. The article continues and explains that “religious belief is linked to high self-esteem only in countries that emphasize religious belief.” (Searles) Religion poses a threat to the claim that atheism creates higher confidence, but it occurs only in those cases where religion is a fundamental instillment in one’s