"How Religion Increases Depression in Teens" (???)

[beegirl]

I came across this article about how religion (Catholic, christian, or otherwise) psychologically affects teens. I’m just quoting a few passeges but heres the link to the whole article: behavioural-psychology.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_religion_increases_depression_in_teens

The article isn’t necessarily anit-religion, but some parts stood out.

How Religion Increases Depression in Teens
Going to Church Affects an Adolescent’s Mood and Behaviors

New research in adolescent psychology reveals a fascinating link between religion and a teen’s mood. Going to church may be a cause of childhood depression.

…new research from Ohio State University (OSU) shows that certain adolescents and females struggle with increased rates of depression if they attend frequent religious services.

“Most research has shown that religious participation, for the most part, is good and can be very helpful for battling depression,” said study co-author…Richard Petts…“But our research has shown that this relationship does not hold true in all instances.”

The study actually found that…

White and African-American teens had fewer symptoms of depression if they attend frequent religious services.

…however…

White and African-American teens had fewer symptoms of depression if they attend frequent religious services.

…and they discovered that the happiest teens were

Asian-American adolescents who never attended religious services and Latinos who attended semi-regularly

Petts provided this reason for why religion may incline teens to depression:

After completing this study of adolescent psychology, Petts suggested that moderate church attendance may provide the benefits of social support, without the added stress of balancing religious values with the mores of mainstream culture.

Thats the part I think is sad…its backwards. The article makes it sound like the “mores of mainstrem culture” are more important than “religious values”. In this day and age I guess that shouldnt suprise me…but I think that mainstream culture is more to blame than religion.

 

[CharlesDarwin]

I would agree with this studies findings I know when i stopped going to church(well when my parents stopped forcing me to go) i became a much happier more outgoing and althogether kinder person

 

[GloriousOrder]

Thats the part I think is sad…its backwards. The article makes it sound like the “mores of mainstrem culture” are more important than “religious values”. In this day and age I guess that shouldnt suprise me…but I think that mainstream culture is more to blame than religion.

Friend, that is precisely the problem! Religious people today aren’t depressed and lethargic because of religion, but because of atheism and secularism. Having to fight these ridiculous ideologies constantly makes them experience cognitive dissonance. This black battle is bound to make young people waver, but the chaff must be cut from the wheat, sadly. Those who can read this article and not be convinced will stay, and those who read this article and are convinced will leave.

We can always point our brothers and sisters to the carpenter’s shed, but if they don’t sign up for lessons it’s not our fault.

I would agree with this studies findings I know when i stopped going to church(well when my parents stopped forcing me to go) i became a much happier more outgoing and althogether kinder person

Oddly enough, when I halted my atheism in its tracks (my parents being the same), I began to feel an immense sense of joy, freedom, and courage. Now I go forth to Church and work with a spirit of such happiness that it can’t even be described. It looks like we’re both just rebellious…

 

[beegirl]

wow…thanks for both of your very different replies

 

[ljubim]

Friends of mine who don’t go to Mass aren’t good people. They are unhappy, they always get into petty arguments and hold a lot of hatred for other people.

Myself and friends who do go to Mass are always happy, because we are living fulfilling lives trying our best to follow God’s Will.

Charles, you are kidding yourself! Prayers for you to come back

We can only be our true selves with God.

 

[catholictiger]

so they are saying that becuase people who go to services regularly show few depression services and apparently is good, but becuase Asians don’t show any sines then it must be that if you don’t attend services you will be happier in life.

this is sad

 

[GloriousOrder]

Friends of mine who don’t go to Mass aren’t good people. They are unhappy, they always get into petty arguments and hold a lot of hatred for other people.

Myself and friends who do go to Mass are always happy, because we are living fulfilling lives trying our best to follow God’s Will.

Charles, you are kidding yourself! Prayers for you to come back

We can only be our true selves with God.

My dear friend, you are entirely justified in making this example; however, I know many Catholics who go to Mass daily and are quite the cranky, petty people. We can hardly base good, manly behaviour on Mass attendance! Some people are just sour-minded, even after 60 years of going to Mass every day from the cradle to the grave. One particular man runs the Homeless Kitchen in this city every day, and is the most impatient person (given to anger and outward frustration) that one can meet in life. Sin is sin, regardless of whether we are atheists or Mass-attendees.

 

[beegirl]

My dear friend, you are entirely justified in making this example; however, I know many Catholics who go to Mass daily and are quite the cranky, petty people. We can hardly base good, manly behaviour on Mass attendance! Some people are just sour-minded, even after 60 years of going to Mass every day from the cradle to the grave. One particular man runs the Homeless Kitchen in this city every day, and is the most impatient person (given to anger and outward frustration) that one can meet in life. Sin is sin, regardless of whether we are atheists or Mass-attendees.

I agree. Its not just Catholics, either…it can be christians in general. Of course no one is perfect, but some people seem to forget that we are to be “christ like” and love our neighbors.

 

[CharlesDarwin]

Friends of mine who don’t go to Mass aren’t good people. They are unhappy, they always get into petty arguments and hold a lot of hatred for other people.

Myself and friends who do go to Mass are always happy, because we are living fulfilling lives trying our best to follow God’s Will.

Charles, you are kidding yourself! Prayers for you to come back

We can only be our true selves with God.

how about i judge how happy i am and you judge how happy you are? sound good?

remember what happens when one makes ASSumptions

 

[GloriousOrder]

I agree. Its not just Catholics, either…it can be christians in general. Of course no one is perfect, but some people seem to forget that we are to be “christ like” and love our neighbors.

That is the problem with atheism, friend. It may allow people to become individually “happy”, but they are only happy because they feel the weight of God and His Law lifted from their shoulders. I would venture to say that the vast majority of atheists are so because of a sexual teaching in the Bible, or something which prohibits their pleasure.

how about i judge how happy i am and you judge how happy you are? sound good?

remember what happens when one makes ASSumptions

Oh, come now. Do we really have to go that way?

 

[CharlesDarwin]

That is the problem with atheism, friend. It may allow people to become individually “happy”, but they are only happy because they feel the weight of God and His Law lifted from their shoulders. I would venture to say that the vast majority of atheists are so because of a sexual teaching in the Bible, or something which prohibits their pleasure.

Or maybe because after examining the world around us and our own beliefs we really just find the evidence for the existence of gods lacking and therefor chose to live our life as we see fit rather than how religious zealots of centuries ago thought we should live?

I think some people say they are atheists for a short time because they become angry with the god they believed in but in my experience these people rarely stay “atheist” for long.

the atheists who are lifelong atheists after deconversion generally are so because they have put alot of thought into it and really do just see no good reason to believe in a god so they dont.

this doesn’t mean they are bad or “sinful” people it just means that they do not feafr eternal punishment for things which really do not harm anyone but perhaps themselves

 

[JRKH]

As with many studies the results, when published to the general public, need to be examined carefully.

For example, the study does not break down the results by faith. This can be sugnificant. Do children attending Catholic Mass have higher rates thatn ones attending the local “Rockin’ mega-Church”? So the question becomes one of how distinct is the faith and morality taught at church different than the morality taught in society and how does that effect the Child.

Overall - I’d say that Children from a faith background simply have a more “stark” contrast to reconcile than those who do not. And those who are “lukewarm” in their faith are simply more at risk.

Teens must figure out many many things, and are likely to make many many mistakes (Lord knows I did.) They are learning. They are learning about their faith and being challenged by the world the idea that the study gives, of slacking off on attendance, only caves in to the very thing that we as Chrisitans must fight against.

If anything this article should engender in Christianity a greater desire to reach out to and hold on to our teens. Give them fun and wholesome places to go and interact etc.

Peace
James

 

[ikisstrees]

this is an article from the suite101 site, so it’s just someone’s opinion. i wouldn’t worry about it

 

[CharlesDarwin]

this is an article from the suite101 site, so it’s just someone’s opinion. i wouldn’t worry about it

Source: Ohio State University Press Release. “Participating in Religion May Make Adolescents From Certain Races More Depressed.” Sept 3, 2008.

 

[Carlan]

My dear friend, you are entirely justified in making this example; however, I know many Catholics who go to Mass daily and are quite the cranky, petty people. We can hardly base good, manly behaviour on Mass attendance! Some people are just sour-minded, even after 60 years of going to Mass every day from the cradle to the grave. One particular man runs the Homeless Kitchen in this city every day, and is the most impatient person (given to anger and outward frustration) that one can meet in life. Sin is sin, regardless of whether we are atheists or Mass-attendees.

who are we to judge, Glorious.The poor man may have a neurosis that plagues him.:sad_yes:Peace, Carlan

 

[Laughing_Crow]

Source: Ohio State University Press Release. “Participating in Religion May Make Adolescents From Certain Races More Depressed.” Sept 3, 2008.

nearly 2 years old. Studies like this need to be done to check fluctuations. That said ‘darwin’ I do agree with you. I do not believe in god (or to be precise, an all knowing ‘intelligent’ god) and am happy with who I am.

 

[CharlesDarwin]

nearly 2 years old. Studies like this need to be done to check fluctuations. That said ‘darwin’ I do agree with you. I do not believe in god (or to be precise, an all knowing ‘intelligent’ god) and am happy with who I am.

indeed it is old but a 2 year old study is still quite a bit more than “opinion”

 

[Laughing_Crow]

indeed it is old but a 2 year old study is still quite a bit more than “opinion”

Yes yes I agree, but they should make perhaps… 3 polls a year for 3 years, using those polls get an average. Events can alter these results heavily (war, lose of loved one etc). I do agree with the study, just saying they should test it more extensively before posting results.

 

[smad0142]

I am a devout, 18 year old white kid and I am fantastically happy.

 

[GloriousOrder]

Or maybe because after examining the world around us and our own beliefs we really just find the evidence for the existence of gods lacking and therefor chose to live our life as we see fit rather than how religious zealots of centuries ago thought we should live?

I think some people say they are atheists for a short time because they become angry with the god they believed in but in my experience these people rarely stay “atheist” for long.

the atheists who are lifelong atheists after deconversion generally are so because they have put alot of thought into it and really do just see no good reason to believe in a god so they dont.

this doesn’t mean they are bad or “sinful” people it just means that they do not feafr eternal punishment for things which really do not harm anyone but perhaps themselves

I would like to suggest that you have not done enough research, then. Have you read the apologetics of the early 18th century? There is no darkness of mood or sorrow in the proofs of God offered by Samuel Clarke or J.B. Bossuet. I was convinced that God must exist by my reason and rational mind alone. Absolutely no rituals, rites, or brainwashing took place. In fact, I didn’t own a Bible until just last week: I came to my belief in God through philosophical tracts and mathematics. So many things point to God: the existence of time, of space, of causality, and Necessity. These things make me feel joyous and wondrous in my beliefs. This study, on the other hand, may just have happened to stumble upon a lot of depressed people… it isn’t uncommon in America today.

By the way, I would posit that it is sinful not to fear eternal damnation. God provides it through His judgment, so a lack of fear about eternal damnation is a lack of fear and respect for the Creator of Time and Space.

Syllogism:

All things in Time and Space have a cause (anyone who denies this is being obfuscatory)
The Universe proceeds in Time and in Space
The Universe has a cause.
Since the Universe has a cause, it cannot be cyclical, as Time and Space must have originated, necessarily, from something Timeless and Formless: eternal and infinite.

Is this logical, or is it senseless? At least tell me it makes you doubt your doubt.

I mean no harm, for you are my brother creature.

who are we to judge, Glorious.The poor man may have a neurosis that plagues him.:sad_yes:Peace, Carlan

I apologise. Sometimes I find it annoying when people let their Cross get to them, but I am just the same way… God bless you!