I suspect that most followers of faith don't abuse alcohol, drugs or tobacco nearly as much as their secular counterparts. Just look at what these vices have done to aboriginal health and you might get a few clues.

Dear George,

Emile Durkheim's study, "The Elementary Forms of
Religious Life," was first published in 1912 and
has since become a classic. Many of Durkheim's
contemporaries saw religion as nothing more than a
primitive relic that would soon disappear in the more
sophisticated modern world. But Durkheim was impressed
by the fact that religion is universal in human society,
and he wondered why this should be so. His answer was
that religion has a vital function in maintaining the
social system as a whole.

Durkheim believed that the origins of religion were
social, not supernatural. Hence his pointing out that,
whatever their source, the rituals enacted in any
religion enhance the solidarity of the community as well
as its faith.

Well, there doesn’t seem to be anything new in that study. I thought we already knew all that. “Militant” atheists like Dawkins even acknowledge this link, so I’m not sure how this is “one in the eye” for them either.

<<The differentiation between religious belief and exercise and diet staggers me. Why do the researchers stray into this area at all? And if religious belief does these good things, why the reticence in recommending practice of religion?>>

Because the truth still matters; the reasons why we believe what we believe matter, and believing something because it can have some health benefits is not a good reason. Personally I think well-being, on the whole, would increase a lot more if everyone cared about the truth of their beliefs and concerned themselves with having as few false beliefs as possible rather than just being content to believe whatever feels good.

Having beliefs consistent with reality is always preferable and although there may be some religious people out there with benign religious beliefs that don’t affect them negatively in their daily life, their brain has still been conditioned to accept a belief/beliefs just because it’s comforting, and the problem with this conditioning is that it could potentially extend to other beliefs that have more dire consequences.

I know of several people whose lives were on a downward spiral and eventually hit rock bottom, and they’re much happier now that God finally decided to reveal himself (better late than never, I guess). But as far as I’m concerned, the fact that religion is apparently what they needed to get their lives back on track is not an indication that religion is a positive force (there are far too many counter-examples of that), nor does it say anything for the truth of religious claims - as some theists would like to imply. Rather, it’s a sign that people are not always properly equipped with the right tools for coping with life when things start to go wrong and having religion as a fallback here dulls our motivation to address this better.

a little humility before one's Creator is sure to release the stress coming from one's pride and self righteousness. The acceptance of the obvious (our Creator) and His Sovereignty takes ouselves off our puny thrones (which we end up being knocked off anyway) and helps us to face up to reality that God is God and we are not.

aj/quote..""people are not always properly equipped..with the right tools for coping with life..when things start to go wrong"""

a good point so far
if 'lifes' happenings get on top of ya
where can ya go[a $200 per hour shrink....drugs/booze..

""and having religion...as a fallback here
dulls our motivation..to address this better.""

yeah here is a perscription
to numb ya mind...[or here is a mantra...to numb ya mind]

cruise through life drunk..and drugged to the gills

""Because the truth still matters;""

there are many truths[and faulsities]
as well as many paths..to many truths[and illusory solutions]

""the reasons..why we believe..what we believe matter,
and believing something..because it can have..some health benefits is not a good reason.""

agreed

""Personally I think well-being,..on the whole,
would increase a lot more if everyone cared..about the truth of their beliefs..and concerned themselves with having as few false beliefs as possible..rather than just being content to believe whatever feels good."""

drink up bluey..!
want another snort..?
two strongly held beliefs

""Having beliefs..consistent with reality
is always preferable""'

never say allways
my solution wont work for you

[your solution
to me is a problem

""and although there..may be..some religious people
out there with benign religious beliefs..that don’t affect them negatively in their daily life,..their brain..has still been conditioned to accept a belief/beliefs..""

yep take an asprin
take ya vitamin...eat your vegies
dont eat meat..dont smoke....dont live in a poluted area
dont live in a flood zone....lets celibrate...[lets get boozed up]

""just because it’s comforting,
and the problem with this conditioning..is that it could potentially extend...to other beliefs..that have more dire consequences.""

warning religeon will rot ya teeth
give you gangreen...make you blind...kill ya kids

""nor does it say anything..for the truth of religious claims""'

and govt is just about..extracting
its bit of tithe..[blood]tax

over simpli-fixation

I for one would be interested to read what David Nicholls has
to say on this subject (*Atheist Foundation of
Australia). I believe that David was raised as a Catholic.
It would be interesting to learn what made him alter his
beliefs. And is he healthier and happier as a result.