(September 12, 2016 at 2:31 pm)ChadWooters Wrote: I'm surprised that few have made reference to any studies or scientific literature. I think the general unbiased consensus is that religion tends have a net positive mental health benefit:
http://baylorisr.org/wp-content/uploads/...health.pdf
http://roa.sagepub.com/content/27/2/197.short
The studies I've read on the subject, seem to point more to the community and support theists have associated with their religion, not the religion itself.
I will read these later to see if they say anything different.
You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.