This seems an inevitability, to see the world as it is will naturally turn one away from the supposed fruits of divinity and eternal life and so make a person less happy. Children are less suicidal than adults but this stems not from any wrongness but rather from a naive view of the world, surely the naivety of the theist only treats the symptom of depression? The root cause is no less unanswered, to ask the question 'what is the meaning of life?' then answer it only with another uncertainty will soothe the mind, of course. However, the people they surveyed were counted on 'lifetime suicide attempts and first-degree family member suicides'. WELL SHIT. I had no idea that family member suicide led to other suicides, oh wait, of course, that's common sense. Furthermore, these variables hardly show that atheists are naturally depressive, it simply shows that they're:
1-less skilled at suicide
2-more likely to have family who have committed suicide
Also, intelligent people are more likely to commit suicide than less intelligent people (Emile Durkheim, Suicide, 1897) (intelligent people and atheists are more likely to commit suicide, ergo atheists are more intelligent? supported by other studies too
). However, this study may have overlooked the crucial difference in religious belief, as protestants have ~300% higher suicide rates than catholics (Emile Durkheim, Suicide, 1897) therefore a higher sample concentration of catholics would skew data.
1-less skilled at suicide
2-more likely to have family who have committed suicide
Also, intelligent people are more likely to commit suicide than less intelligent people (Emile Durkheim, Suicide, 1897) (intelligent people and atheists are more likely to commit suicide, ergo atheists are more intelligent? supported by other studies too
). However, this study may have overlooked the crucial difference in religious belief, as protestants have ~300% higher suicide rates than catholics (Emile Durkheim, Suicide, 1897) therefore a higher sample concentration of catholics would skew data.
Religion is an attempt to answer the philosophical questions of the unphilosophical man.
