Christianity and its effect on self-worth

[Strider]

Because of people like you, less and less believers, atheist are pulling us down in life expectancy.

GC

I'm familiar with the studies you mentioned, and they are indeed legitimate. I'd contend that many of the health benefits have to do with belonging to an extremely tight-knit community and pressure not to take part in activities that are frowned upon in some religious groups, such as smoking and drinking. A 2010 Gallup poll showed that nonreligious people were more likely to smoke and drink and less likely to eat healthy and exercise when compared to religious people. That's obviously detrimental to a healthy lifestyle. However, it would be interesting to go back and look at their sample selections to see if all regions of the country are accurately represented. For instance, Mississippi is often considered the most religious state in the nation, but it is also has the highest levels of obesity, second highest level of diabetes, and a whole host of other issues. These are predominantly Christian people with a range of serious health problems.

I wouldn't be so quick as to lump the blame on us for bringing down life expectancy. You may want to take a look at conservative policy keeping people from getting affordable health insurance and keeping people mired in poverty.