Alex Keller
Kenneth Kerr
EN 101-5
10 September 2010
Religion’s Effect on the World
There are 22 different major religions worldwide, by following these religions you could be improving your life as you know it (“Major Religions”). Religion is the practice of believing in a god by a body of people. Religion has been around for 30,000 years as far as people can tell from the fossils found by archeologists that had been buried in a ritual way, giving evidence that he people followed religion back then (“How long has religion been around?”). Studies have shown that people who believe in a god are better off in their lives not just by their behavior but also their mental and physical health. The belief in a God has a positive impact on individuals, families, and the community as whole.
The practice of religion has been proven to have a very positive effect on individuals (“Why Religion Matters”). People who practice a religion are less likely to abuse drugs and or alcohol. Studies have shown that people who have a strong belief in a god and are involved in religious activates have low rates of addiction to people that are not religious (“Why Religion”). Also these individuals are less likely to commit violent crimes because they are less likely to fight carry a weapon. If people do not carry a weapon they do not even have the option to use the weapon and commit a violent crime (“Why Religion“). In the religious community a young person has an opportunity to hang out with a good stable group of people so they are more likely to hang out with a better crowd. The belief in a god has also been shown to improve a person’s physical health, people who are not religious live seven years less than a religious person on average (“Why Religion”). Lastly suicidal rates and depression is way lower in cases of people who Practice a religion and believe in a god. It has been shown that people who are religious are more happy and satisfied with their lives. Suicide rates among the youth in America are one of the highest among all groups of people; this is not true among religious teens because they have support from their religious community (“Why Religion”).
Families are also positively impacted when they practice a religion (“Why Religion”). The divorce rate among married couples is way lower in a religious family than in a non-religious family (“Why Religion”). Also when a family is religious the relationship between the children and the parents is better. Parents who are religious have a much more caring and active relationship with their kids, they are more sheltering and are involved in their children’s lives (“Why Religion”). Lastly families who believe in god and are religious have less violence in their family and this is a major plus in household (“Why Religion”).
The community as a whole benefits when its members practice the belief in a god. When people go to a place of worship regularly and practice religion they are more likely to make donations that really help to stimulate the community and help the people in it (“Why Religion”). Also there is less violence in the community when there is involvement in a religious community (“Why Religion”). Lastly the people in the community are more sensitive and compassionate towards one another, and they are more willing to serve people who are in need, this can really bring a community together (“Why Religion”).
Religion is an all around good thing for every individual, families, and the community as a whole. People are healthier because of a very low rate of substance abuse. People who follow a god secretly or publicly are more productive and a positive part of their family and community (“Why Religion”). Studies have shown that people who believe in a god are, less likely to use drugs, more charitable and compassionate, are less likely to take part in violent crime and or be a juvenile delinquent (“Why Religion”). When people follow a religion and have a strong belief in a god has a positive impact on individuals, families, and on the community.
