[[ImageFile:Desperation_manTwitter bird logo 2012.jpg svg.png|right|160px|thumbnail|CNN reported that Christians are happier than atheists - on Twitter.<ref>[http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/28/christians-happier-than-atheists-at-least-on-twitter/ Christians happier than atheists – on Twitter], CNN</ref> ]][[CNN]] reported about '''atheism and happiness''':{{Cquote|The study conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign tapped [[Twitter]] as a research tool and compared the messages of Christians and [[Atheism|atheists]]. The conclusion: When they are limited to 140 characters or less, these researchers say, believers are happier than their counterparts. Two doctoral students in social psychology and an adviser analyzed the casual language of nearly 2 million tweets from more than 16,000 active users to come up with their findings, which were published in Social Psychological and Personality Science. The team identified subjects by finding Twitter users who followed the feeds of five prominent public figures. In the case of Christians, those select five were Pope Benedict XVI, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, conservative political commentator Dinesh D’Souza and Joyce Meyer, an evangelical author and speaker. In the case of atheists, the five followed feeds included Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, Monica Salcedo and Michael Shermer - the latter two respectively being a self-described “fiercely outspoken atheist” blogger, and a science writer who founded The Skeptics Society. With the help of a text analysis program, the researchers found that Christians tweet with higher frequency words reflecting positive emotions, social relationships and an intuitive style of thinking – the sort that’s gut-driven.<ref>[http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/28/christians-happier-than-atheists-at-least-on-twitter/ Christians happier than atheists – on Twitter], CNN</ref>}} == Happiness: British non-religious vs. British religious == ''See also:'' [[British atheism]] [[File:Sadness.jpg|thumb|225px|rightleft|Atheists have a higher suicide rate than [[theism|theists]].<ref>[http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html Adherents.com - suicide rates]</ref> Please see: [[Atheism and suicide]] ]] ''The Telegraph'' reports about '''atheism and happines'''reported:
{{Cquote|...new analysis of findings from [[Britain]]’s national happiness index suggest that religion really can make people more content with their lot.
But those who describe themselves as having no religion typically score their happiness slightly below average, at 7.22 out of 10.
That compares with 7.33 for [[Islam|Muslims]] and 7.37 for [[Judaism|Jewish]] people, rising to 7.47 for [[Christianity|Christians]], who were just ahead of [[Sikhism|Sikhs]] on 7.45.<ref>[httphttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/12136531/Religion-can-make-you-happier-official-figures-suggest.html Religion can make you happier, official figures suggest], ''The Telegraph'', 2016</ref>}}[[Image:Jhcfju6.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [[ex-atheists|ex-atheist]] [[C. S. Lewis]], photographed in 1947. Lewis wrote the book ''Surprised by Joy''. See: [[Atheism and joy]] ]]
In December 2003, the University of Warwick reported:
{{cquote|Dr. Stephen Joseph, from the University of Warwick, said: "Religious people seem to have a greater purpose in life, which is why they are happier. Looking at the research evidence, it seems that those who celebrate the Christian meaning of [[Christmas]] are on the whole likely to be happier.<ref>http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/A/20037338.html</ref>}}
{{See also|Atheism and Christmas}}
== Christians happier than atheists – on Twitter ==[[File:Twitter logo.jpg|left|160px|thumbnail|CNN reported that Christians are happier than atheists - on Twitter.<ref>[http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/28/christians-happier-than-atheists-at-least-on-twitter/ Christians happier than atheists – on Twitter], CNN</ref> ]][[CNN]] reported:{{Cquote|The study conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign tapped [[Twitter]] as a research tool and compared the messages of Christians and atheists. The conclusion: When they are limited to 140 characters or less, these researchers say, believers are happier than their counterparts. Two doctoral students in social psychology and an adviser analyzed the casual language of nearly 2 million tweets from more than 16,000 active users to come up with their findings, which were published in Social Psychological and Personality Science. The team identified subjects by finding Twitter users who followed the feeds of five prominent public figures. In the case of Christians, those select five were Pope Benedict XVI, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, conservative political commentator Dinesh D’Souza and Joyce Meyer, an evangelical author and speaker. In the case of atheists, the five followed feeds included Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, Monica Salcedo and Michael Shermer - the latter two respectively being a self-described “fiercely outspoken atheist” blogger, and a science writer who founded The Skeptics Society. With the help of a text analysis program, the researchers found that Christians tweet with higher frequency words reflecting positive emotions, social relationships and an intuitive style of thinking – the sort that’s gut-driven.<ref>[http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/28/christians-happier-than-atheists-at-least-on-twitter/ Christians happier than atheists – on Twitter], CNN</ref>}} == British Ex-atheist C.S. Lewis: Surprised by Joy ===
''See also:'' [[Atheism and joy]]
== China, economic growth and a decline in happiness ==
Most atheists live in [[East Asia]] (see: [[Asian atheism]] === China and [[Atheist Population|Atheist population]]). atheism ===
''See also:'' [[China and atheism]] Most atheists live in [[East Asia]] (see: [[Asian atheism]] and [[Atheist Population|Atheist population]]). East Asia contains about 25 percent of the world’s population.[[File:China location.png|thumbnail|200px|right|[[China]] has the world's largest [[atheism|atheist]] population.<ref>[http://www.thechapmans.nl/news/Atheist.pdf Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics (Zuckerman, 2005)]</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/05/23/a-surprising-map-of-where-the-worlds-atheists-live/ A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live], ''Washington Post'' By Max Fisher and Caitlin Dewey May 23, 2013</ref> ]] [[China]] has the world's largest [[atheism|atheist]] population.<ref>[http://www.thechapmans.nl/news/Atheist.pdf Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics (Zuckerman, 2005)]</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/05/23/a-surprising-map-of-where-the-worlds-atheists-live/ A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live], ''Washington Post'' By Max Fisher and Caitlin Dewey May 23, 2013</ref>See: [[China and atheism]] China’s population represents 20 percent of the people on earth.<ref>[http://www.sbts.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/10/Pages-from-SBJT-V15-N2_Terry.pdf The Growth of Christianity in East Asia]</ref> Razib Khan points out in ''Discover Magazine'', "most [[secular]] nations in the world are those of East Asia, in particular what are often termed “[[Confucianism|Confucian]] societies.” It is likely therefore that the majority of the world’s [[Atheism|atheists]] are actually East Asian."<ref>[http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/2010/11/most-atheists-are-not-white/ Most atheists are not white & other non-fairy tales], Discover magazine</ref> See: [[Asian atheism]] and [[Global atheism]] === China and unhappiness ===
In 2012, ''Time'' magazine reporting on a study published in the ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences'' by a team from the University of Southern California headed by economist Richard Easterlin:
''Time'' magazine also indicated:
{{Cquote|While China’s poorest are increasingly unhappy, it’s unlikely that the country will see Arab Spring–like unrest and revolt. The problems are too diffuse and the state security organs too adept at clamping down on acts of dissent that have the potential for wider appeal. But on a local level, protest is widespread, averaging about 500 a day nationwide, according to economist Niu Wenyuan, an adviser to China’s State Council.<ref>[http://world.time.com/2012/05/15/for-china-economic-growth-doesnt-always-equal-happiness/ For China, Economic Growth Doesn’t Always Equal Happiness], Time magazine</ref>}}
== Pew Research: religious Americans, less religious Americans and happiness ==
Pew Research reports:
{{Cquote|A new Pew Research Center study of the ways religion influences the daily lives of Americans finds that people who are highly religious are more engaged with their extended families, more likely to volunteer, more involved in their communities and generally happier with the way things are going in their lives.
Highly religious adults not distinctive in interpersonal interactions, health, social consciousnessFor example, nearly half of highly religious Americans – defined as those who say they pray every day and attend religious services each week – gather with extended family at least once or twice a month.1 By comparison, just three-in-ten Americans who are less religious gather as frequently with their extended families. Roughly two-thirds of highly religious adults (65%) say they have donated money, time or goods to help the poor in the past week, compared with 41% who are less religious. And 40% of highly religious U.S. adults describe themselves as “very happy,” compared with 29% of those who are less religious.<ref>[http://www.pewforum.org/2016/04/12/religion-in-everyday-life/ Religion in Everyday Life], Pew Research, 2016</ref>}}
== Irreligious countries with a Protestant cultural heritage ==
Various studies within the [[Western World]] indicate that atheism is negatively correlated with physical and mental health (see: [[Atheism and health]], [[Atheism and depression]], [[Atheism and suicide]], [[Atheism and alcoholism]], and [[Atheism and drug addiction]]).
As noted above, although it is certainly not the only variable related to a person's overall happiness, happiness is positively correlated to wealth.<ref>[httphttps://www.huffingtonpost.com/nigel-barber/does-wealth-equal-happine_b_7560684.html Does wealth equal happiness?]</ref>
''Psychology Today'' declares:
In short, well-designed studies which attempt to form solid conclusions use the principle of [[ceteris paribus]] (all other things remaining equal). This is done by choosing appropriate study participants and using statistical analysis to isolate variables related to the socioeconomic profiles of study participants ([[Generalized linear model]] analysis, etc.).
== Irish author and journalist Mary Kenny says most atheists are gloomy blighters ==
''See also:'' [[Atheism and meaninglessness]] and [[Atheism, agnosticism and pessimism]]
The Irish author, playwright and journalist Mary Kenny wrote in ''The Guardian'':
{{Cquote|Far from relaxing and enjoying life, most atheists I have encountered are gloomy blighters with a depressing and [[Nihilism|nihilistic]] message that there is no purpose to life so where's the point of anything? They so often fall into the category defined by [[G.K. Chesterton|GK Chesterton]]: "Those that do not have the faith/Will not have the fun." You only have to attend one of their dreary humanist funerals to see that – I am never going to another of those, just to be made miserable.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/oct/24/atheism-religion Atheists, enjoy life?] by Mary Kenny, ''The Guardian''</ref>}}
== See also ==
*[[Atheism and loneliness]]
*[[Atheism, agnosticism and pessimismmotivation]] *[[Secular leftists and psychogenic illness]] *[[Atheism and gratitude]]
*[[Atheism and hedonism]]== External links ==
*[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/02/02/office-for-national-statistics-well-being-data_n_9138076.html Official ‘Well-Being’ Statistics Show Religious People Are Happier Than Atheists]*[Atheism and world peacehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1581994/Believers-are-happier-than-atheists.html 'Believers are happier than atheists'], ''The Telegraph''*[http://religionnews.com/2016/04/12/happiness-christians-nones-pew-research/ Highly religious people say they’re happier, too, survey finds], ''Religion News''*[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/de-stress/religious-people-are-happier-than-atheists-finds-study/articleshow/67973675.cms Religious people are happier, finds study], 2019
== Notes ==
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[[Category: Atheism]]
[[Category: Sociology]]
[[Category: Psychology]]