How can religious people be happy? They are too busy putting everyone else down, and strutting their hollier than though attitude, to be happy. PS they are really bad tippers!! Do i hear a backup from any servers???

who ever thought religious folks would have problem, not like they have had alot of problemsn, but oh well, guess i live longer because im not religious

Who is stupid enough to think that going to church would make you healthy? Probably the same people who think that prayer can cure disease. Logic and reason people, use them

When I was 29 years old I was suffering from depression and I went to the Ft. Hood Psychiatric Clinic and had about 25 appts. "one on one " with a psychiatrist. She gave me some sleeping aids and Celexa. It had a very beneficial effect upon my anxiety and depression. As soon as the psychiatric treatment with the pyschiatrist was over I joined a Soldiers group therapy after hours where we met one evening a week that did exclude those weeks when we were downrange or deployed. About that time, I quit going to Mass and put the Roman Catholic Church out of my life. I did not join another church. I just abandoned the Catholic Church.

As a result of quitting the Catholic Church I felt, if you will, "born again" because I was free of all of that hypocritical, wholesale guilt, rigid dogma that does not tolerate dissent, and all the rest of their b.s. and I really began to feel better and to increase my spiritual growth that had been stunted as a result of my perception of my interaction as a member of the Catholic Church. Good riddance!

I wonder if the study factors in that many people don't turn to faith until they are quite ill.

I can't think of any organized religion now days that isn't into control, manipulation, guilt and of course some take it a step further with their sanctimonious attitude.

I quit going to the church I was raised in because of the evangelical mess it had become and I do not miss it all. I may not be any healthier than the next person but I do feel liberated from the oppressive and in some cases nasty practice of disrespect for their fellow human beings just because they think they are "saved". If any religion has to be that neurotic there is something very unhealthy about it.

Ignorance is bliss.

Are you Freaking Kidding? If I the taxpayer had any part funding this or the earlier studies I think it's time for revolution!

Dr. Harold G. Koenig, a professor of psychiatry and medicine at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, said the obesity finding was not surprising, given that congregations and families often "fellowship" over meals.

Well, you have to admit, it would be pretty unfair to pray for low cholesterol if you're doing everything in your power to make the opposite happen.

Being a church goer does little, if anything, to help one be healthy. Sitting in church services or classes -- just as immobile as you would be in your recliner in front of the TV -- for several hours a week (2 hours Sunday morning, 2 hours Sunday evening, an hour or two on Wednesday, another hour on Monday or Tuesday mornings) is no better than sitting around home or in an office. Maybe these congregations would be in better shape if they used some of that time out enjoying the earth, hiking, swimming, playing team sports...you know, like the rest of us 'heathens' do. That might make them more healthy.

Another excuse to attack religion! The article never says that religious people claimed to be healthier. I attend church weekly and have never heard anyone associated with any religion to make any such claim. The claim we make is " The earthly body is temporary; focus on things that are eternal". The article merely studied the relationship between religious faith and health. It's an interesting study, albeit with little useful value.

Reading these posts make me sad that so many had bad experiences with religion in their lives. Ministers, Bishops, Priests and Popes are all human and in some cases have done terrible things. There are some wonderful churches out there that really care about their fellow man. Look at the effort behind Haiti and other natural disasters. Much of the money and many of the volunteers are religious based.

I find it odd that the posters that hate religion because of "judgmental attitudes" seem to be the most bigoted and narrow minded of different viewpoints.

Ask a friend and check out a church this week. You might be surprised what you find.

Have you ever seen the tea baggers? Their obese rates look really high.