Difference between revisions of "Atheism and health"

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''see also:'' [[Atheism and obesity]]
 
''see also:'' [[Atheism and obesity]]
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[[File:11834504 3cc3c49559.jpg|180px|right|thumbnail|Two of the major risk factors for becoming [[obesity|obese]] according to the [[Mayo Clinic]] are poor dietary choices and inactivity.<ref>http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/obesity/DS00314/DSECTION=causes</ref> According to the [[Gallup Organization]], "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."<ref>http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx</ref>
 
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<small>(photo obtained from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/wader/11834504/ Flickr], see [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en license agreement])</small> ]]
 
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According to the [[Gallup Organization]], "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."<ref>http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx</ref> Gallup  declared concerning the study which measured the degree to which religiosity affects health practices: "[[Generalized linear model]] analysis was used to estimate marginal scores all five reported metrics after controlling for age (in years), gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, education (number of years), log of income, and region of the country."<ref>http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx</ref>
 
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The Gallup study gives some insight into the above average health habits of the very religious and not necessarily the health habits of [[atheism|atheists]].  The reason is that the Gallup organization defines a non-religious as a person where "Religion is not an important part of daily life and church/synagogue/mosque attendance occurs seldom or never. This group constitutes 29.7% of the adult population."<ref>http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx</ref> While many [[Western World|Western]] atheists are non-religious, not all non-religious people are atheists.
 
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Gallup further declares:
 
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{{cquote|Very religious Americans make healthier choices than their moderately religious and nonreligious counterparts across all four of the Healthy Behavior Index metrics, including smoking, healthy eating, and regular exercise. Smoking is one area of particular differentiation between the very religious and less religious Americans, with the nonreligious 85% more likely to be smokers than those who are very religious.<ref>http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx</ref>}}
 
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From a medical perspective, an [[obese]] person has accumulated enough body fat that it can have a negative effect on their health. If a person's weight is at least 20% higher than it should be, he/she is generally considered obese. If your [[Body Mass Index]] (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9 you are considered overweight. If your BMI is 30 or over you are considered obese.<ref>http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/obesity/</ref>  The term obese can also used in a more general way to indicate someone who is overweight.<ref>http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obesity?show=0&t=1293887890</ref>
 
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Two of the major risk factors for becoming [[obesity|obese]] according to the [[Mayo Clinic]] are poor dietary choices and inactivity, thus given the above cited Gallup research, it appears as if non-religious are more prone to becoming [[obese]] than very religious individuals.<ref>http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/obesity/DS00314/DSECTION=causes</ref> The Bible declares that [[gluttony]] is a sin.<ref>http://www.gotquestions.org/gluttony-sin.html</ref> Furthermore, the Bible declares the physical body of Christians to be temples of the [[Holy Spirit]].<ref>http://carm.org/christianity/sermons/1-corinthians-619-20-your-body-his-temple</ref> Therefore, it is not surprising that many very religious Christians would leave healthy lives.
 
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[[File:Hong Kong Christians at Gateway Camp.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|[[Hong Kong]] Christians at Gateway Camp. In 2005, there were four times as many Eastern World Christians as there were [[Western World]] Christians.<ref>http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077</ref>
 
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<small>(photo obtained from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/mckln/4815046728/in/set-72157624550425162 Flickr], see [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en license agreement])</small>]]
 
  
 
== Christianity's explosive growth in the Eastern World ==
 
== Christianity's explosive growth in the Eastern World ==

Revision as of 10:07, May 29, 2012

The prestigious Mayo Clinic found that that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.[1]

Concerning atheism and health, there is considerable amount of scientific evidence that suggest that theism is more conducive to mental and physical health than atheism [2] (see also: Atheism and mental health and Atheism and depression and Atheism and suicide and Atheism and obesity).

The prestigious Mayo Clinic reported the following on December 11, 2001:

“ In an article also published in this issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic researchers reviewed published studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews and subject reviews that examined the association between religious involvement and spirituality and physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.

The authors report a majority of the nearly 350 studies of physical health and 850 studies of mental health that have used religious and spiritual variables have found that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes.[3]

”

The Iona Institute reported:

“ A meta-analysis of all studies, both published and unpublished, relating to religious involvement and longevity was carried out in 2000. Forty-two studies were included, involving some 126,000 subjects. Active religious involvement increased the chance of living longer by some 29%, and participation in public religious practices, such as church attendance, increased the chance of living longer by 43%.[4][5] ”

In December of 2003, the University of Warwick reported:

“ 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.[6] ”
File:Nietzsche.jpg
Currently, there is an ongoing debate on whether atheism was a causal factor for Friedrich Nietzsche's insanity or whether it was caused purely through disease.

Duke University has established the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health.[7] The Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health is based in the Center for Aging at Duke and gives opportunities for scholarly trans-disciplinary conversation and the development of collaborative research projects.[8] In respect to the atheism and mental and physical health, the center offers many studies which suggest that theism is more beneficial than atheism.[9]

The Christian group Teen Challenge reported the following:

“ Teen Challenge claims of a 70% cure rate for the drug addicts graduating from their program attracted the attention of the U.S. Federal Government in 1973. Most secular drug rehabilitation programs only experienced a cure rate of 1-15% of their graduates. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, funded the first year of this study to evaluate the long term results of the Teen Challenge program.[10] ”

Teen Challenge has a number of studies that indicate the high effectiveness of their drug treatment program compared to other programs.[11]

Currently, there is an ongoing debate regarding whether atheism was a causal factor for Friedrich Nietzsche's insanity or whether it was caused strictly by disease.[12] [13]

An article published on the Hong Kong Baptist University website offers the following regarding the cause of Friedrich Nietzsche's insanity:

“ Trying to explain what caused his insanity can only be a matter of speculation. Some people believe it was the result of a physical illness. Others interpret his suffering as that of a true prophet, almost as if he were accepting the punishment on behalf of those who could not see mankind's tendency towards self-destruction so clearly. Still others regard his final fate as a natural outcome of his philosophical outlook.[13] ”

The Russian-born psychoanalyst and writer Lou Andreas-Salomé, who had a brief and tempestuous affair with Nietzsche, believed that Nietzsche's philosophy can be viewed as a reflection of his psychology and that his madness was the result of his philosophizing.[14] In addition, the French historian René Girard asserted that Nietzsche's philosophy led to his insanity.[15]

Contents

Atheism and Suicide

See main article: Atheism and suicide and Atheism and depression

Although there are recent studies relating to atheism being a causal factor for suicide for some individuals, an early proponent of atheism being a causal factor for suicide was the Reverend Dr. Robert S. MacArthur.[16][17][18] In 1894, the NY Times stated the following in relation to atheism and suicide:

“ Dr. Martin urged that a great cause of suicide was atheism. It was, he said, a remarkable fact that where atheism prevailed most, there suicides were most numerous. In Paris, a recent census showed one suicide to every 2,700 of the population. After the publication of Paine's "Age of Reason" suicides increased.[18] ”
Pitzer College sociologist Phil Zuckerman stated concerning suicide rates: "this is the one indicator of societal health in which religious nations fare much better than secular nations."

The same NY Times article quotes the Reverend Dr. MacArthur describing suicide in the following manner:

“ It is mean and not manly; it is dastardly and not daring. A man who involves his innocent wife and children in financial disaster and disgrace and takes his life and leaves them to bear the burden he was unwilling to bear, is a coward.[18] ”

In 2004, the American Journal of Psychiatry reported the following:

“ Religiously unaffiliated subjects had significantly more lifetime suicide attempts and more first-degree relatives who committed suicide than subjects who endorsed a religious affiliation. Unaffiliated subjects were younger, less often married, less often had children, and had less contact with family members. Furthermore, subjects with no religious affiliation perceived fewer reasons for living, particularly fewer moral objections to suicide. In terms of clinical characteristics, religiously unaffiliated subjects had more lifetime impulsivity, aggression, and past substance use disorder. No differences in the level of subjective and objective depression, hopelessness, or stressful life events were found.[19] ”
According to a study by the Barna Group regarding charitable giving:"The typical no-faith American donated just $200 in 2006, which is more than seven times less than the amount contributed by the prototypical active-faith adult ($1500).[20] A number of studies have confirmed that there is an inverse relationship to doing volunteer work and depression.[21] Please see: Atheism and depression

The website Adherents.com reported the following in respect to atheism and suicide:

“ Pitzer College sociologist Phil Zuckerman compiled country-by-country survey, polling and census numbers relating to atheism, agnosticism, disbelief in God and people who state they are non-religious or have no religious preference. These data were published in the chapter titled "Atheism: Contemporary Rates and Patterns" in The Cambridge Companion to Atheism, ed. by Michael Martin, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK (2005). In examining various indicators of societal health, Zuckerman concludes about suicide:

"Concerning suicide rates, this is the one indicator of societal health in which religious nations fare much better than secular nations. According to the 2003 World Health Organization's report on international male suicides rates (which compared 100 countries), of the top ten nations with the highest male suicide rates, all but one (Sri Lanka) are strongly irreligious nations with high levels of atheism. It is interesting to note, however, that of the top remaining nine nations leading the world in male suicide rates, all are former Soviet/Communist nations, such as Belarus, Ukraine, and Latvia. Of the bottom ten nations with the lowest male suicide rates, all are highly religious nations with statistically insignificant levels of organic atheism."[22]

”

Australian online opinion writer and lecturer in ethics and philosophy at several Melbourne theological colleges, Bill Muehlenberg, in his essay The Unbearable Heaviness of Being (In a World Without God) states the following:

“ Announcing, and believing, that God is dead has consequences. And it is we who suffer the most for it. We cannot bear the whole universe on our shoulders. We were not meant to. We must let God be God. Only then can men be men. Only then can we find the way forward to be possible, and the burdens not insurmountable.[23] ”

Ex-Christians, self-esteem and suicide

See also: Ex-Christians, self-esteem and suicide and Atheism and self-esteem and Ex-atheists

There are preliminary studies indicating that individuals who reject Christianity in Western cultures have lower self-esteem than the Christian population.[24][25] There are studies indicating that lower self-esteem is associated with suicidality.[26][27]

Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins

Richard Dawkins' book "The God Delusion" along with a community college biology class, have been linked to the tragic suicide of Jesse Kilgore.[28] Kilgore had several discussions with friends and relatives in which he made it clear Dawkins' book had destroyed his belief in God. This loss of faith is considered the cause of his suicide which is not surprising given that there is evidence which suggest that atheism can be a causal factor for suicide for some individuals.[29][30][31][32]

Jesse's father is quoted as saying "If my son was a professing homosexual, and a professor challenged him to read [a book called] 'Preventing Homosexuality'… If my son was gay and [the book] made him feel bad, hopeless, and he killed himself, and that came out in the press, there would be an outcry. He would have been a victim of a hate crime and the professor would have been forced to undergo sensitivity training, and there may have even been a wrongful death lawsuit. But because he's a Christian, I don't even get a return telephone call."

Jesse's blog remains online after his death.[33]

Atheism, gender and suicide

See also: Atheism, gender and suicide and Atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women and Atheism and suicide

Survey data and website tracking data of prominent atheists' websites indicate that in the Western World, atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women (see: Atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women).[34][35][36]

Science Daily reports:

“ Many studies have identified a strong link between suicide and diagnosable mental illness, especially depression. So because women suffer from depression at a much higher rate than men, they would seem to be at higher risk for suicide. But women actually commit suicide about one-fourth as often as men.[37] ”

Atheism, marriage and suicide

See also: Atheism and marriageability and Atheism and suicide and Atheism, marriage and suicide

Christian apologist Michael Caputo wrote:

“ Recently the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has published its mammoth study on Religion in America based on 35,000 interviews... According to the Pew Forum a whopping 37% of atheists never marry as opposed to 19% of the American population, 17% of Protestants and 17% of Catholics.[38] ”

Vox Day declared that according to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) "more than half of all atheists and agnostics don’t get married."[39]

According the website Marriage and Family Encyclopedia:

“ Marital status has a strong association with rates of completed suicide. Suicide rates are higher in the divorced and widowed than in single people, who in turn have higher suicide rates than married people. This protective effect of marriage on suicide is stronger for men than for women, although it is found for both men and women (Gove 1972).[40] ”

Atheism and European suicide in the 17th century

Chandak Sengoopta, in a book review of Georges Minois's work History of Suicide: Voluntary Death in Western Culture wrote:

“ Suicide became a prominent issue in England from the turn of the seventeenth century. The number of suicides, it was reported, had risen alarmingly and in the preface to his 1733 work, The English Malady, physician George Cheyne declared that he had been spurred to write it "by the late Frequency and daily Encrease of wanton and uncommon self-murders" (p. 181). According to Cheyne, the spread of atheism as well as the gloomy, melancholy-inducing climate of England were responsible for the rise in suicides; while his explanations were not always accepted, virtually nobody seems to have doubted that England had become the world capital of suicides. As Minois explains, there undoubtedly was a rise in the rates of reported suicides but, as far as one can tell from the available data, it was a European rather than an exclusively English phenomenon.[41] ”

Atheism, uncharitableness and depression

See also: Atheism and depression and Atheism, uncharitableness and depression

A number of studies have confirmed that there is an inverse relationship to doing volunteer work and depression.[42] The atheist population does less charitable works and volunteering per capita than the theist population (see: Atheism and uncharitableness).

Sigmund Freud's View of Religion

Sigmund Freud in his laboratory

Psychologist Sigmund Freud was a proponent of atheism who argued that theism was detrimental to mental health.[43] Oxford Professor Alister McGrath, author of the book The Twilight of Atheism, stated the following regarding Freud:

“ One of the most important criticisms that Sigmund Freud directed against religion was that it encourages unhealthy and dysfunctional outlooks on life. Having dismissed religion as an illusion, Freud went on to argue that it is a negative factor in personal development. At times, Freud's influence has been such that the elimination of a person's religious beliefs has been seen as a precondition for mental health.

Freud is now a fallen idol, the fall having been all the heavier for its postponement. There is now growing awareness of the importance of spirituality in health care, both as a positive factor in relation to well-being and as an issue to which patients have a right. The "Spirituality and Healing in Medicine" conference sponsored by Harvard Medical School in 1998 brought reports that 86 percent of Americans as a whole, 99 percent of family physicians, and 94 percent of HMO professionals believe that prayer, meditation, and other spiritual and religious practices exercise a major positive role within the healing process.[43]

”

Freud remains popular among postmodern literary academics, who use his anti-Christian pseudoscience as a basis for their own anti-Christianity and moral relativism, even though his theories were disproved decades ago.

Atheism and obesity

see also: Atheism and obesity

Christianity's explosive growth in the Eastern World

See also: Atheist population

Christianity is the world's largest religion and it has seen tremendous growth over its 2000 year history.[44] In the last fifty years, Christianity has recently seen explosive growth outside the Western World.[45][46][47][48] In 2000, there were twice as many non-Western Christians as Western Christians.[49] In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western Christians as there were Western World Christians.[50] Of course, a big reason for the explosive growth of Christianity outside the Western world was due to highly religious people propagating the Christian faith and there are now more non-Western missionaries than Western missionaries.[51] Besides non-Westerners often being less sedentary, non-Western diets are often healthier than the diets Westerners consume and there is significantly less obesity in those non-Western cultures.[52][53][54] Therefore, in recent history Christendom has seen a large influx of very religious people who live healthy lifestyles and have low levels of obesity.

Implications of explosive global growth of Christianity plus health benefits of religious practice

see also: Atheist population

In 2011, the American Spectator citing research published in the International Bulletin of Missionary Research reported that atheism is on the decline as a whole in terms of adherents.[55]

The American Spectator declared:

“ The report estimates about 80,000 new Christians every day, 79,000 new Muslims every day, and 300 fewer atheists every day. These atheists are presumably disproportionately represented in the West, while religion is thriving in the Global South, where charismatic Christianity is exploding."[56] ”

For more information please see: Atheism and health and Atheist population and Psychology, obesity, religiosity and atheism and Atheism and mental health and Atheism and depression and Atheism and suicide

Psychology, obesity, religiosity and atheism

See also: Psychology, obesity, religiosity and atheism and atheism and suicide

Obesity is positively associated with impulsiveness, lower self-discipline and neuroticism.[57][58][59] In addition, many people overeat in response to negative emotions such as depression, anger, anxiety and boredom.[60][61][62]

As noted earlier, concerning atheism and mental and physical health, there is considerable amount of scientific evidence that suggest that theism is more conducive to mental and physical health than atheism. For example, as noted earlier, atheists have higher rates of suicide than the general population. In the journal article Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications psychologists McCullough and Willoughby theorize that many of the positive links of religiousness with health and social behavior may be caused by religion's beneficial influences on self-control/self-regulation.[63][64]

American Atheists organization

Madalyn Murray O'Hair was the founder of the American Atheists organization and she was overweight.[65] One of the last pictures taken of Madalyn Murray O'Hair features her standing before a cake as can be seen HERE. As of December 28, 2010, the pictures of the members of the American Atheists organization's board of directors showed a significant portion of its members having excess body weight. [66] The pictures of the American Atheists board of directors can be found HERE.

Members of the American Atheists board of directors who are overweight as of December 28, 2010 include: Richard Andrews, Monty Gaither, Blair Scott and Ann Zindler.[67]

Picture of an overweight PZ Myers

PZ Myers

(photo obtained from Flickr, see license agreement)

See also: PZ Myers' health issues

A 2009 picture of a significantly overweight PZ Myers can be found HERE. A 2010 picture taken in Australia shows PZ Myers drinking ale/beer and he had excess weight in his abdominal area.[68] In 2010, PZ Myers had health problems related to his heart.[69] In addition, medical science research indicates that excess weight impairs brain function.[70] Given PZ Myers' biological training and the wide dissemination of the harmful health effects of being overweight in terms of cardiovascular health and brain function, it is unfortunate that preventative medicine was not used in greater measure in terms of his health.[71][72][73] PZ Myers' inattention to diligently implementing the recommendations of nutritional science, exercise science and medical science is not entirely surprising given his vehement advocacy of evolutionary pseudoscience. There have been a number of notable evolutionists who have been overweight. On June 1, 2011, Myers posted a picture of himself and others on his blog and Myers appeared to no longer have issues with being overweight.[74]

PZ Myers is a leader within the New Atheism movement. A significant amount of leaders within the New Atheism movement have problems with being overweight (see: New Atheism leadership's problems with excess weight).

Picture of PZ Myers with his fans

In 2011, Christian apologist Vox Day had an individual complain about the notion that the atheist community has a problem with obesity. As a result, on May 19, 2011, Vox Day released a blog post entitled Mailvox: now, who said atheists are fat? where 80% of the people taking a picture with PZ Myers were overweight and PZ Myers was overweight in the picture as well as can be seen HERE. The picture was originally posted on PZ Myer's blog Pharyngula by Myers on May 16, 2011 and an online argument quickly ensued concerning the appearance of the photograph's participants.[75]

PZ Myers' visit to the Creation Museum

In August 2009, PZ Myers led a group of over 300 atheist and agnostic students on a tour of the Creation Museum.[76] During the visit, Myers had noticeably greater difficulty than others climbing on and off a dinosaur model due to the fact that he was overweight and out of shape.VIDEO

PZ Myers in Toronto

A 2008 picture of PZ Myers meeting with people associated with the Center for Inquiry in Toronto can be found HERE


Please also see: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight

Picture of an overweight atheist Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens - was a leader in the New Atheism movement. Christopher Hitchens engaged in heavy drinking and smoking during his life and died of esophageal cancer.[77][78]

Daniel Dennett - atheist philosopher

Daniel Dennett is an atheist philosopher and he is considered a leader in the New Atheism movement. A June 10, 2009 picture of an overweight Daniel Dennet can be found HERE In the late 1990s, Dennet had coronary artery bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass surgery reroutes blood around clogged arteries to enhance blood flow and oxygen to the heart).[79][80] Also, given that being overweight causes brain impairment and that Daniel Dennet has had issues with being overweight, it is ironic that Dennet's book Consciousness Explained is beloved by those who deny God in favor of a pseudoscientific naturalist philosophy of the mind.[81] [82][83]

Nate Phelps spoke at the 2009 American Atheists convention.[84]

(photo obtained from Flickr, see license agreement), Title: Nate Phelps AAC00 (a very brave man)

Victor J. Stenger

Victor J. Stenger (born 1935) is an American physicist, author and outspoken atheist. Victor Stenger is a leader within the New Atheism movement. A picture of an overweight Victor J. Stenger can be found HERE

New Atheism's leadership and problems with being overweight

see also: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight

The term New Atheism which first appeared in the November 2006 edition of Wired magazine, is frequently applied to a series of six best-selling books by five authors that appeared in the period between 2004–2008. These authors include Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins, Victor J. Stenger and Christopher Hitchens.[85] 3 out of 5 of these leaders of the New Atheism movement have had issues with being overweight as can be seen HERE and HERE and HERE. PZ Myers is also a leader within the New Atheism movement and as noted earlier, Myers has had problems with being overweight. As of May 2011, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris have not publicly commented on the significant problems the New Atheism leadership has experienced in terms of overweight members.

Hippocrates was an early advocate of the health benefits of exercise and also nutrition (see also: Nutritional science).[86] On the other hand, PZ Myers and a significant amount of other New Atheists leaders, seem to have demonstrated a lack of a full appreciation of the importance of nutritional science, exercise science and the latest findings of medical science (see: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight}.

There are a number of plausible explanations concerning the significant problems the New Atheism leadership has had with excess weight.

Richard Leakey

Richard Leakey is an anthropologist, evolutionist and atheist.[87] A 2008 picture of an overweight Richard Leakey can be found HERE. Other pictures of an overweight Richard Leakey can be found HERE and HERE and HERE. In October 2010, Richard Leakey appeared to have a healthy weight.[88]

YouTube atheism

Chuck Norris endorses the Total Gym exercise system.[89]

In 2007, WorldNetDaily featured a column by the Christian Chuck Norris which declared:

“ Atheists are making a concerted effort to win the youth of America and the world. Hundreds of websites and blogs on the Internet seek to convince and convert adolescents, endeavoring to remove any residue of theism from their minds and hearts by packaging atheism as the choice of a new generation. While you think your kids are innocently surfing the Web, secular progressives are intentionally preying on their innocence and naivete.

What's preposterous is that atheists are now advertising and soliciting on websites particularly created for teens.

YouTube, the most popular video site on the Net for young people, is one of their primary avenues for passing off their secularist propaganda.[90]

”

Atheism internet outreach efforts, however, have been be very ineffective.

As of September of 2011, the most popular YouTube channel run by an atheist is TheAmazingAtheist YouTube channel which has over 175,000 subscribers. TheAmazingAtheist YouTube channel is produced by an overweight atheist.[91] In one video, TheAmazingAtheist exclaimed "Why am I so fat?"[92] As of September of 2011, the atheist who produces the YouTube channel HappieCabbie, which has over 28,000 subscribers, is also overweight.[93]

Internet atheism and obesity

See also: Internet atheism and obesity

As noted earlier, atheists are very active on the internet. In 2009, an Australian university study was done concerning the association between leisure time internet and computer use with being overweight and/or obese and also sedentary.[94] The study concluded: "These findings suggest that, apart from nutritional and physical activity interventions, it may also be necessary to decrease time spent in sedentary behaviors, such as leisure-time Internet and computer use, in order to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity."[95]

Greta Christina

Greta Christina is a popular atheist blogger at freethoughtblogs.com. In addition, she is a atheist speaker and author. A 2007 picture of an overweight Greta Christiana can be found HERE. She is in a same-sex marriage with a woman named Ingrid.[96]

Video/pictures of an overweight atheist activist Michael Nugent

Michael Nugent is chairperson of the atheist group Atheist Ireland[97]

Picture of an overweight Taslima Nasreen

The atheist Taslima Nasrin is an author who is known for her feminist and anti-Islamic views.[98][99] Ms. Nasreen has been divorced three times.[100] A picture of an overweight Taslima Nasreen can be found here: HERE

Matt Dillahunty

(photo obtained from Creative commons, see license agreement)

Matt Dillahunty - host of atheist TV show

Matt Dillahunty

Stephen Fry

The atheist Stephen Fry is a English screenwriter, author, playwright, comedian, and film director.[101] A picture of an overweight Stephen Fry can be found HERE and HERE In 2009, the Mail Online reported that Stephen Fry went from being "appallingly corpulent" to having a weight where he can "at last bear to look at himself in the mirror again".[102] However, in March of 2011, Stephen Fry appeared to be once again overweight.[103]

Picture of an overweight illusionist and comedian Penn Jillette

See also: Conservapedia's reply to atheist Penn Jillette

Penn Jillette (born 1955) is an American illusionist, comedian, juggler, musician and writer. Penn Jillette is an atheist.[104] A picture of an overweight Penn Jillette can be found HERE and HERE

Nate Phelps

Nate Phelps[105][106]

Photo of an overweight Steve Wozniak (atheist/agnostic)

Steve Wozniak - co-founder of Apple Computer.[107] Wozniak wrote: "I am also atheist or agnostic (I don't even know the difference)."[108]

Richard Stallman

Richard Stallman is a software freedom activist and also a computer programmer. Stallman wrote that he was "an atheist".[109] Pictures of an overweight Richard Stallman can be found HERE and HERE and HERE

Isaac Asimov

atheism
Kim Il Sung was a communist dictator and an obese atheist who died of a heart attack.[110]

(Source of photo of portrait can be found here, see: license agreement)

Isaac Asimov was an American author, biochemistry professor st Boston University and an atheist . A picture of an overweight Isaac Asimov can be found HERE. Asimov had "a heart attack in 1977, and triple bypass surgery in 1983."[111] In 1992, the New York Times reported: "He died of heart and kidney failure, said his brother, Stanley."[112]

Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong was an overweight Chinese communist leader. On September 2, 1976, he had a serious heart attack and he died on September 9, 1976 in his sleep. Mao had been in a poor health for many years previous to his death.[113]

Kim Jong-un

Kim Jong-un is an overweight atheist communist dictator. [114][115]

Kim II Sung

The North Korean communist dictator Kim Il Sung was an obese atheist who died of a heart attack.[116]

Kim Jong-il

Kim Jong-il was an overweight atheist North Korean communist dictator.[117] Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack. [118]

Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev [119][120]

Leonid Brezhnev

Leonid Brezhnev was a communist dictator in the former Soviet Union and a picture of an overweight Leonid Brezhnev can be found HERE and HERE Brezhnev had a "stroke in March 1982 and died of a heart attack in November".[121]

Georgy Malenkov

Georgy Malenkov - Soviet Union politician[122]

George Melly

In an article entitled George Melly's battle with cancer and dementia, the Daily Mail reported that Melly "smoked up to 60 cigarettes a day since his teens."[123]

(photo obtained from Wikimedia Commons, Description: George Melly, singing and smoking, Date: 1978-02-00, source: Own work, User: p.g. Champion see: license agreement)

Song writer and singer George Melly was an atheist.[124] A picture of an overweight George Melly smoking a cigarette can be found HERE.

On April 17, 2007, the Daily Mail reported that George Melly was battling cancer and dementia.[125]

In addition, the Daily Mail reported:

“ The first hint of problems came seven years ago, when George was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is nearly always caused by smoking - George has smoked up to 60 cigarettes a day since his teens.

The condition restricts airflow to the lungs, and the lack of oxygen in the bloodstream means there is not enough blood getting to the organs - most importantly the heart.

George ignored instructions to give up smoking but was put on a vast regime of medication, including diuretics to combat fluid build-up.[126]

”

Dara Ó Briain

Dara Ó Briain is an Irish comedian and he is an atheist.[127] A 2008 picture of an overweight Dara Ó Briain can be found HERE

Picture of an overweight atheist writer Carol Ann Duffy

Carol Ann Duffy, CBE,(born 1955) is a Scottish poet and playwright. Carol Ann Duffy is an atheist.[128] A picture of an overweight Ms. Duffy can be found HERE

Edmund White

Edmund White is a author, literary critic, homosexual and an atheist.[129][130] Photos of an overweight Edmund White can be found HERE and HERE.

Picture of an overweight atheist economist Walter Block

Walter Block is an atheist economist. A picture of an overweight Walter Block can be found HERE.

Atheist author Sir Kingsley William Amis

Sir Kingsley William Amis, CBE (16 April 1922 – 22 October 1995) was an English writer, critic and teacher. Amis was also an atheist.[131] Kingsley Amis was a serial adulterer and drunkard.[132] Sir Kingsley Amis wrote in a memoir: "Now and then I become conscious of having the reputation of being one of the great drinkers, if not one of the great drunks, of our time".[133] A picture of an overweight Sir Kingsley Amis can be found HERE

Overweight atheist origin of life researcher Aleksandr Oparin

Atheist origin of life researcher Aleksandr Oparin

A picture of overweight atheist origin of life researcher Aleksandr Oparin can be found HERE. A biography of Oparin declares: "Ill health dogged Oparin in his final years, and his death in 1980 was probably the result of a heart attack."[134]

Feminist and atheist Rosika Schwimmer

Rosika Schwimmer (1877–1948) was a Hungarian-born feminist and pacifist. Rosika Schwimmer was an atheist.[135] A picture of an overweight Rosika Schwimmer can be found HERE

Marquis de Sade experienced grotesque obesity during his life

The perverse and cruel atheist Marquis de Sade experienced grotesque obesity during his life.[136]

Paul-Henri Thiry

Paul-Henri Thiry, Baron d'Holbach (1723 - 1789) was an early advocate of atheism in Europe and he was overweight. Artwork of an overweight Paul-Henri Thiry can be found HERE

Beth Ditto is a singer who is a lesbian and atheist.[137][138]

See picture source and license agreement

Beth Ditto

Beth Ditto is a singer who is a lesbian and she is also an atheist.[139][140] A 2007 picture of an overweight Beth Ditto is available HERE.

Atheism, homosexuality and obesity

See also: Homosexuality and obesity and Lesbianism and obesity

The Bible declares homosexuality to be a sin (see: Homosexuality and the Bible).

The journalist Peter LaBarbera wrote: "Anyone who has researched the subject of homosexuality knows that many of the most staunch advocates of homosexuality are those who hold a decidedly secular outlook."[141]

Peter LaBarbera also declared:

“ The National Youth Risk Behavior Surveys are given to high schoolers, and the Centers for Disease Control looked at the data from 2001 to 2009 in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin and the cities of Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee, New York City, San Francisco and San Diego, locales where the schools permitted questions about homosexual identity/behavior, which isn’t always the case in less “progressive” areas.

Teens who called themselves “gay, lesbian or bisexual,” or who were unsure, as well as those who didn’t use those labels but had sexual contact only with same-sex people or with both sexes, were found to be more likely than heterosexually identified students to engage in seven out of the 10 risk behavior categories. These were: 1) behaviors that contribute to violence; 2) behaviors related to attempted suicide; 3) tobacco use; 4) alcohol use; 5) other drug use; 6) sexual behaviors; and 7) weight management. (emphasis added)[142]

”

See also: Homosexuality and health and Homosexual Couples and Domestic Violence and Homosexuality and murders and Homosexuality and Illegal Drug Use and Mental Health and Homosexuality and Homosexuality and smoking and Homosexuality Statistics

Lesbianism and obesity

See also: Lesbianism and obesity and Homosexuality and obesity

Lesbians have significantly higher rates of obesity.[143]

In April of 2007, the American Journal of Public Health analyzed data from 2002 National Survey of Family Growth and the data suggested that American lesbian women were 2.69 times more likely to be overweight and 2.47 times more likely to be obese than all other female sexual orientation groups. [144] The abstract for this study indicated that "lesbians are at greater risk for morbidity and mortality linked to overweight and obesity." [144]

Stephen Fry is a homosexual and an atheist.

(photo obtained from Wikimedia Commons, see license agreement)

Chub subculture among male homosexuals

See also: Homosexuality and obesity

Withing the male homosexuality community, there is a subculture of overweight/obese homosexuals which is called the "chub" or "chubby" culture.[145]

Atheism, homosexuality, sin and obesity

Since the Bible declares gluttony and homosexuality to be sins, no doubt there are obese people and/or homosexuals who reject Christianity, despite the abundant evidence for Christianity, and decide to become or remain atheists rather than repent and become Christians.

Evolutionists who have had problems with being overweight and/or obese

See also: Professor PZ Myers fails applied biology

Since World War II a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs methodological naturalism have been atheists.[146]

A list of evolutionists who who have had problems with being overweight and/or obese can be found here:

Evolutionists who have had problems with being overweight and/or obese

Creation Ministries International points out that some evolutionists unreasonably claim that human evolution supposedly has contributed to obesity.[147]

Atheism, obesity and self-esteem

See also: Atheism and self-esteem and Atheism and depression

There are preliminary studies indicating that individuals who reject Christianity in Western cultures have lower self-esteem than the Christian population.[148][149] In addition, obese individuals can have lower self-esteem related to their obesity.[150] In the United States, obese people are often stereotyped as being "lazy, lacking self-discipline and being mentally slow".[151] In March of 2011, USA News and World Report declared that an Arizona State University study suggests that fat stigma has gone global.[152] In addition, parts of the world that once viewed being overweight favorably now hold negative views concerning having extra pounds and also hold negative views concerning overweight individuals.[153] Poor self-esteem has been linked to an increase in suicide attempts and atheists have higher rates of suicide than the general population.[154][155][156]

File:2404429188 ea8f1fc48b.jpg
In the United States, studies indicate significantly more women find atheism unappealing and that the marriage rate for the atheist population is significantly lower than the general population.[157][158][159] In addition, leading atheist websites in the English speaking world receive significantly less web traffic from women according to major web traffic tracking companies.[160]

Atheism, gender, obesity and marriageability

See also: Atheism and marriage

Atheism and rates of marriage in the United States

Christian apologist Michael Caputo wrote:

“ Recently the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has published its mammoth study on Religion in America based on 35,000 interviews. According to the Pew Forum a whopping 37% of atheists never marry as opposed to 19% of the American population, 17% of Protestants and 17% of Catholics.[161] ”

Vox Day declared that according to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) "more than half of all atheists and agnostics don’t get married."[162]

Obese atheists and marriageability

According to the abstract for a paper presented at the 2004 annual meeting of the American Sociological Association: "Obese individuals have fewer dating opportunities, marry later and marry less desirable partners."[163]

Studies indicate that atheists are a minority in the population. Studies also indicate that people tend to marry people with similar values or who resemble their parents or themselves.[164][165] In addition, the Bible teaches Christians not to marry a non-Christian (The Bible also teaches a believer to stay married to a non-believer if you are already married).[166] Also, interfaith marriages often have greater marital friction and interfaith marriages historically have had higher rates of divorce.[167] Therefore, it would not be surprising if obese atheists find it more difficult to find marriage partners and if atheist/theist marriages also have increased marital friction and higher rates of divorce since these two worldviews are so different.

Obese male atheists and marriageability

See also: Atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women

Survey data and website tracking data of prominent atheists' websites indicate that in the Western World, atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women.[168][169][170] Studies also indicate that atheists are a minority in the population.

In September 26, 2008, The Telegraph reported concerning the English population:

“ The proportion of adults in England who are an unhealthy size has soared over the past 15 years with one in four now seriously overweight.

There have always been more obese women than men but the gap between the genders has now been cancelled out.

In addition, the number of overweight women has fallen in recent years while the number of morbidly obese men is rising sharply.[171]

”

Given that atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women, obesity reduces one's marriageability, atheists are a minority in the population and that people tend to marry people with similar values or who resemble their parents or themselves as noted above; this would suggest that obese male atheists may find it more difficult to find prospective female partners for marriage. And of course, militant atheism might make matters even more difficult.

Atheists and physical and mental health related problems associated with obesity

Some of the medical conditions associated with obesity include: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides, coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, arthritis, cancer, sleep apnea, reproductive problems in women and varicose veins.[172] In addition, medical science research indicates that excess weight impairs brain function.[173]

Medical science research indicates that excess weight impairs brain function.[174]

According to the Mayo Clinic some of the symptoms associated with obesity can include:

“
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Snoring
  • Sleep apnea
  • Pain in your back or joints
  • Excessive sweating
  • Always feeling hot
  • Rashes or infection in folds of your skin
  • Feeling out of breath with minor exertion
  • Daytime sleepiness or fatigue
 ”

Concerning the issue of depression, atheists do have higher rates of suicide than the general population.

Obesity and Alzheimer's disease

See also: Obesity and Alzheimer's disease

A PET scan of the brain of an individual with Alzheimer's disease reveals a loss of function in the temporal lobe.

In 2005, WebMD published:

“ People with diabetes are at particularly high risk of Alzheimer's disease. But now there's strong evidence that people with high insulin levels -- long before they get diabetes -- already are on the road to Alzheimer's disease.

As the body becomes more and more overweight, it becomes more and more resistant to the blood-sugar-lowering effects of insulin. To counter this insulin resistance, the body keeps making more insulin...

Insulin Triggers Amyloid Buildup

High insulin levels are known to cause blood vessels to become inflamed....

One dangerous effect of this insulin-caused brain inflammation is increased brain levels of beta-amyloid. Beta-amyloid is the twisted protein that's the main ingredient in the sticky plaques that clog the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

"What was striking was the magnitude of the effect," Craft tells WebMD. "Inflammation can be a result of amyloid elevations but can also create an environment in which amyloid is made more readily. Inflammation can be both the result and cause of amyloid production."[176]

”

A 2009 health report on a medical study indicated:

“ They compared the brain scan of 94 people in their 70s who were obese & overweight. They found that the obese had lost tissue in the frontal & temporal lobes areas critical for planning & memory. Declines were also seen in areas used for attention & executive functions, long term memory & movement

A neurologist Professor Paul Thompson said, “That's a big loss of tissue and it depletes your cognitive reserves, putting you at much greater risk of Alzheimer's and other diseases that attack the brain. But you can greatly reduce your risk for Alzheimer's if you can eat healthily and keep your weight under control.”M[177]

”

Health effects of Alzheimer's disease

See also: Effects of Alzheimer's disease on the brain

Alzheimer's disease is "characterised by loss of neurons and synapses in the cerebral cortex and certain subcortical regions. This loss results in gross atrophy of the affected regions, including degeneration in the temporal lobe and parietal lobe, and parts of the frontal cortex and cingulate gyrus.[178] Some of the primary symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are: memory problems, mood swings, emotional outbursts, brain stem damage which impairs function in the heart, lungs plus causes disruption of various other bodily processes.[179]

An abstract of the medical study entitled Measures to Assess the Noncognitive Symptoms of Dementia in the Primary Care Setting by Brent P. Forester, M.D. and Thomas E. Oxman, M.D. inidcated "Noncognitive symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias include psychosis, mood disturbances, personality changes, agitation, aggression, pacing, wandering, altered sexual behavior, changed sleep patterns, and appetite disturbances. These noncognitive symptoms of dementia are common, disabling to both the patient and the caregiver, and costly."[180]

According to the Center for Neuro Skills:

“ Kolb & Wishaw (1990) have identified eight principle symptoms of temporal lobe damage: 1) disturbance of auditory sensation and perception, 2) disturbance of selective attention of auditory and visual input, 3) disorders of visual perception, 4) impaired organization and categorization of verbal material, 5) disturbance of language comprehension, 6) impaired long-term memory, 7) altered personality and affective behavior, 8) altered sexual behavior.[181] ”

Obesity, dementia, Alzheimer's disease and prevention

See also: Alzheimer's disease and prevention

Weili Xu, a researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, declared: "Our results contribute to the growing evidence that controlling body weight or losing weight in middle age could reduce your risk of dementia".[182]

For more information please see: Alzheimer's disease and prevention

Overcoming obesity with the aid of Christian faith

See also: Overcoming obesity with the aid of Christian faith and Ex-homosexuals

Although effective diets, exercise, or medical interventions can rid a person of excess weight, often merely having effective methods available to lose weight is not enough - very frequently, it takes self-discipline as well.

Peter LaBarbera

On the other hand, besetting sins such as gluttony, sloth, homosexuality and drug addiction can certainly be more effectively conquered with the assistance of Christian faith, self-discipline and of course through diet and exercise well. Peter LaBarbera is the President of Americans for Truth which is an organization which counters the homosexual agenda. Peter LaBarbera declared concerning Christian ex-homosexuals who reported being transformed by the power of God:

“ Another factor from my experience as a close observer of the “ex-gay” phenomenon is that many former homosexuals do not linger in “reparative therapy” programs, or participate in them at all. They attribute their dramatic and (relatively) rapid transformation to the power of God, and likely would not show up in a study of this kind. In fact, these “unstudied” overcomers would appear to be the most successful ex-homosexuals because they’ve moved on with their lives — as “reborn” Christians move on after overcoming any besetting sin.[183] ”

In 1980 a study was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry and eleven men participated in a study about men overcoming homosexuality. The American Journal of Psychiatry stated that eleven homosexual men became heterosexuals "without explicit treatment and/or long-term psychotherapy" through their participation in a Pentecostal church.[184] The results of this study are not surprising since Christian faith has shown itself to be effective in combating drug addiction. For example, Christian group Teen Challenge reported the following:

“ Teen Challenge claims of a 70% cure rate for the drug addicts graduating from their program attracted the attention of the U.S. Federal Government in 1973. Most secular drug rehabilitation programs only experienced a cure rate of 1-15% of their graduates. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, funded the first year of this study to evaluate the long term results of the Teen Challenge program.[185] ”
The prestigious Mayo Clinic found that that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better physical health and mental outcomes.[186]

(photo obtained from Wikimedia Commons, see: license agreement)

Teen Challenge has a number of studies that indicate the high effectiveness of their drug treatment program compared to other programs.[187]

Also, as noted above On December 11, 2001, the prestigious Mayo Clinic reported:

“ In an article also published in this issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic researchers reviewed published studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews and subject reviews that examined the association between religious involvement and spirituality and physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.

The authors report a majority of the nearly 350 studies of physical health and 850 studies of mental health that have used religious and spiritual variables have found that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes.[188]

”

Obese atheists and overweight atheists comedy and satire

See also

External links

Atheism and despair:

Atheism and obesity:

Weight loss resources and tips:

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Notes

  1. ↑ http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/76/12/1225.full.pdf
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ Religious Involvement, Spirituality, and Medicine: Implications for Clinical Practice
  4. ↑ The psycho-social benefits of religious practice by Iona Institute
  5. ↑ McCullogh ME, Larson DB, Hoyt WT. et al. (2000). Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review. Health Psychology. 19, 3. 211-222
  6. ↑ Psychology researcher says spiritual meaning of Christmas brings more happiness than materialism - Scienceblog and University of Warwick
  7. ↑ http://www.dukespiritualityandhealth.org/
  8. ↑ http://www.dukespiritualityandhealth.org/about/
  9. ↑ Research on Spirituality, Theology and Health - Duke University
  10. ↑ http://www.acadc.org/page/page/2495014.htm
  11. ↑ http://www.acadc.org/page/page/2495014.htm
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~ppp/top/top19
  14. ↑ http://www.amazon.com/Nietzsche-Lou-Salome/dp/0252070356
  15. ↑ http://books.google.com/books?id=x4qDrNKVC5gC&pg=PA61&lpg=PA61&dq=Ren%C3%A9+Girard+nietzsche+and+madness&source=bl&ots=DQFLJpqjJd&sig=mXNq_6J6_qTciP2vW-FHojwBn20&hl=en&ei=hv99Sp0Y2YG2B8Ogsf4B&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false
  16. ↑ http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html
  17. ↑ http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/161/12/2303
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 NY Times, September 17, 1894, ATHEISM A CAUSE OF SUICIDE.; Dr. MacArthur Preaches on the Sin and Cowardice of Self-Destruction
  19. ↑ Religious Affiliation and Suicide Attempt
  20. ↑ Atheists and Agnostics Take Aim at Christians The Barna Update, 2007.
  21. ↑ http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/caring/caring-and-happiness-reviews/
  22. ↑ http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html
  23. ↑ http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2008/05/26/the-unbearable-heaviness-of-being-in-a-world-without-god/
  24. ↑ http://atheistwatch.blogspot.com/2010/10/rejection-of-christianity-and-self.html
  25. ↑ http://atheistwatch.blogspot.com/2010/10/atheists-and-self-esteem-part-2.html
  26. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21190929
  27. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20602903
  28. ↑ http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=81459
  29. ↑ http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html
  30. ↑ http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/161/12/2303
  31. ↑ http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html
  32. ↑ NY Times, September 17, 1894, ATHEISM A CAUSE OF SUICIDE.; Dr. MacArthur Preaches on the Sin and Cowardice of Self-Destruction
  33. ↑ http://users.newblog.com/Jkrapture/?post_id=17727
  34. ↑ http://www.americanreligionsurvey-aris.org/reports/NONES_08.pdf
  35. ↑ http://www.livescience.com/culture/090227-religion-men-women.html
  36. ↑ http://www.conservapedia.com/Atheism_appears_to_be_significantly_less_appealing_to_women
  37. ↑ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/11/981112075159.htm
  38. ↑ http://creation.com/atheism
  39. ↑ http://creation.com/atheism
  40. ↑ http://family.jrank.org/pages/1659/Suicide-Marital-Status-Family.html#ixzz1RJRmwSPF
  41. ↑ http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=3213
  42. ↑ http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/caring/caring-and-happiness-reviews/
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/march/21.36.html
  44. ↑ http://users.adam.com.au/bstett/BChristianIncrease12.htm
  45. ↑ http://pewforum.org/Christian/Faith-and-Conflict-The-Global-Rise-of-Christianity.aspx
  46. ↑ http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077
  47. ↑ http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/The-stunning-growth-of-Christianity-in-China.aspx
  48. ↑ http://gratefultothedead.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/the-african-apostles-how-christianity-exploded-in-20th-century-africa/
  49. ↑ http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077
  50. ↑ http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077
  51. ↑ http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077
  52. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21167850
  53. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16539965
  54. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21139122
  55. ↑ http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/28/thriving-christianity
  56. ↑ http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/28/thriving-christianity
  57. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18549987
  58. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19433123
  59. ↑ http://www.wellspringcamps.com/obesity_research.html
  60. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21174323
  61. ↑ http://www.obesitypsychiatry.com/id2.html
  62. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17262813
  63. ↑ http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf
  64. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210054
  65. ↑ http://www.flickr.com/photos/alan-light/229583104/
  66. ↑ http://www.atheists.org/about/Board_of_Directors
  67. ↑ http://www.atheists.org/about/Board_of_Directors
  68. ↑ http://www.flickr.com/photos/reuvenim/4426093513/
  69. ↑ http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/08/thats_not_a_heart_its_a_flaili.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+scienceblogs%2Fpharyngula+%28Pharyngula%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
  70. ↑
  71. ↑ http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/41/18/25.1.full
  72. ↑ http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2009/08/25/as-waistlines-widen-brains-shrink.html
  73. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21121834
  74. ↑ http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/06/the_final_tally_on_the_camp_qu.php
  75. ↑ http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/05/at_least_you_can_see_a_hint_of.php
  76. ↑ "Creation Museum: Is This How World Began?" (ABC News)
  77. ↑ http://www.counterpunch.org/mccarthy02212003.html
  78. ↑ Hitchens on atheism and cancer
  79. ↑ http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/dennett06/dennett06_index.html
  80. ↑ http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4484
  81. ↑
  82. ↑ http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/old-material-dennett-and-mind
  83. ↑ http://creation.com/brain-chemistry-and-the-fate-of-the-personality-after-death
  84. ↑ http://lifewithoutfaith.com/?p=183
  85. ↑ http://www.colorado.edu/philosophy/vstenger/battle.html
  86. ↑ http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/pe/exs190web/exs190history.htm
  87. ↑ Richard Leakey(1983). One Life: An Autobiography (p. 38)
  88. ↑ http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_Leakey.jpg
  89. ↑ http://www.totalgymdirect.com/
  90. ↑ http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55789
  91. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2WLulSQvYU
  92. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2WLulSQvYU
  93. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y3_hrijrHY
  94. ↑ http://www.jmir.org/2009/3/e28/
  95. ↑ http://www.jmir.org/2009/3/e28/
  96. ↑ http://gretachristina.com/personal.html
  97. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcNmqGo4jg8
  98. ↑ http://taslimanasrin.com/
  99. ↑ http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/articles/taslima-nasrin-writer-trial
  100. ↑ http://www.drishtikone.com/node/9364
  101. ↑ http://www.thegoodatheist.net/2009/06/08/i-love-you-stephen-fry/
  102. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1194024/STEPHEN-FRY-How-I-lost-stones-just-months.html
  103. ↑ http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/stephen_fry_backs_tiny_norfolk_theatre_1_842092
  104. ↑ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5015557
  105. ↑ http://lifewithoutfaith.com/?p=183
  106. ↑ http://www.flickr.com/photos/martystone/3435459032
  107. ↑ http://www.axleration.com/apple-co-founder-praises-android/
  108. ↑ http://www.woz.org/letters/general/72.html
  109. ↑ http://oreilly.com/catalog/opensources/book/stallman.html
  110. ↑ http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/kim-il-sung.html
  111. ↑ http://www.accuracyproject.org/cbe-Asimov,Isaac.html
  112. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/1992/04/07/books/isaac-asimov-whose-thoughts-and-books-traveled-the-universe-is-dead-at-72.html?scp=7&sq=Asimov+Isaac&st=cse
  113. ↑ http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/mao-zedong-56.php
  114. ↑ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204791104577107891655666650.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
  115. ↑ http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/12/21/north-koreas-kim-jong-eun-flexes-muscles-with-first-military-order/
  116. ↑ http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/kim-il-sung.html
  117. ↑ http://www.nndb.com/people/261/000024189/
  118. ↑ http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/12/18/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-il-6-has-died/
  119. ↑ http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2007/12/09/q_and_a_with_mikhail_gorbachev/
  120. ↑ http://www.startribune.com/world/17103526.html
  121. ↑ http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1883.html
  122. ↑ http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Malenkow.jpg
  123. ↑ George Melly's battle with cancer and dementia
  124. ↑ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-19211298.html
  125. ↑ George Melly's battle with cancer and dementia
  126. ↑ George Melly's battle with cancer and dementia
  127. ↑ http://postednotes.blogspot.com/2006/07/dara-obriain-atheist-catholic.html
  128. ↑ http://www.literaryconnections.co.uk/resources/duffy.html
  129. ↑ http://newhumanist.org.uk/920/line-of-beauty-laurie-taylor-interviews-edmund-white
  130. ↑ http://www.enotes.com/edmund-white-salem/edmund-white
  131. ↑ http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/andrewbrown/2009/jan/11/religion-amis-hates-god
  132. ↑ http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Kingsley_Amis
  133. ↑ http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Kingsley_Amis
  134. ↑ http://science.howstuffworks.com/dictionary/famous-scientists/chemists/alexander-ivanovich-oparin-info.htm
  135. ↑ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hungarian-Atheists-George-Koestler-Schwimmer/dp/1155532643
  136. ↑ http://www.neilschaeffer.com/sade/bibliography/quills.htm
  137. ↑ http://www.reference.com/browse/bloody-noun
  138. ↑ http://articles.cnn.com/2006-11-24/entertainment/tbr.ditto_1_fat-people-beth-ditto-voice?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ
  139. ↑ http://www.reference.com/browse/bloody-noun
  140. ↑ http://articles.cnn.com/2006-11-24/entertainment/tbr.ditto_1_fat-people-beth-ditto-voice?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ
  141. ↑ http://americansfortruth.com/news/homosexuality-and-atheism.html
  142. ↑ http://americansfortruth.com/2011/06/24/wrong-diagnosis-wrong-cure-harvey-assails-cdcs-pro-gay-youth-spin/#more-9505
  143. ↑ http://bible.org/article/homosexuality-christian-perspective
  144. ↑ 144.0 144.1 Overweight and Obesity in Sexual-Minority Women: Evidence From Population-Based Data, Ulrike Boehmer, Deborah J. Bowen, Greta R. Bauer, American Journal of Public Health, 2007 Jun;97(6):1134-40. E pub 2007 Apr 26.
  145. ↑ http://www.chacha.com/question/what-is-a-chub
  146. ↑
  147. ↑ http://creation.com/smithsonian-evolution-top-10-consequences
  148. ↑ http://atheistwatch.blogspot.com/2010/10/rejection-of-christianity-and-self.html
  149. ↑ http://atheistwatch.blogspot.com/2010/10/atheists-and-self-esteem-part-2.html
  150. ↑ http://www.rcgd.isr.umich.edu/crockerlab/articles/2005_Crocker_Garcia_Self-Esteem_&_Stigma_of_Obesity.pdf
  151. ↑ http://www.rcgd.isr.umich.edu/crockerlab/articles/2005_Crocker_Garcia_Self-Esteem_&_Stigma_of_Obesity.pdf
  152. ↑ http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/diet/articles/2011/03/31/health-buzz-fat-stigma-spreading-across-world
  153. ↑ http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/diet/articles/2011/03/31/health-buzz-fat-stigma-spreading-across-world
  154. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20602903
  155. ↑ http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html
  156. ↑ http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/161/12/2303
  157. ↑ http://www.americanreligionsurvey-aris.org/reports/NONES_08.pdf
  158. ↑ http://www.livescience.com/culture/090227-religion-men-women.html
  159. ↑ http://creation.com/atheism
  160. ↑ http://conservapedia.com/Atheism_appears_to_be_significantly_less_appealing_to_women#Prominent_general_atheist_websites_appear_to_receive_significantly_less_traffic_from_women
  161. ↑ http://creation.com/atheism
  162. ↑ http://creation.com/atheism
  163. ↑ http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/0/9/0/5/p109057_index.html
  164. ↑ http://www.physorg.com/news199509031.html
  165. ↑ http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/6188
  166. ↑ http://www.gotquestions.org/household-salvation.html
  167. ↑ http://blogs.chron.com/believeitornot/2010/06/interfaith_marriages_more_like_1.html
  168. ↑ http://www.americanreligionsurvey-aris.org/reports/NONES_08.pdf
  169. ↑ http://www.livescience.com/culture/090227-religion-men-women.html
  170. ↑ http://www.conservapedia.com/Atheism_appears_to_be_significantly_less_appealing_to_women
  171. ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3085436/Men-set-to-overtake-women-in-obesity-stakes-official-figures-show.html
  172. ↑
  173. ↑
  174. ↑
  175. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/obesity/DS00314/DSECTION=symptoms
  176. ↑ Obesity and Alzheimer's: High Insulin Levels Linked to Alzheimer's
  177. ↑ Obese people are more at risk of Alzheimer’s
  178. ↑ http://www.news-medical.net/health/Neurodegeneration-in-Alzheimers-and-Parkinsons.aspx
  179. ↑ http://www.dementiacarecentral.com/node/559
  180. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC419385/
  181. ↑ http://www.neuroskills.com/tbi/btemporl.shtml
  182. ↑ Obesity in Middle Age May Increase Risk of Dementia
  183. ↑ http://www.americansfortruth.com/news/landmark-study-change-for-homosexuals-is-possible.html
  184. ↑ E.M. Pattison and M.L. Pattison, "'Ex-Gays': Religiously Mediated Change in Homosexuals," American Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 137, pp. 1553-1562, 1980
  185. ↑ http://www.acadc.org/page/page/2495014.htm
  186. ↑ http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/76/12/1225.full.pdf
  187. ↑ http://www.acadc.org/page/page/2495014.htm
  188. ↑ http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/76/12/1225.full.pdf
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