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===Atheism and suicide===

===Atheism and suicide===

:''See also:'' [[Atheism and depression]] and [[Atheism and suicide]] and [[Hopelessness of atheism]] and [[Atheism, gender and suicide]] and [[Atheism, marriage and suicide]]

:''See also:'' [[Atheism and suicide]] and [[Atheism and depression]] and [[Hopelessness of atheism]] and [[Atheism, gender and suicide]] and [[Atheism, marriage and suicide]]

Although there are recent studies relating to [[Atheism and suicide|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 Stuart MacArthur]].<ref>Multiple references:

Although there are recent studies relating to [[Atheism and suicide|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 Stuart MacArthur]].<ref>Multiple references:

[[Image:Desperation_man.jpg‎ |thumb|left|200px|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."]]

[[Image:Desperation_man.jpg‎ |thumb|left|200px|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."]]

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

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

{{cquote|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.<ref>Dervic, Kanita, et al. (December 2004).  [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15569904 "Religious affiliation and suicide attempt" [abstract&#93;]. ''The American Journal of Psychiatry'', vol. 161:12, pp. 2303-8.  Abstract: National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Pub Med</ref>}}

{{cquote|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."<ref>http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html</ref>}}

For more information please see:  

For more information please see: