Sure religion can provide comfort for the gullible, but it's mind-control and cruel deception. Like stopping drinking, there are withdrawal symptoms, but you're better off in the long run.

Andrew Milner, Karuizawa, Japan

Oh of course. Because life was a total blast in, say, the Middle Ages, when the option of being a non-believer did't exist, wasn't it?

What nonsense these people are talking. THEY make ME unhappy.

Claire, Paris,

John - no, the opposite is true.
Atheists definitely don't "eqate a sense of higher purpose in life with belief in 'sky pixies' ..."
We have a sense of higher purpose totally without any sky pixies.
It's a sense of living peacefully together and creating a better world - without religion.

alan, germany,

It really amazes me how many atheists equate a sense of higher purpose in life with belief in "sky pixies" etc.

Unhappiness is caused by the lowering of our sense of purpose - that instant consumer gratification can be the ONLY worthy pursuit in life.

Consumerism is the new religion. Sad.

John, London,

True happiness lies within each of us, and not in any religion.

Religion is Patriarchal and a means of control over others.

We are all Gods/Goddesses in the making, but no one else can do it for you.

Lady Portia, London, UK

The authors argue that if values related to relationships, responsibility, trust, self-esteem and potential – all with their roots in the Judeo-Christian beliefs that once underpinned Western legislative philosophy


arent these also values of the ancient greeks for example?

fred, london,

P.1087 - §4 Institutional religion cannot afford inspiration and provide leadership in this impending world-wide social reconstruction and economic reorganization because it has unfortunately become more or less of an organic part of the social order and the economic system which is destined to undergo reconstruction. Only the real religion of personal spiritual experience can function helpfully and creatively in the present crisis of civilization.

Roberto Lara, London, UK

In the Urantia Papers from Paper 99 to Paper 103 is explained the problems of Religion and society as well as the complexities of modern society.

Roberto Lara, London, UK

Oh of course Des of Edinburgh. I forgot how much of a utopia society was before food and fuel prices soured and other money problems came about.

Ali, Sydney,

True happiness can only be found in Jesus Christ and his Holy Catholic Church. Without that, everything else that the world has to offer pales in comparison. What could be better than the promise of eternal life in heaven with the author of eternal life, Jesus Christ? Sola Gratia !!

Ray, San Antonio, TX USA,

Very interesting that Christian M.P'sshould acknowledge this, but what do you expect when parliament have themselves thrown out one by one many Christian values, the ten commandments on which our statutes were built upon have been turned upside down in order to please to many minority groups.

Mrs Margaret Elward, Bridgend, Glam

What nonsense. Unhappiness is caused by soaring food and fuel prices, the inability of young people to get on the housing ladder, and the proposed abolition of the 10p tax rate - to name but a few causes. The thought of having to put some of my money on a church collection plate makes me ill.

Des, Edinburgh,

Happiness should not come from faith in an intangible creature from a fairy tale. Strive to better yourself and take comfort from knowing that you are becoming a better creature.

Justin, Bristol,

Well I supose fairy tales can make you happy and the truth is often bleak.

Arnold Ward, Weybridge, Surrey, UK

A few inspired words:
Matthew 24:12: And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Hebrews 10:39: But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Matthew 5:5: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

D Griffing, Naples, Long Beach

Responsibility, trust, self-esteem and potential are all key elements of Norse polytheism.................and quite frankly, a lot more appealing to me than that middle-eastern tripe.

Even so, I think I have deliberated long enough, I shall remain an agnostic who doubts God(s) existence. Thanks.

Alan Robinson, Bjerreby, Denmark

Yep,
there is no glory in following a weak faith, and since the Christians have become limp wristed softies we have become dissapointed and let down!
Strength through faith, and faith through strength!

Pete, St Albans, England

I believe the root of misery lies in selfishness, especially deciding to have fewer children (sharing and love is taught by babies - children to their parents and community). Abortion is worse - preventing a life, and oneself from loving the unborn.

D.Gieringer, USA

Dave Gieringer, Little Rock, USA

We're miserable because of excessive government interference in our lives on things that are unimportant and little government action in areas that are important.

We're taxed to the hilt but find our taxes squandered by a profligate government unable to organise a booze up in a brewery.

Dai, Edinburgh, Scotland

I applaud the MP's for their boldness. The anti-Christ feeling in some people is so strong they've lost all objectivity about Christianity and it's benefits to humanity.

By the way, Christ came to "reconnect" us to the "Father" and other people. Self[ishness] is the root of evil. It is not Religion

David Pitan, Surrey, UK

They are stating the obvious I would have thought

Eddie, Bolton, uk

We dont need a god, what we need is a proper govement that does not try and take every penny we earn with tax, to give to their friends!

No one feels like working or dogin any thing when 70% of what you earn is stolen in tax, and more often than not taxed 3 times now!

Mr W Jones, Liverpool, England

I'm Christian but missed churche yesterday so I could see who was kicked out of the NANCY contest on BBC 1. Sometimes other things are a little more important in life !!!! May God strike me down wiith a thunder bolt !!!!

Ian Payne, WALSALL,

It surpises me not that the Atheists are crying foul. Apparently their way of looking at the world is the only one for 'independent' minded individuals. Utter nonsense. Many people are very happy knowing God through independent thought. To Andrew in Cardiff what do you define as good?

Steven, Buckhurst Hill,

Ah, the happiness of the fool.
As the saying goes, ignorance is bliss and you can't get much more ignorant than making up ludicrous stories about gods and stuff and then go around believing it.
So, yeah, what a great idea, believe in fairies and you'll be happy. Reality be damned!

Bill, Glasgow,

The catty comments by those who'd reject the (often secularised) research suggesting that some spirituality improves happiness etc...One can't help but feel it was no coincidence that "you've never had it so good" co-existed with a still mighty church acting as the centre of the community.

Owen Edwards, Welwyn Garden City, United Kingdom

Margaret, where do you get your wisdom from? Atheists MOST DEFINITELY don't have to be miserable; unfulfilled or frightened. I'm not.
But what about you?
Are you truly happy hoping (doubting) that all you've been conned to believe is right, and fearing it might all be wrong?
This must be worrying.

alan, germany,

this article and the MPs danced around the issue. Without a strong belief in God, without a strong hope for eternal life, and without some sense of good behavior any individual WILL MOST DEFINITELY be miserable, unfulfilled and frightened. Prosperity or popularity cant last nor can such happines

Margaret Hamilton, Minneapolis, USA

Some of these hostile comments towards Christians suggest perhaps a secret longing by their writers to discover the objective, evidence-based trust in Christ shared by believing Christians around the world. It's no surprise that people are happier living without guilt or fearing death.

Freddie, London, UK

We really ought to listen to these people because they know best.
Their faith may be based on flimsy, contradictory evidence from a time when the population was largely illiterate, uneducated and would believe anything, but still we should smile and follow them in their march back to the dark ages.

Perce, Hinckley,

“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.” - Seneca

One of the truest sentences ever written.

Kieran, Leeds, UK

Sorry Gary. But you exactly make their case. You are equating riches with happiness.

The whole point is that the second of these does NOT follow from the first. Rather, Jesus calls us to follow him in abandoning our reliance upon power and wealth.

I know him, I love him, and I am fulfilled.

Keith, London,

I as a Muslim agree with my Christians brothers and sisters that if you ignore God then dont expect to have a fulfilled life. We have to follow our Creator and reject yearly updated political morality. God gave us a brain to think. If we use it for important things then God would bestows happiness.

Z Hussain, Rochdale, UK

Christians and heathens are equally unhappy. Christianity has never promised happiness in this life but in the next.

M't:19:24: It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Gary Mason, St Albans, UK

What rubbish! Happiness doesn't depend on having a faith. And not having a faith has nothing to do with "absence of moral values".
On the contrary, the joy of intellectual freedom comes only when religious shackles are cast aside.
This freedom, plus individual responsiblity, enables real happiness

alan, germany,

I find it quite scary that so many of the people who are supposed to represent us still have a sky pixie fixation. Why is it that there seems to be such a greater proportion in parliament than in the general population? Yet again they repeat the great lie that you need religion to be good/happy.

Andrew_in_Cardiff, Cardiff, UK

Of course most people understand that blind faith in religious fairy stories has nothing to do with values related to relationships, responsibility, trust, self esteem and potential.

People can be perfectly happy and live good lives without any of this superstitious nonsense.

Stuart, Lincoln,

When I was old enough for independent conscious thought, at about 14, I realised that there are no gods.
The only difference between the current religions and the obsolete religions of the Greeks, Romans and Vikings is that the current religions are more complicated.
Wellbeing is knowing that.

Ian, Solihull, UK

Thanks Ruth, this sounds like an interesting report. Could you let me know how to get hold of a copy? It's a subject I'm keen to do some more research on. The Australian Christian reseachers have been looking at the links between wellbeing and faith and have come up with some interesting findings.

Benita Hewitt, Kettering, UK