A Harvard study reveals that children who had a religious upbringing will likely be healthier and have a higher degree of well-being in early adulthood.
Source: Harvard Study Reveals Religious Upbringing Better for Kids’ Health, Well-Being | The Stream
“Researchers found that people who attended religious services weekly or who practiced prayer or meditation daily in their youth reported having a higher life satisfaction and positivity in their 20s.
“Individuals were found less likely to smoke, have symptoms of depression, use illicit drugs, or have sexually transmitted infections than people who engaged in less regular spiritual practices…
“Results show that those who went to religious services at least once a week as children were about 18 percent more likely to report higher levels of happiness as young adults between the ages of 23 and 30 than those who didn’t.”
Nothing surprising, at least to me, here! Sadly, the article goes on to note,
“Though the positive effects of growing up in a religious household is clear, religiosity in America is declining, particularly among millennials.”
That is indeed sad. But let us hope that pendulum too, begins to swing back. It would be to the advantage of the individuals concerned, as well as to society as a whole, if it were to do so!