Looking around and trying to understand

Militant atheists try, these days, to convince people that religion is bad for children. (Obviously, they quote no studies. They back it up by emotionalism, sophisticated word choices, and whatever negative anecdotes they can find.)So I hope to compile a real list of studies that say something on the topic.Studies that compare, statistically, children who believe the christian claims and those who do not, and who measures the results to things generally regarded as good, even by unbelievers.

Like this example :

Positive Life Outcomes
Moreover, that religious participation seems to be having a positive effect on youth. The researchers noted, “In general, for whatever reasons and whatever the causal directions, more highly religiously active teenagers are doing significantly better in life on a variety of important outcomes than are less religiously active teens.”…………Data suggested that, compared to their less religiously active peers, more religiously active kids were less likely to engage in illegal substance abuse; use the Internet to view pornography; get lower school grades ; get suspended or expelled from school; be described by parents as fairly or very rebellious; lie to parents; or to have engaged in sex before marriage. Less religious involvement also correlated to a poorer self-image, greater sadness and feelings of depression.Conversely, Smith and Denton said, the more religiously devoted teenagers were, the less likely they were to believe in relativistic morality, and the more likely they were to say they cared about the needs of the poor and the elderly, as well as “about equality between different racial groups.”

While admitting that other factors may enter into this equation — such as personality types — the researchers stated: “Something about religion itself causes the good outcomes for youth. By general implication, teens who increase their religious involvement should, net of other factors, reduce their chances of experiencing negative and harmful outcomes,” and vice versa.

And in a report called Third Millenium teens, brought out by the Barna Research group in 1999, the following statistics was found:

Research shows that when young people lack a basic biblical belief system, it negatively affects their attitudes.

As a result they are:

• 225% more likely to be angry with life
• 216% more likely to be resentful
• 210% more likely to lack purpose in life
• 200% more likely to be disappointed in life.

The research also shows that our young people’s failure to adopt a foundational Christian belief system negatively impacts their behavior:

• 48% more likely to cheat on an exam200% more likely to steal
• 200% more likely to physically hurt someone
• 300% more likely to use illegal drugs
• 600% more likely to attempt suicide.

Quoted in Josh McDowell’s book, “The Last Christian Generation.”Just a word of caution: “Having a Biblical belief system” goes a lot deeper than merely professing Christianity. Thus, the mere fact that a child calls himself a Christian do not mean he is that much better off in statistical terms.I’d appreciate some help in this endeavour, since I do not even know where to look for this kind of statistics. Perhaps someone who read this knows:

Do anyone knows of psychologists who witness that religion is good for children? And what good mean to them in that regard. (I know I once read in a magazine that a psychologist recommends that even atheist or agnostic parents tell their little kids -tots and preschoolers and early grades- there is a God who cares for them and look after them, since it has an enormous benefit in making them feel safe and loved. I cannot remember who it was or where I read it.)

Studies that show religion is good for humans (make them happier, make them live longer, make them healthier) apparently also exist and I’d like to know where.

So, I’d appreciate it if any of you can give me internet links to any study that shows ways in which religion has a positive effect on humans. If it shows a positive effect on children, specifically, even better. But remember: For the sake of the kind of argument I am trying to make, being more religious or living closer to God is not, in itself, a positive effect.

The point of this:

If you are a parent, please work hard on teaching your child Christian values. Read up on how to best teach it to a generation who might even misunderstand basic words like “truth”, “judgement”, “God’s love” etc., due to their cultural conditioning. If you are a Sunday school teacher or youth worker: Please be encouraged: Do even more to teach real Christian values- not water-down-for-kids versions of Christian values.

Whoever you are, if you meet or read the sort of bigoted campaigner who try to tell you that teaching kids about God “corrupts their innocent minds,” or whatever, tell everyone how ridiculous the campaigners are. They are trying to “protect” children from a world view that apparently gives purpose, lessens anger and dissappointment with life, improve their school marks, protects them from drugs and keep them away from suicide.