Searching For The Key To Happiness? Look No More
So What's The Key to Happiness?
Liberals Say Follow The Science
So Why Don't Big West Coast Cities Embrace The Answer?
A look at the list of the 8 Least Religious Cities In America finds half of them are located on the West Coast. Three of them are less religious than Las Vegas - Sin City - at number four! Portland, OR is number two and San Jose, CA is number three. So which city is Number One, and is being one of the least religious cities in America a problem? Well, it depends. Do YOU want to be happy?
Do Science And Religion Agree? On Happiness They Do
Scientific American says,
people who lack a creed are less likely to be healthy and happy,...some estimates suggest. [they] tend to lose out on at least seven years of life, ..Several large-scale population studies have reinforced a single premise: the more you engage in religious activities, the better off you are.
Why it matters to Washington
SEATTLE leads the list of the Ten Least Religious Cities in America. Seattle and King County are the economic and political hubs of the state. Decisions made there affect all Washingtonians. Their mood, lifestyle, and ideology impact the rest of the state.
In 2022 Seattle's criminal contribution helped Washington State lead the nation in reported Property Crimes at 3,356.41 per 100,000 people. That's 14-hundred more than the National Average. Last year Seattle recorded 72 homicides, making 2023 the highest record year for murder in 44 years. Per capita, Chicago is safer than Seattle. Little wonder a recent report says Seattle was selected as the most anxious city in America, according to survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Science would indicate Seattle needs a strong dose of what they reject - religion.
READ MORE: Is California The Most Miserable State in Which To Live?
Religious Activity Creates Better Communities
What's the antidote to Anxiety? What brings greater happiness, well-being, less depression, and more community engagement through charities and clubs? The Pew Research Center found all of this to be true of people who are active in their religion.
The Pew Research found
Happiness: In the U.S., 36% of the actively religious describe themselves as “very happy,” compared with just 25% of the inactively religious and 25% of the unaffiliated.
If Unhappiness Is A Virus, Religion Is The Cure
A European study found that participating in a religious organization was the only social activity associated with sustained happiness—even more than volunteering for a charity, taking educational courses, or participating in a political or community organization. The study concludes - It’s as if a sense of spirituality and an active, social religious practice were an effective vaccine against the virus of unhappiness.
45 Images of What Happiness Looked Like in Boise, Idaho in 2022
Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart
RARE: An Inside Video Tour of 15 Upstate New York Historic and Stunning Churches, Cathedrals, and Chapels. WOW!
Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio