So much for religious ppl being more righteous so this study/paper concludes. What do you think of it?

Question

So much for religious people being more righteous than non-believers.

Sure-to-be-controversial new research shows that religious and non-religious people are equally likely to misbehave. The only difference between the groups is that religious people show stronger emotional reactions to moral and immoral deeds.

“To our knowledge, it’s the first study that directly assesses how morality plays out in people’s everyday lived experience,” Dr. Linda Skitka, a psychologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the co-author of a paper describing the research, said in a written statement.

For the study, the researchers recruited 1,252 men and women between the ages of 18 and 68. The study participants, all of whom were from the U.S. or Canada, completed an initial survey to indicate their level of religiosity -- from "not at all" to "very much." The survey also showed where the men and women fell on the political spectrum, from "very liberal" to "very conservative."

? · Accepted Answer

Definitely confirms my experience -- if you think of "religiosity" as attending church, my observation over and over is that people in churches are no more friendly than people outside of churches. Since Love Thy Neighbor is the second greatest commandment, one can reasonably see people outside of churches as at least equally "moral" as those in churches.

I'm sure there are very friendly churches and very unfriendly regions and neighborhoods also, so there will be plenty of examples in either direction. But the broad conclusion is just what I've experienced.

I'm sure there are very friendly churches and very unfriendly regions and neighborhoods also, so there will be plenty of examples in either direction.  But the broad conclusion is just what I've experienced.

? · Answer

Did you know that celeberties fart and use the bathroom just like we do? Oh, you thought they weren't people too? You're research is so hilarious I feel like I'm gonna bring it up later in some random conversation. LOL. We are all people, no kidding. Can you call a person religious if they act like any other non-religious person out there? No. Can you call a person a celebrity if they haven't gotten any fame? No. See the obvious? So, whoever came up with that "Research" has got to be somewhere between uneducated and inexperienced.

? · Answer

No christian that I ever knew, ever said, " religeous people are more righteous than anyone else." In fact most real christians realize how completely {unrighteous} they are. " For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." [ Romans 3:23 ] We are all sinners, the difference is, a true christian has been granted forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. " The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." [ Romans 6:23 ]
So when you speak of "religious people", you can't be talking about christian's, just wanted to clear that up, thanks.

zu zu · Answer

You need to be a rock to know what a rock feels or thinks.  You can study watermelons as the strawberry you are and you will come up with a strawberry's perspective of a watermelon. That's what I think of it

Raatz · Answer

Doesn't surprise me there was no strictly religious effect. Also doesn't surprise me there was conservative (authority/tribe loyalty based) vs liberal (fairness/honestly) difference, which has a large overlap.

Anonymous · Answer

Religious people are not more righteous. SPIRITUAL PEOPLE ARE MORE RIGHTEOUS. What matters is having a genuine relationship with God.

God is so loving. He is so understanding. He is so merciful...

Love God first and foremost.
Love others as you love yourself.

LOVE IS THE KEY TO HAPPINESS

MOMMAH · Answer

Um, you know PEOPLE LIE right.. I'm sure that you can find some folks in your own NEIGHBORHOOD who wear the CHRISTIAN t-shirt but is NOT...So, I say this to say.. .There ARE some of those who SAY they are CHRISTIAN and really are NOT.

? · Answer

I don't believe religious are righteous even if they think so themselves, I have found them arrogant and haughty.

Mack · Answer

Reasonable, since no deities are supplying morals, everyone uses their personal set.

Teddy · Answer

Wow! I get all my news from Yahoo. (And then dance with leprechauns at night.)

GIGO still lives.

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So much for religious ppl being more righteous so this study/paper concludes. What do you think of it?

11 Answers