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+--- Thread: Religiosity explains poverty's lesser effect on well-being in underdeveloped nations? (/thread-11925.html)
Religiosity explains poverty's lesser effect on well-being in underdeveloped nations? - C C - Mar 17, 2022
https://www.psypost.org/2022/03/a-low-income-has-less-of-an-effect-on-well-being-in-underdeveloped-nations-and-religiosity-might-explain-why-62738
INTRO: Poverty has a weaker impact on well-being in developing countries, and a new study suggests that national religiosity can explain this effect. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest that religion helps alleviate the mental toll of poverty.
The psychological toll of poverty has been widely documented. Scientists have been hopeful that these negative effects will weaken as developing countries improve economically and become more able to care for low socioeconomic status (SES) citizens. But in direct contrast to this notion, recent studies have suggested that the psychological burden of poverty is actually stronger in developed nations.
Study authors Jana B. Berkessel and her team proposed that this surprising effect might be explained by greater religiosity in underdeveloped nations. The researchers explain that world religions tend to include norms that offer comfort in the face of poverty while disparaging wealth. Because developing nations tend to be more religious than developed nations, these countries should have more religious norms in place to alleviate the mental burden of poverty... (MORE - details)
RE: Religiosity explains poverty's lesser effect on well-being in underdeveloped nations? - Magical Realist - Mar 17, 2022
Definitely explains the appeal of Christianity in it's early days, as being a spirituality of the poor people. Many quotes of Jesus eschewing the life of materialistic gain and wealth, motivating a life of humility and asceticism. This side of Jesus' teaching is generally overlooked in modern Christian denominations though, which are more intent on sustaining the status quo and a life of prosperity.
RE: Religiosity explains poverty's lesser effect on well-being in underdeveloped nations? - Leigha - Mar 22, 2022
Yea, ^^ that's known as the ''prosperity gospel'' which isn't at all what Jesus preached. I've read about churches like that where the preachers/pastors are basically saying that if your life doesn't look like the 'American dream,' then you need to tithe more so that your ''favor from God'' will be doubled...and then they mix in a Scripture word salad with enough truth to confuse the vulnerable.