Go to Church or Play a Game?
November 12, 2005
Is achieving happiness the goal of life? A survey concluded that people who go to church are a bit happier than people who don’t go to church. (So… ?)
EconLog, Go to Church or Play a Game?, Bryan Caplan: Library of Economics and Liberty
[The survey] strongly suggests that the psychological benefits people get from religion stem from the social aspect, and not the doctrine. So while people often use findings like this to make a pragmatist’s case for religion, a better interpretation is that people would be happier if they joined a group of some sort with regular meetings. It doesn’t have to be a church; it could just as well be a regular gaming group. Back in high school, I did both, and guess which one gave me more happiness!
If your church is not there to provide the psychological benefit of happiness, why is it there?
Augustine, a wise man from the distant past, once said that you and I were born “with a God shaped void” in our hearts. We were born with a built-in need to know the God who created us, and without dumping the full theological load on you I’ll just assert that your church exists to help fill this void.
This may or may not provide you with psychological benefits, but your church should point you toward the only source of real peace and joy, and that is no little thing. Joy in life is quite different from happiness and much more desirable.
I don’t mean to ride my religious hobby-horse here. I am mainly suggesting that it is a mistake to elevate happiness to the position of the greatest good.
Dave, usually happy anyway.
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