Religious Activity Does Not Lower Blood Pressure.

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So religion makes you fattier (according to previous studies) and now not only does not help with blood pressure, but according to recent studies may even increase blood pressure.

Do you think these studies have gotten out of hand or do you think there is some validity to them? More specifically this one.

Bigger sample.

I've seen one that also says religion makes you dumber.

I'll keep silent on my own opinion about it.

I thought it was something to the effect of if you have brain damage you're more susceptible to being religious.

(I'm not trolling.)

If that's the case I can see why religion is so common.

Link(s)?

Actually, an examination of demographics easily reveals that the more educated a person is, the less likely they are to be religious. I'm not slamming religion in the least, just stating a noted fact.

The incredibly relevant hypertensive religious demographic must be shitting themselves right now.

Those blasted fools!

I think blood pressure is a more viable measured link to religious activity than weight gain. With weight gain there are many factors which exceed the normal religious activity, whereas in the case of blood pressure there does not exist too many varying factors.

Are you actually being serious?

But activities like prayer have much the same health benefits as meditation (it basically is meditation).

This is the reason why a cure to cancer hasn't been found yet. Some dumb f^cks are trying to figure stuff like this out first. My eyes are bleeding while my head is shaking.

You know, if people left religion alone regardless of their opinions and pride, people might actually get stuff done for once.

religion just makes you dumber.

I do agree with you that prayer is basically meditation, however, my religious family would not see it that way in the least. They believe that prayer is truly talking to God while meditation is a sin because it empties the mind, which allows Satan to get in. No joke, that's what my old church believed.

Like I said, I agree with you. But never tell a religious person that meditation and prayer are similar. You'll get bellowed at, poor guy. :-(

Except, this has no relevance to the research to cure cancer.
It's a study to get a more in depth look at our mental demographics that relates to a drastic majority of the human population.
The more we know about ourselves as humans, the more answers we can unlock to better ourselves including that of medicinal properties.

Meditation and prayer are similar in mental stance taken to alleviate outside influences and essentially "clear" one's mind. However, the motivations therein are quite different, and unfortunately, as demonstrated by your folks and other religious followers, it becomes rather counter-productive to being in the likeness of meditation. If anything that attitude is downright unhealthy.

Religion doesn't make you dumber.
It makes you more closed-minded and prejudiced.

It shouldn't surprise anyone to learn that openly devoutly
religious people have higher blood pressure. They tend to be "Type-A" people (people who prefer control, order, discipline, predictability, etc.).

Activities like prayer and meditation aren't religion however. They're merely tools used by religion. I'm sure there's ancient religions that had foot races in honor of Gods, but you don't go saying running and runners are all religious activities for religious people.

There's other types of meditation than zen meditation though. It doesn't all have to be clearing the mind to attain enlightenment (yeah I think it's very selfish and counterproductive actually too, this kind all the time)

Hmmm yeah, I mean meditation is kind of a universal activity as far as what you do, but the motivations and purpose therein is what changes it from zen to prayer or otherwise. I hope that sorta makes sense.

Agreed! Maybe not a sample exclusively from the Mid-West too!

I quit smoking and got fatter, think that may have something to do with religion?

You two do make sense, Artemicion and Hohenheim. It's unfortunate, but true. I was given the silent treatment for weeks after my stepmother found out I signed up for a yoga class in college, because the meditation was sure to just turn me into a demonic little nymph. At least in her opinion. :/

I was surprised at Elanabelle's pointing out that many religious people are Type A personalities. I had never thought about it so it startled me, but in my experience, that is also very true. (Obviously my experience is limited to my family, and many of them have the same personality types just for all being in the same family, however. So my experience is not exactly an unbiased and perfect thing to base ideas of off.)

Indeed the sample is far too small to give any significant or conclusive results. Need thousands to even get a hint at what correlation there is between the dos and donts, especially with something as wishy-washy and vague as religion.

Not to mention there are countless subjective and relative conditions that trigger the same outcome. Too much conflicting data to give a concrete answer.

Since when is this true at all?

I feel for ya... seems like kind of an uncomfortable situation. But do you seriously think this is how all religious people are?

Since never. Just a baseless generalization.

Not all, certainly. Just the ones I grew up with. Admittedly, that is a very small group for me to take my impressions from. I grew up in a very strict Baptist household, and I highly doubt all Baptists are even as gung-ho about the whole thing as my parents are, much less other denominations or other religions entirely.

Yeah, most Buddhists I know, for example, don't fit that description at all.