Atheists have better sex lives than followers of religion who are plagued with guilt

[Brynhild]

An interesting read

Atheists have far better sex lives than religious people who are plagued with guilt during intercourse and for weeks afterwards, researchers have found.

A study discovered that non-believers are more willing to discuss sexual fantasies and are more satisfied with their experiences.

Both groups of people admitted that they carried out the same activities such as masturbation, watching pornography, having oral sex and pursuing affairs.

But followers of religion did not enjoy the experiences as much due to the stigma created by their belief systems, the study found. It left them with intense feelings of regret after they had climaxed.

The findings emerged in the 'Sex and Secularism' survey of more than 14,500 people carried out by psychologist Darrel Ray and Amanda Brown from Kansas University.

All of the people who were questioned were found to have sex around the same number of times a week. They also became sexually active at similar ages.

But devoutly religious people rated their sex lives far lower than atheists. They also admitted to strong feelings of guilt afterwards.

Strict religions such as Mormons ranked highest on the scale of sexual guilt. Their average score was 8.19 out of 10. They were followed closely behind by Jehovah's Witness, Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist, and Baptist.

Catholics rated their levels of sexual guilt at 6.34 while Lutherans came slightly lower at 5.88 . In contrast, atheists and agnostics ranked at 4.71 and 4.81 respectively.
The highs and lows: Religious people had as much sex as non-believers but they felt bad afterwards and often preyed for forgiveness (file picture)

The highs and lows: Religious people had as much sex as non-believers but they felt bad afterwards and often preyed for forgiveness (file picture)

The study found that in individuals, the stronger their religious beliefs were the more powerful their feelings of sexual regret.
RELIGION 'MAY AFFECT HEALTH OF BRAIN'

Followers of certain religions may have healthier brains that are less likely to develop Alzheimer's, scientists have claimed.

Researchers measured changes in the hippocampus are of the brain in a number of patients. The area is responsible for memory and learning.

All human brains shrink slightly with age and reduction in the size of the hippocampus has been linked to Alzheimer's.

But Protestants were found to have significant less atrophy, or wastage, in that area of the brain that Catholics, non-religious groups and born-again Protestants.

Participants who said that they had had life-changing religious experiences were also found to have large hipppocampus regions.

Experts hope that the findings might lead to preventative measures against brain deterioration.

Researcher Amy from Duke University Medical Centre in Durham, New York, said: 'One interpretation of our finding - that members of majority religious groups seem to have less atrophy compared with minority religious groups - is that when you feel your beliefs and values are somewhat at odds with those of society as a whole, it may contribute to long-term stress that could have implications for the brain.'

Of people raised in very religious homes, 22.5 per cent said they were shamed or ridiculed for masturbating compared with only 5.5 percent of people brought up in the least religious homes.

Some 79.9 per cent of people raised in very religious homes said they felt guilty about a specific sexual activity or desire while 26.3 per cent of those raised in secular homes did.

Worryingly, children raised in strongly religious homes were more likely to get their sex education from pornography, as they were not confident enough to talk with their parents.

However, there was some good news for religious groups. People who had lost their belief and became atheists reported a significant improvement in sexual satisfaction.

People who had left their beliefs behind said their sex lives were 'much improved' and rated their new experiences on average as 7.81 out of ten.

The finding dispelled conventional wisdom that feelings of guilt can continue to trouble people after the religion has faded.

'We did think that religion would have residual effects in people after they left but our data did not show this. That was a very pleasant surprise. The vast majority seem to shake it off and get on with their sexual lives pretty well,' Darrel told alternet.org.

He added: 'Our data shows that people feel very guilty about their sexual behaviour when they are religious, but that does not stop them: it just makes them feel bad.

'Of course, they have to return to their religion to get forgiveness. It's like the church gives you the disease, then offers you a fake cure.'

[Loddfafner]

I would expect the opposite result: that fundies have better sex because just about everything has all the lure of the forbidden.

[Óttar]

I believe that sexuality and spirituality are naturally connected. It is the Abrahamites who make this sharp distinction between flesh and the spirit, buttressed no doubt by hatred of the body found in strains of Greek philosophy. Hinduism too has fallen victim to this in its own way, being influenced as it was later on by the life denying asceticism of Buddhism and Jainism.

[Debaser11]

I too believe that sexuality and spirituality are connected. That's all the more reason not to defile yourself sexually.

[poiuytrewq0987]

I would expect the opposite result: that fundies have better sex because just about everything has all the lure of the forbidden.

Sometimes I actually think about becoming a priest just to pick up girls.

[Óttar]

Sometimes I actually think about becoming a priest just to pick up girls.

I've wondered about that myself. Becoming a Hindu holy man in my case. The problem is though, women gather around holy men a good deal because they are seen as unconquerable. Therefore, I think sleeping with them would "demystify" () you for them.

[Raskolnikov]

An interesting read

No, not really.

[Loddfafner]

Sometimes I actually think about becoming a priest just to pick up girls.

I will give Murphy a rest and omit the obvious joke here.

[Groenewolf]

The article seems to talk about two different things. First it talks about sex life of theists versus atheists. And in the middle of it talks about certain religions might benefit the health of the brain. So on one side it says that atheists have better sex lives, but also will become senile at an earlier age in a bit hidden way.

Sometimes I actually think about becoming a priest just to pick up girls.

[YOUTUBE]FScbCfUwFTs[/YOUTUBE]

[antonio]

Another hideous piece of atheist bullshit: maybe you dont really like your partner, maybe you have sexual problems, etc...
...take one of these sex-shameful believers into a relationship with Bar Refaeli or whoever male equivalent and then count how many of them still feel such guilt.

Anycase that's the relevant part:

Strict religions such as Mormons ranked highest on the scale of sexual guilt. Their average score was 8.19 out of 10.
They were followed closely behind by Jehovah's Witness, Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist, and Baptist.
Catholics rated their levels of sexual guilt at 6.34 while Lutherans came slightly lower at 5.88 .
In contrast, atheists and agnostics (someday someone please explain me why agnostics are presented alway attached to Atheist and not as a class of their own) ranked at 4.71 and 4.81 respectively.

So, even Atheists have a relevant amount of sexual guilt -at the mid of the scale and just 1 or 2 marks below majoritarian religions followers
(it's ridiculous to count extremist sects which reach extremes like forbiding blood transfusions) - still to be explained for this ridiculously biased piece of shit.