Being religious improves happiness, Dan Buettner

Finding the Happiest Place on Earth
Mon Nov 8, 9:31AM PT - ABC News @ Yahoo! News Video
Dan Buettner traveled all over the world to find the best places to live.

"Unraveling the story of each "hotspot" like a good mystery, Buettner reveals how he discovered each location and then travels to meet folks who embody each particular brand of happiness. He introduces content, thriving people in Denmark, in Singapore, in northeastern Mexico, and in a composite "happiest place in America." In addition, he interviews economists, psychologists, sociologists, politicians, writers, and other experts to get at what contributes to each region's happiness.

Buettner's findings result in a credible, cross-cultural formula and a practical plan to help us stack the deck for happiness and get more satisfaction out of life. According to Buettner's advisory team, the average person can control about forty percent of his or her individual happiness by optimizing life choices. These aren't unreasonable demands on a person's lifestyle, and they often require only slight changes. They fall into three categories that make up the way we live our lives: the food we eat, the way we exercise, and the social networks we foster. It's all about nourishing the body and the spirit. Heeding the secrets of the world's happiness all-stars can help us make the right choices to find more contentment in our own lives and learn how to thrive."

Bottomline:
page 145... Indeed, worldwide research shows that religious people are happier than nonreligious ones.
page 166 ... religious people tend to be happier than nonreligious people, …
page 225 …study done on the connection between religion and well-being, shows that the two go hand in hand.

On the same shelf:

There’s more to the story when reporting on religious violence
by Samiaji Bintang, Common Ground News Service 23 November 2010