Mormons "most prosocial members of American society"

[ianvass]

My mom sent me a link to a study done by a non-Mormon at the University of Pennsylvania that showed how Mormons donate more time and money than anyone else. This is not a close race, either:

"An average Latter-day Saint provides 427.9 hours of volunteer labor annually (35.6 hours monthly or 8.2 hours weekly). In comparison, an average American

Comments

[mortuus]

As you suggested, religion has great power to do good. This makes me think of the militant atheists who constantly bash religion as a blight upon all humanity. They completely overlook the enormous social benefits given to society. And though this has nothing to do with the study, if there were no religion, think of all the art - beautiful, inspiring, uplifting art - that would never have been. Maybe something would fill the void, but considering the passion (for bad sometimes, yes, but more often for good) that religion can bring, I think too much would be lost.

[ianvass]

I had not thought about the art aspect! That is an excellent point.

Militant atheists are just as emotionally bound up in their beliefs as religious people are, putting them in the same category as those they would eradicate. They are, however, notably less selfless than their religious counterparts, undermining their own claim to moral superiority. :)