Philip Joseph Zuckerman, known as Phil Zuckerman, is a professor of sociology and secular studies at Pitzer College in Claremont, California (which was the first secular studies university department[1]). His specialization is in the sociology of secularity.
Zuckerman is the author of several books, which include: Society Without God and Faith No More.
See also: Atheism and suicide and Atheism and depression and Atheism and loneliness
The website Adherents.com reported concerning atheism and suicide:
“ | Pitzer College sociologist Phil Zuckerman compiled country-by-country survey, polling and census numbers relating to atheism, agnosticism, disbelief in God and people who state they are non-religious or have no religious preference. These data were published in the chapter titled "Atheism: Contemporary Rates and Patterns" in The Cambridge Companion to Atheism, ed. by Michael Martin, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK (2005). In examining various indicators of societal health, Zuckerman concludes about suicide:
"Concerning suicide rates, this is the one indicator of societal health in which religious nations fare much better than secular nations. According to the 2003 World Health Organization's report on international male suicides rates (which compared 100 countries), of the top ten nations with the highest male suicide rates, all but one (Sri Lanka) are strongly irreligious nations with high levels of atheism. It is interesting to note, however, that of the top remaining nine nations leading the world in male suicide rates, all are former Soviet/Communist nations, such as Belarus, Ukraine, and Latvia. Of the bottom ten nations with the lowest male suicide rates, all are highly religious nations with statistically insignificant levels of organic atheism."[2] |
” |
Concerning atheism and depression, a University of Michigan study involving 19,775 individuals found that religious people are less likely than atheists to suffer depression when they are lonely.[3] See also: Atheism and loneliness
Phil Zuckerman said about the new atheist Richard Dawkins: "He is smug, condescending and emits an unpleasant disdainfulness."[4]
Categories: [Atheists]