Religion and Dissatisfaction with Life
Considering the relation between religion and well-being requires a balanced approach,
not only allowing that religion increases subjective well-being, but also being open to how
religion can relate to unhappiness, depression, and dissatisfaction with life. Religion involves the
whole of life, and life involves joy and sorrow. Religion not only ameliorates the pain of loss,
but also evokes and encourages pain (e.g., fasting, penance) or loss (e.g., the giving up of
resources and status). For example, traditional Jews are required to mourn the destruction of
Zion by observing a fast day (the 9th of Av) which ensures that this is an aversive experience.
While Jewish prayers are in some ways more optimistic than those of some other religions (Sethi
& Seligman, 1993), Jews also read from Lamentations to cultivate feelings of sorrow and
longing to return to Zion.