Actively religious people tend to be happier, live healthier lifestyles, and are more socially and civically engaged. These correlations persist when controlling for other demographic factors.
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion...und-the-world/
They also have better mental health and lower rates of depression:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/article...0Liu%2C%202014
There’s solid empirical data behind the case for the state supporting religious institutions and engagement.
That’s today. But there’s no reason to believe that wasn’t the case in the past as well. Then there’s the charitable role religion played back before the welfare state grew post WW2. Before the 1960s or so, almost all charity for the sick and poor in Canada was carried out by institutions founded as Christian organizations (ie the Salvation Army).