Who is going to church? Not who you think, study finds

[Brother_Bliss]

Who is going to church? Not who you think, study finds

Contrary to popular perception, college educated white Americans more likely to practice religion than the working class

"While religious service attendance has decreased for all white Americans since the early 1970s, the rate of decline has been more than twice as high for less educated, lower and lower-middle class whites compared to more educated and presumably more affluent whites, according to a study presented Saturday at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Las Vegas."

Article Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44192469/ns/health-behavior/t/who-going-church-not-who-you-think-study-finds/

[sweetwillow58]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing. Just goes to show Babylon the Great does not satisfy spiritual need.

[Brother_Bliss]

What I thought was interesting, is that it shows that educated people believe in God and see the value of spirituality.

Uneducated people don't.

[ava]

What I thought was interesting, is that it shows that educated people believe in God and see the value of spirituality.

Uneducated people don't.

I would think uneducated people are working more to put food on the table so they probably don't have time for church.

Also, these big churches like Crossroads, educated people use these churches more for having a social life then really for a church. Especially if they move to a new area, those kinds of churches are good for them to get to know other people, especially people in the same income bracket as them.

[GrumpysWife]

What I thought was interesting, is that it shows that educated people believe in God and see the value of spirituality.

Uneducated people don't.

I would think uneducated people are working more to put food on the table so they probably don't have time for church.

Also, these big churches like Crossroads, educated people use these churches more for having a social life then really for a church. Especially if they move to a new area, those kinds of churches are good for them to get to know other people, especially people in the same income bracket as them.

In the part of the south we live in the people are very poor. Very few in our territory are educated. They do go to church but most of the churches are family groups and they all get together for a good time. One of my return visits says that they don't even read the Bible, they just hold it up when they are making a point. And they go because everyone else does and they don't want to rock the family boat.

[LeslieDean]

What I thought was interesting, is that it shows that educated people believe in God and see the value of spirituality.

Uneducated people don't.

I would think uneducated people are working more to put food on the table so they probably don't have time for church.

Also, these big churches like Crossroads, educated people use these churches more for having a social life then really for a church. Especially if they move to a new area, those kinds of churches are good for them to get to know other people, especially people in the same income bracket as them.

I believe that big churches are used for networking since my husband had many of his high end clientele in LA tell him he should join a church and get the people there to use his services. They said it was a "great way" to establish a customer base!

[BlueRose]

What I thought was interesting, is that it shows that educated people believe in God and see the value of spirituality.

Uneducated people don't.

I would think uneducated people are working more to put food on the table so they probably don't have time for church.

Also, these big churches like Crossroads, educated people use these churches more for having a social life then really for a church. Especially if they move to a new area, those kinds of churches are good for them to get to know other people, especially people in the same income bracket as them.

VERY interesting. My thought was what Bob said. My atheist daughter-in-law would be interested to see the results of that poll. She's very upper-middle class, too. I also would comment that if people don't see the need for spirituality, or at least believe in God, I don't think they would bother to find a social life at any church. My son and his wife go to country clubs or their friends' homes for their social life. But on the other hand....it is certainly true that millions of people no doubt feel that their church is more of a social club than anything seriously spiritual. I think that the article shows mainly that educated people believe in God, and that dispels the idea that stupid people believe in God, like my son and his wife feel.

[GrumpysWife]

What I thought was interesting' date=' is that it shows that educated people believe in God and see the value of spirituality. Uneducated people don't.[/quote'] I would think uneducated people are working more to put food on the table so they probably don't have time for church. Also, these big churches like Crossroads, educated people use these churches more for having a social life then really for a church. Especially if they move to a new area, those kinds of churches are good for them to get to know other people, especially people in the same income bracket as them.

VERY interesting. My thought was what Bob said. My atheist daughter-in-law would be interested to see the results of that poll. She's very upper-middle class, too. I also would comment that if people don't see the need for spirituality, or at least believe in God, I don't think they would bother to find a social life at any church. My son and his wife go to country clubs or their friends' homes for their social life. But on the other hand....it is certainly true that millions of people no doubt feel that their church is more of a social club than anything seriously spiritual. I think that the article shows mainly that educated people believe in God, and that dispels the idea that stupid people believe in God, like my son and his wife feel.

There are no such places as country clubs where we live and most of their friends live in very old mobile homes. Sometimes referred to as "trailers"

[Brother_Bliss]

I would think uneducated people are working more to put food on the table so they probably don't have time for church.

Good point!

I remember having no choice but to work evenings and weekends when I was younger. In the truth, you make a stand for having certains times off for worship that people who go to Christendom's churches lack the conviction to make.

[ava]

I would think uneducated people are working more to put food on the table so they probably don't have time for church.

Good point!

I remember having no choice but to work evenings and weekends when I was younger. In the truth, you make a stand for having certains times off for worship that people who go to Christendom's churches lack the conviction to make.

With the cost of living rising at alarming rates and income not rising to compensate that, so many people are just working extra hrs over their 40 hr work week, or working another job, mom's are working fulltime as well, people just don't have time for church. Whereas people who are financially doing well, have more time for things like church. And usually people who have more money are also more educated.

I work with people who view their church more of a social club then a church. They move to a new area, and they join a church. Cheaper then a country club, lol. Lots of these churches have activities for kids and even weekend camping events, dances, mom's day out events, etc. So if you are new to an area, a church like that is a good way for a family to get to know people. While they probably do have a belief in God, I would really doubt many of them attending there are attending cause they have a strong conviction to serve God.

[Brother_Bliss]

Another interesting article on the same subject...

Less educated Americans are turning their backs on religion

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-08-americans-religion.html

[sianrose]

This must be so annoying to atheists...