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Church and or religious attendance?

Riders

Well-Known Member
I was going to look for how church attendance has gone down when I found this statement at WIKI. Good news for Christians and hopefully other religions.

Church attendance remains stronger among older demographics, and more common for women.[49][50][51] There is evidence that links church attendance with health benefits. The Pew Research Center, which conducts the extensive research and information program Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, has linked regular church attendance with happiness.[52] Several studies associated church attendance with decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease.[53] Research by Rita W. Law and David A. Sbarra demonstrated that "church attendance was found to have a protective effect against the emergence of mood problems among older adults."[54] Graham et al. discovered that "consistent pattern of lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures among frequent church attenders was found compared to that of infrequent attenders which was not due to the effects of age, obesity, cigarette smoking, or socioeconomic status."[55] Oman D et al. found that "infrequent (never or less than weekly) attenders had significantly higher rates of circulatory, cancer, digestive, and respiratory mortality (p < 0.05), but not mortality due to external causes.

That's not the whole paragraph but its enough.So do Christians just believe this is about them? I believe it extends to all religions. The reason why is this. When Wiki does it's statistics on churches in America it includes all churches, including some Liberal that are Universal, Unity and Quakers whoa re welcoming to all religions and the Unitarian Universalists.

So those churches are welcoming of and also have folks who practice other religions.

But so I am just wondering do Christians consider this a statement only for them and the christian church? Does this statement affect Atheists? For Atheists, would you consider joining an theist church or Unitarian church or Atheist religion such as the Buddhist religion if you believe there are health benefits such as this?

Any other opinions?
 

Samana Johann

Restricted by request
For Atheists, would you consider joining an theist church or Unitarian church or Atheist religion such as the Buddhist religion if you believe there are health benefits such as this?
Devotion, serving, helping, assisting of what is worthy of gifts is always for health and prosperty here and in the next existance. If incl. moral virtue even for beyond.

Not should one wait a little if such possibilities and skilful mind arises for one, good householder.

In the proper season they give — those with discernment, responsive, free from stinginess. Having been given in proper season, with hearts inspired by the Noble Ones — straightened, Such — their offering bears an abundance. Those who rejoice in that gift or give assistance, they, too, have a share of the merit, and the offering isn't depleted by that. So, with an unhesitant mind, one should give where the gift bears great fruit. Merit is what establishes living beings in the next life.

AN 5.36
 

dianaiad

Well-Known Member
I was going to look for how church attendance has gone down when I found this statement at WIKI. Good news for Christians and hopefully other religions.

Church attendance remains stronger among older demographics, and more common for women.[49][50][51] There is evidence that links church attendance with health benefits. The Pew Research Center, which conducts the extensive research and information program Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, has linked regular church attendance with happiness.[52] Several studies associated church attendance with decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease.[53] Research by Rita W. Law and David A. Sbarra demonstrated that "church attendance was found to have a protective effect against the emergence of mood problems among older adults."[54] Graham et al. discovered that "consistent pattern of lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures among frequent church attenders was found compared to that of infrequent attenders which was not due to the effects of age, obesity, cigarette smoking, or socioeconomic status."[55] Oman D et al. found that "infrequent (never or less than weekly) attenders had significantly higher rates of circulatory, cancer, digestive, and respiratory mortality (p < 0.05), but not mortality due to external causes.

That's not the whole paragraph but its enough.So do Christians just believe this is about them? I believe it extends to all religions. The reason why is this. When Wiki does it's statistics on churches in America it includes all churches, including some Liberal that are Universal, Unity and Quakers whoa re welcoming to all religions and the Unitarian Universalists.

So those churches are welcoming of and also have folks who practice other religions.

But so I am just wondering do Christians consider this a statement only for them and the christian church? Does this statement affect Atheists? For Atheists, would you consider joining an theist church or Unitarian church or Atheist religion such as the Buddhist religion if you believe there are health benefits such as this?

Any other opinions?

Well, I for one think it's about a foundational belief and the support of others who believe as you do. When you attend church...as a 'true believer,' you get comfort, you get support, you get confirmation of your world view, and you are able to be an important part of a group that WILL care for you. Perhaps not physically, though that can happen too, but certainly emotionally and spiritually. This, I believe, is something all religions have, and it's one of the reasons 'religion' will never go away.

I don't see why atheists couldn't enjoy the same benefits...that is, the 'secular humanists' among 'em, anyway. Those who actually have existential beliefs regarding the importance of something beyond them, even if that 'something' is just...everybody else. Nothing wrong with that.

As for being "Christian," sure. it works for us. Works for solid Mosque going Muslims and Synagogue attending Jews (or those who hold to their family traditions). Works for pretty much everybody.
 

Riders

Well-Known Member
Well, I for one think it's about a foundational belief and the support of others who believe as you do. When you attend church...as a 'true believer,' you get comfort, you get support, you get confirmation of your world view, and you are able to be an important part of a group that WILL care for you. Perhaps not physically, though that can happen too, but certainly emotionally and spiritually. This, I believe, is something all religions have, and it's one of the reasons 'religion' will never go away.

I don't see why atheists couldn't enjoy the same benefits...that is, the 'secular humanists' among 'em, anyway. Those who actually have existential beliefs regarding the importance of something beyond them, even if that 'something' is just...everybody else. Nothing wrong with that.

As for being "Christian," sure. it works for us. Works for solid Mosque going Muslims and Synagogue attending Jews (or those who hold to their family traditions). Works for pretty much everybody.

Yea theres a lot of spiritual atheists and some who claim a belief in the inner Godself who go to Unity and Quakers as well.
 
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