Study: Regular Church Attendance May Lead to More Optimism in Life
- Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:07pm by
Billy Hallowell
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According to a new study by Yeshiva University, there’s a correlation between going to religious services regularly and having an optimistic outlook on life.
The Women’s Health Initiative research, which will be published in the Journal of Religion and Health this week, looked at data from 92,539 postmenopausal women. According to CNN, the study was funded by the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute, National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The report claims that 56 percent of those individuals who attended religious services frequently have a more optimistic outlook on life than those who did not. Additionally, 27 percent of respondents were less likely to be depressed if they attended these services on a regular basis. A majority, according to JTA, also claimed to have “strong social support.”
On the social support front, individuals who attend religious services are generally part of a tight-knit community. When tragedy strikes, church members often work to help one another through difficult times. Many individuals who attend regular services, regardless of their faith allegiance, report a strong bond with fellow congregants — hence, the “strong social support ”finding.
“We looked at a number of psychological factors; optimism, depression, cynical hostility, and a number of subcategories and subscales involving social support and social strain,” said Elizer Schnall a psychology professor at Yeshiva University who also led the study.
We should note that correlation is different from causality, meaning that just because two indicators are related, doesn’t mean one is directly and solely causing the other.
“There is a correlation, but that does not mean there is causality,” says Schnall. “One could argue people who are more optimistic may be drawn to religious services.”
In a 2008 study, Schnall also found that regular church service has the potential to increase life expectancy. This follow-up study simply adds to the intrigue created by his former work, while falling in line with findings from past research. Among other recent findings in separate studies: Church kids are more equipped to avoid poverty, less likely to get divorced later in life and more likely to do better in college.
Also, it’s important to note that this new study examines older women and does not include young people or men — two essential groups that would certainly be needed in order to make definitive determinations.
(H/T: JTA)
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Comments (50)
Cesium
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 12:50amFunny for so many of the Blaze commentors who suggest they pray for the betterment of the world yet are internally delighted to welcome what they think is the end of times and the return of the zombie jew… with his sandals and ability to defy physical law since you know, it’s just the truth and all.. the bible is proof, it’s true!
Report Post »amerbur
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 3:14amZombie Jew? I will pray for you.
Report Post »SerikFox
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 4:58pmFunny how most who claim to be logical can’t see logic in their face. You do realize that God created physical law, right? He created logic. By definition you can’t prove or disprove God. Do you know why Christians celebrate the return of Jesus? 1) He’s our lord and 2) it’s not the end of everything – it’s the end of evil. Logically, praying for the betterment of the world and for the end of evil fall right in line with each other. And for the record, zombies are dead bodies moving (unless you are referring to their origin) – Jesus isn’t dead. Big difference. If you’re going to insult anyone at least understand the concepts you talk about and actually speak accurately.
Report Post »ltb
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 6:16pmCesium is proof of what this study reveals. Atheists are some of the rudest, most negative people on the face of the earth and I don’t know why they think anyone wants what they are selling. The king of Atheism, Richard Dawkins, always looks like he just sucked a lemon and he never has a kind word to say about anything or anybody. Cesium, keep your atheism, it’s poison. Of course, if you ever get sick of being miserable, Jesus loves you as much as anyone else.
…..
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev 3:20).
Report Post »SgtB
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 9:57pmCall me a weirdo, but maybe, just maybe old women who hang around in social clicks have more optimism or happiness in life than those that don’t hang around in the click of the church pew. OR, maybe these women want so much to be happy and stay happy that a portion of them will even lie to a researcher about the level of their happiness.
Studies like this give science a bad rap. Much like the study that shows that kids who sit down and eat with their parents do better in school. The dinner time table has nothing to do with it! It has everything to do with the fact that some parents are just more involved in their child’s lives and check up on things like homework and studying. It just so happens that those parents who sit down around a table are more likely to care about other aspects of their childrens’ lives. So spending millions of taxpayer dollars to tell parents to eat with their children does not send the correct message and may in fact confuse so people into a lulled sense of accomplishment by just eating at a table with their children and doing none of the other million things that mean even more.
Report Post »thepatriotdave
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:54pmStudy: “Regular Church Attendance May Lead to More Optimism in Life”
Report Post »====================================================
How does that saying go? Oh yeah…. WELL DUUHHH!!!
not2bherd
Posted on November 16, 2011 at 8:38amSGTB you’re naive is all. These are what are known as indicators. Take for instance – I walk outdoors and I look around, I see things clearly and a comfortable warmth touches my shoulder. You would be correct saying the sun is shining down on me. In the same way, we were given another set of indicators. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,(Galatians 5:22). What you see is the effect. The cause to the human eye is unseen. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (Matthew 7:16) Those who will not spend the time to sit around the table with their children are not likely to be “doing none of the other million things that mean even more”. You are right about one thing though, just going through the motions won’t get it done. If you don’t truly care, the gesture will be fruitless.
Report Post »Injunator
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 7:00pmPray at home ! —————————–2 Thesselonians 2:3-5 & 2 Corinthians 11:13-18, 1 Peter 4:17 please read ! You, I must obey, what is written in His Holy Bible if not, there are laws to be executed, “God does not slack as some men count slackness” and God says,“do not think me a fool”, this is very, very real profecy all are going to enter into now, great tribulation has not yet begun yet . . . but it sure is ! Prayer is the only way, the only way at home, live prayer -we fail, I fail but quickly repent -fast, You will too . . . Great Tribulation is very, very Near to ALL . . .
Report Post »Injunator
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 6:54pmJesus Christ, his days here on earth were not a party, miracles, cures but the world did not heed unto His word- all rejected His reproof, or Proverbs 1:19-33, now “tribulation” is due, Judgement is done, punishment is to be executed by GOD (Isaiah 29:6) look around the globe El Hierro (usgs.gov) but Isaiah 24:2 is commerce, all the Nations He, has a controversy with . . . these are not going to be pleasant times ! Jesus said,“it is done” meaning the end of this world was sealed (Holy Profecy) and the beginning of His Holy Kingdom has begun . . . sealed- the only future, is eternity . . .
Report Post »broper
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 6:45pmNow you Christians need to remember that athiests want help our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines too by forcing their way into the Chaplains Corps. They are known for their deep sense of love, sympathy, and understanding for people of faith. So when when American fighting men and women face a time of crisis or death, an Athiest Chaplain can rush in and offer some … some… well they can’t really talk about eternal life, or spirtual matters, or redemption, or hope in God… oh, I know, they can always tell the big bang theory. I can picture it “now son, I don’t believe in an eternal God, but I do believe that from nothing came everything, isn’t that amazing? now don’t you feel better about dying?”
Report Post »txn4justice
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 8:13pmExcellent points. Too bad the military is too stupid to point out the irony of the atheist’s attempts at infiltration of the Chaplain Corps (pronounced “Core” as in apple core. Not “Corpse”. Corpse is the way the Commander in Chief pronounces it. Because he is so up on stuff military. At least he likes to pretend to be.)
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 6:44pmThis study ranks up there with the one that told us men who see a woman wearing less clothing focus on her body more than her brains.
Can you get a PhD in Obvious Studies?
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 9:12pmWhile in college in the 70‘s I came across a gov’t study that determined that 50% of people required eyeglasses to bring their vision to 20/20.
Report Post »dadofsix
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 6:20pmAny smart Republican would get rid of the “Jimmy Carter” Department of Education.
Emotions abound watching my son fight for his life in chess. There is nothing like it. To see my son, with all of his knowledge, smarts, and integrity, be down and blitzing it out with two minutes left of a three hour game.
He loses the match. All for nothing; 0.0 credit.
This boy is my nine-year-old son.
He speaks Mandarin Chinese and can carry many tunes on the piano. He climbs trees and builds forts out of sticks found in the woods.
He can converse with anyone of any age. If it’s an adult, he knows history and reads books. If it’s a youngster, he has many younger siblings and can make them feel safe with warm and funny conversation.
He prays to God and is a Christian.
He is an American with Irish and Korean blood.
He is home schooled.
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 6:06pmThe worship of the Lord God renews a person‘s ’batteries’ (so to speak). God is the father of those who believe and he is a good father. He supplies everyone’s needs. He protects and blesses. Going to church with other Christians gives one a sense of belonging and the knowledge that there are many others like them. They support and pray for one-another.
Report Post »bankerpapaw
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 5:58pmIf you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you had better be optimistic. He’s coming back real soon.
Report Post »Be ready!!
Cesium
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 12:52amyea, don’t you wish.. Positivity my A**. I know how this works… the world has to go into chaos and all hell break lose and then he comes.. yea real positive people here.
Report Post »In detroit
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 5:25pmGod is optimism , call on me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you says the Lord , notice it says I will , not will see or maybe , read your bible america you can not fail
Report Post »smartgirl
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 4:04pmWell, it COULD be that optimism leads one to go to church but I’m inclined to think going to church leads to optimism. It’s well-known in church circles that, when people are happy, they tend to think they don’t need church. So the original conclusions, limited to women or not, are probably true.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 4:07pmUnfortunately there’s no scientific way to prove that assertion using this study. It would make as much sense (scientifically and statistically) as saying “Well, as more ice cream is eaten in the country, more people die by drowning. Thus, ice cream eating must cause drowning… as opposed to people swimming more often in the summer months when ice cream is most popular.”
Hopefully a follow-up study will be done showing which one it is. Would be interesting to see.
Report Post »Carter John
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 4:01pmChristianity stresses love, hope, and a way that can better your life.
Report Post »SREGN
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 3:49pmAre you trying to tell me that abandoning righteousness and running toward the lusts for money, immorality, and power don’t result in happiness, thus fueling more optimism?
Report Post »@leftfighter
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 3:16pmSo what we’re saying here is, Glenn doesn’t attend church?
God help us if he’s that doomsday *and* going to church regularly. How bad would he be if he never went!
;-)
Report Post »This_Individual
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 3:14pmLess federal government involvement in our lives would lead to more optimism.
Report Post »Let’s get that squared away first, before all of our religions are silenced.
garyM
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 3:12pmIt has also been found that soldiers who use all the armour and issued weapons are better equipped to defeat the enemy!
Report Post »Ephesians 6
10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
garyM
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 3:24pmWhat is the mystery of the Gospel? That’s when anyone is born again of the Holy Spirit, the born again person can’t even understand how it happened. The lost person surely cannot see how it is possible to happen.
3Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
5And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
9And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
13And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
14The sower soweth the word.
Report Post »This_Individual
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 5:46pmWow.
Report Post »Dark Horse
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 3:10pmEven if there isnt a God and this is all just a fantasy, I would rather pretend to live in a etertnity with God after death and there will be justice for people like Hitler, than believe that we are all just worm food.
Report Post »spudwhite
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 3:06pmSounds right to me, Christ Jesus brings peace to mind, body and soul.
Report Post »JLGunner
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 3:05pmEven though I don‘t go to church because it’s to expensive, I agree with the study. I’ve pesonally experienced it myself.
Report Post »garyM
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 3:34pmMatthew 6:21
21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
note:
Report Post »God doesn’t need anyones money, he owns all of it anyway, he just gives everyone a chance to show where their heart is!
Greenwood
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 9:45pm@JLGUNNER………….”Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.” Matthew 6: 33
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:53pmStudy: Having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ brings salvation.
http://www.PeaceWithGod.Jesus.Net
Report Post »capecodsully
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:33pm“I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world” John 16:33
He certainly did. What’s to worry about?
Report Post »BOGOTSTOGO
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:30pmThose who go to Church weekly walk in faith that tomorrow will be better than today.Todays culture reinforces “take all you can today tomorrow may not come”
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:26pmIt could also be that those of us who know where we will spend eternity have more of a reason to feel positive! Silly goose.
Report Post »G.E.R
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:21pmThey‘re optimistic because they’re delusional in thinking that an imaginary friend is going to take care of all their problems.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:24pmAnd I‘ve yet to meet an atheist that Isn’t a bitter person.
Report Post »71FOREVER
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:34pm(G.E.R.) Your comment states enough implied knowledge to show understanding that Jesus is a “friend” to us, that we can have a personal relationship with him, and that He loves us enough to be our counselor and guide. Good, keep learning! I’m praying for you, seriously.
Report Post »capecodsully
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:40pmKICKINBACK – They like hangin’ out with us though, cause they know that unlike others in their life, we love them enough to tell them the truth.
Report Post »G.E.R
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:58pmWhy is it that human beings can detect fairy tales with complete certainty when those fairy tales come from other faiths, but they cannot detect the fairy tales that underpin their own faith? Why do they believe their chosen fairy tale with unrelenting passion and reject the others as nonsense?
Report Post »capecodsully
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 4:05pmG.E.R. – “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.” His own disciples did not believe Him when He said He would rise from the dead. They all ran away in fear.
Jesus was a promise from God, made hundreds of years before His birth. He was a very real man, He lived, He died and He rose from the dead. He lives today and makes Himself known to those who seek Him. “If you seek Him, He will be found by you” 1Chronicles 28:9
There is a difference between historical fact which is the life of Jesus, and stories that can not be corroborated. There is a difference between a fabricated god that never lived and could never be found, and One whose whole purpose for being was to walk amoung us and show us what we could not before believe.
“If you seek Him, He will be found by you”
Report Post »schmite123oh
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 4:26pmNice Cape. @ ger if you seriously are quetioning which religion is of the truth dive into them all, Start with Buddhism, Hindu, then Muslim, then Christianity. I tell you a truth once you look at them all you will run like all get out to be with Jesus. I left out Atheism, not much to learn there because it is hypocrisy galore!
Report Post »kmichaels
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 4:38pm[G.E.R
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:58pm
Why is it that human beings can detect fairy tales with complete certainty when those fairy tales come from other faiths]
What about your fairy tell that being an atheist makes you a smarter more well balanced person? After all, most atheists tend to be depressed and rather stupid about life in general. They almost always support the most retarded forms of government. They tend towards killing their own kind and general genicide.
Report Post »G.E.R
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 5:02pm@Kmichaels
“Most atheists tend to be depressed and rather stupid about life in general. They almost always support the most retarded forms of government. They tend towards killing their own kind and general genicide”.
You do realize comments like this make you sound retarded. Also I’m really interested in seeing where you got this from.
Report Post »This_Individual
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 5:41pmIt’s very entertaining to read posts from people trying to convince the other that their brand of proslytizing is is justified.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:17pmOf course!
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