Why Americans go to church

Why do you go to church?

  • Worship or grow closer to God

    Votes: 7 70.0%
  • Feel an obligation to

    Votes: 2 20.0%
  • Social Reasons/meet new friends

    Votes: 2 20.0%
  • Family Tradition

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • For the programs offered

    Votes: 1 10.0%
  • Other, please explain

    Votes: 3 30.0%

  • Total voters
    10

NewCreation435

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This story from christianitytoday.com

Why Americans Go to Church or Stay Home

"Among US adults who do attend church or other religious services regularly (defined by Pew as attending monthly or more), 7 in 10 say a very important reason they attend is so their children will have a moral foundation (69%). Similar shares attend to become a better person (68%) or for comfort in times of trouble or sorrow (66%).

The most common reason for attendance is to become closer to God (81%), which far and away is also cited as the single most important reason (61%) with every other reason cited by less than a tenth of respondents.

Pew also examined the demographics of regular worshipers. Among the findings:

71% pray daily
56% are women
55% are age 50 or older
31% are college graduates
45% identify as Democrats or lean that way
Why They Attend:
Pew found that while becoming “closer to God” is the most important reason given for attending church or other religious services regularly, concern for comfort or the character of children or one’s self also rank high.

“Smaller majorities say that valuable sermons and being part of “a community of faith” are very important reasons for their regular religious attendance,” noted Pew researchers. “Far fewer cite their family’s religious traditions (37%) or a feeling of religious obligation (31%) as reasons for their steady religious attendance, while even fewer say socializing and meeting new people (19%) or pleasing their spouse or family (16%) are key reasons they attend church regularly.”

https://www.christianitytoday.com/n...tendance-top-reasons-go-or-stay-home-pew.html

The poll allows for multiple answers
 

TurtleHare

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Where are the Lutherans answering in that poll because word and sacrament are what we receive when we go to church and then there is the where 2 or 3 are gathered he is there, right?
 

Confessional Lutheran

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Where are the Lutherans answering in that poll because word and sacrament are what we receive when we go to church and then there is the where 2 or 3 are gathered he is there, right?

I answered the question with the top three options and option five, as well. Of course #1 ought to be the top reason anybody goes to church, but worship and fellowship meet other needs, as well.
 

Romanos

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I go to worship, plain and simple.
 

Lamb

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I guess I should have realized I could have chosen multiple options! :( I voted Other because I go to church to be fed by God and as Turtlehare said we receive His Word and Sacraments in the liturgy. Yes, we go to worship Him but God is the Father who cares for His sheep and in the service He does that through Word and Sacrament.
 

Wilhemena

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I go to worship him and only because he draws me close to him.
 

Ruth

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I currently don't have a church to go to. I would go though for social interaction/meet people and to strengthen my morals.
 

TangledWeb

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Why do Americans go to church can be answered similarly with why did the Jews go to temple?
 

NewCreation435

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Why do Americans go to church can be answered similarly with why did the Jews go to temple?

So, you really think that those who went to the temple or go to church now just go to worship God? Some people go for social reasons or to network with people for business, some go for fellowship with others or do to social works. Or go for other reasons.
 

Albion

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Some have other motives, but I am confident that most people are there for spiritual, worship, reasons.
 

Ruth

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Some have other motives, but I am confident that most people are there for spiritual, worship, reasons.
How would you know what most do? You are only one person.
 

Albion

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How would you know what most do? You are only one person.
Well, I know a lot more about this than you do.

You have already told us that you go to church, when you do, only to socialize, and that you are a Unitarian Universalist (according to the logo) who doesn't even have a church home. And the Unitarian Universalist Association isn't isn't even a Christian church.

So, yes, I am one person, but one who has some familiarity with this topic unlike yourself.

If that were not the case, I still was paying attention sufficiently to have noticed the survey results mentioned in the OP above, which show a strong correlation with my own experience. And you have...what again?.

Besides which, I did not say that I have the answer for sure. I wrote in that post that I was “confident“ that the reason they go to church was for worship.

That says that this is my opinion. If you do not like it, vote for something else on the poll, Ruth.


.
 
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Ruth

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Yeah, yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah.
 

Albion

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That's about what I figured I would hear back.
 

Andrew

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