Women more likely to be religious?

[danieldemol]

(RNS) — Historically, women tend to be the stalwarts when it comes to religion, while men attend religious services less often and are less likely to say their faith is very important to them.
Black Men Reverse the Gender Split on Religion, Research Shows - Word and Way

I find this surprising, why is it so?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

(RNS) — Historically, women tend to be the stalwarts when it comes to religion, while men attend religious services less often and are less likely to say their faith is very important to them.
Black Men Reverse the Gender Split on Religion, Research Shows - Word and Way

I find this surprising, why is it so?

It has a lot to do with the communal aspect of church.

 

[Eariz]

It has a lot to do with the communal aspect of church.

I was going to say this too. It doesn't (in itself) mean that they are engaged with the religion (on a personal and intellectual level) but then churches in general over time (due to modernization and restyling to look 'relevant') are like a 'positive vibes' social hub to many (including non-religious) who don't represent whatever religion in question in any serious way.

 

[Mock Turtle]

I would say it was more down to being more sociable, emotional, and desiring of security, when males are perhaps more comfortable with less of the latter - and perhaps they are more adept at questioning reality.

 

[Jumi]

Based on my own culture isn't surprising in the least. Religion is traditionally seen as something women do, especially when they are older.

 

[Sunstone]

Women have been noticed to be more religious than men in nearly every culture I'm aware of. Perhaps it is therefore a genetically based behavior.

 

[Revoltingest]

(RNS) — Historically, women tend to be the stalwarts when it comes to religion......
I find this surprising, why is it so?

Not so fleshed out speculation which is sure to offend:
Religion is about feeling connection with what isn't there.
Women are more into feelings of connection than are men.

 

[onlytruth]

outward appearances do not always show the heart.

 

[Rational Agnostic]

(RNS) — Historically, women tend to be the stalwarts when it comes to religion, while men attend religious services less often and are less likely to say their faith is very important to them.
Black Men Reverse the Gender Split on Religion, Research Shows - Word and Way

I find this surprising, why is it so?

I think it's a combination of 3 factors:

1) There is a social aspect of religious services that women enjoy, and women tend to be more social than men.
2) Women are typically less inclined to risk taking than men and thus might worry more about some hypothetical heaven and hell or want to play it safe on "Pascal's Wager."
3) Women are typically more emotionally-driven than men and religions are primarily based upon emotions, and not logic. It may be harder for women to leave all emotions out and consider facts only when arriving at a decision about what is true. (This is not to say that men are smarter than women. If anything there is some evidence to suggest the opposite. However, men are typically better (with many exceptions) at segregating what is true and what they hope is true).

 

[onlytruth]

many a person wears a church face then in real life watch year back. a relationship with the eternal family is not about church, it is your heart and obedience as they outline it they see.

 

[Sunstone]

(RNS) — Historically, women tend to be the stalwarts when it comes to religion, while men attend religious services less often and are less likely to say their faith is very important to them.
Black Men Reverse the Gender Split on Religion, Research Shows - Word and Way

I find this surprising, why is it so?

I recall there's a theory in sociology that women are more religious than men because they see their religion as protecting women and children. I find the theory questionable in part because women are apparently everywhere -- in all cultures -- more religious than men. It would seem to me that, given the cross cultural ubiquity of the behavior, there is likely some genetic component.

 

[Sunstone]

However, men are typically better (with many exceptions) at segregating what is true and what they hope is true).

Can you cite any science in support of that conclusion?

 

[Revoltingest]

I think it's a combination of 3 factors:

1) There is a social aspect of religious services that women enjoy, and women tend to be more social than men.
2) Women are typically less inclined to risk taking than men and thus might worry more about some hypothetical heaven and hell or want to play it safe on "Pascal's Wager."
3) Women are typically more emotionally-driven than men and religions are primarily based upon emotions, and not logic. It may be harder for women to leave all emotions out and consider facts only when arriving at a decision about what is true. (This is not to say that men are smarter than women. If anything there is some evidence to suggest the opposite. However, men are typically better (with many exceptions) at segregating what is true and what they hope is true).

Oh, yer gonna get it!

 

[Twilight Hue]

....
Women are more into feelings of connection than are men.

Heh....

No better place to go for communal gossip!

 

[Revoltingest]

Heh....

No better place to go for communal gossip!

And I love gossip.
(Must be too much estrogen, eh.)

 

[Rational Agnostic]

Can you cite any science in support of that conclusion?

I can cite science to support the evidence that hormonal differences cause women to be more emotionally-driven than men. Of course it's quite obvious that the gender that bears and nurses children has evolved to be more emotionally invested in things. The conclusion I made was an inference from that, but, no, I can't directly support it, it's mostly speculation and personal experience.

 

[Milton Platt]

(RNS) — Historically, women tend to be the stalwarts when it comes to religion, while men attend religious services less often and are less likely to say their faith is very important to them.
Black Men Reverse the Gender Split on Religion, Research Shows - Word and Way

I find this surprising, why is it so?

Mildly surprising, although black people in general have tended to be more religious than whites for a long time. Sure there are a lot of things feeding into this, such as culture, average education level, community and family expectations, etc.

 

[Skwim]

I think it's a combination of 3 factors:

1) There is a social aspect of religious services that women enjoy, and women tend to be more social than men.
2) Women are typically less inclined to risk taking than men and thus might worry more about some hypothetical heaven and hell or want to play it safe on "Pascal's Wager."
3) Women are typically more emotionally-driven than men and religions are primarily based upon emotions, and not logic. It may be harder for women to leave all emotions out and consider facts only when arriving at a decision about what is true. (This is not to say that men are smarter than women. If anything there is some evidence to suggest the opposite. However, men are typically better (with many exceptions) at segregating what is true and what they hope is true).

I can go along with 1 and 3; although, considering the past a bit, men, who worked outside the home, socialized in places and organizations outside the home community. Therefore church organized events played a smaller part in meeting their social needs. Whereas women, who lacked the outside functions open to men, found their socialization needs met by those opportunities within the home community, which included church related activities. Hence women found their sense of belonging enhanced by church services, whereas men, not so much.

.

 

[Sand Dancer]

(RNS) — Historically, women tend to be the stalwarts when it comes to religion, while men attend religious services less often and are less likely to say their faith is very important to them.
Black Men Reverse the Gender Split on Religion, Research Shows - Word and Way

I find this surprising, why is it so?

We are more likely to favor community and security. Same reason women are more likely to vote Democratic than men are.