With increasing age, a person’s inclination towards religion also goes up. Are seniors more religious than younger people? Yes, and let us see why.
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Seniors and boomers are more engaged in religious practices than the younger generation. The younger generation is involved in social activities and is busy improving their lives. Secularization has also reduced affinity towards religions in the younger generation.
Why Are Seniors More Religious Than Younger People?
There are multiple reasons why seniors are more religious than younger people.
The biological effect of aging:
Most people know that they are closer to death as they get older. They become more interested in what happens to their soul after they die. This has various religious answers. Elders become more religious when closer to death because they find that the peace and comfort in their afterlife are more precious. People believe that being engaged in religious activities and thoughts makes them calm and happy.
They get detached from society:
Older people are not socially active and get detached from the social circle. They become more isolated in comparison to younger and middle-aged people.
Thus this makes them anxious and prevents them from interacting with friends and family members. Older people witness their friends dying and are known to suffer from various health issues.
This occurs more commonly amongst women. The women who suffer from this are known to live longer than men as they outlive their male partners. Thus women have higher levels of religiosity in comparison to men.
Because of the social changes:
The religious thinking of individuals does not change as they get older. Due to social belief, each generation is less religious than the older generation. The younger generation is getting detached from religion because of secularization.
Thus the spiritual practices have vanished from the daily lives of the people. Also, the status of religious practices has declined in the schools.
The church attendance has slowed down to a trickle, especially among the youth. The older generation is engaged in religious activities, but they are less likely to teach religious practices and beliefs to their children.
This has resulted in a gradual decline in the religiosity of the younger generation. This shows that the older generation is more religious than the younger generation.
It gives them peace:
Older adults have a higher level of participation in religious activities than any other age group. The religious community is the biggest support for older adults outside of the family.
Involvement in religious organizations has been a voluntary kind of social service that calms their minds and gives them peace. Participating in religious activities makes them occupied and engaged in various activities.
They complete all the significant responsibilities:
At an older age, elders complete all the significant duties of their life. The children complete their education and leave the house for work and profession.
Many seniors believe that being engaged in religious practice is a decent way to spend their time instead of just wasting it. Due to completing all the responsibilities, they feel that connecting to God and being active in religious activities is an excellent way to spend their time. They feel content after doing this.
Retirement:
Retirement is also why elders are more likely to believe in religiosity. Once the elders get retired, they are no longer engaged in any activity. They do not need to work for a certain period. Elders get depressed and anxious due to overthinking.
Many elders believe that staying connected to God for their remaining life is good. This happens because they are not occupied with any other tasks. Being engaged in religious practices can help them overcome depression and mental health problems due to overthinking.
Afraid for their significant others:
Everybody has a fear of losing their loved ones. Elders believe that their loved ones might be moving towards the final abode, and religion is a way to pray for their welfare in the next life.
This makes them believe that their good behavior and practicing religious activities will return in different ways to their family members and loved ones. Thus older people are more likely to be engaged in spiritual practices than the younger generation.
What are the benefits of being religiously inclined?
Family relationships:
Being engaged in religious practices is known to improve the quality of the marriage and bring stability to it. It gives a sense of satisfaction and pleasure for both husband and wife. It keeps them happy and increases the level of affection and understanding between each other.
As they have similar thinking and mindset, being engaged in religious participation is known to foster a warm, active, and good parenting style for children. They are more likely to get involved in the children’s education.
The children also learn the moral ethics and values of the religion and the good practices. This increases the relationship quality between children and the parents and leads to emotional closeness.
Health:
Being active in religious activities is known to increase the self-esteem and well-being of a person. This leads to good health and less self-doubt in people. Being committed religiously leads to greater longevity.
People who are active in religious practices are known to be happy, and thus this leads to a reduced number of health complications and different forms of cancer.
Crime:
Religious attendance is known to reduce the different forms of crime and deviance. As the people are engaged in spiritual practices, they are taught about morals and ethics that should be inculcated for a good life.
They also understand that practicing bad habits and crime is not suitable for their life. Around 39 percent lower risk of crime is observed in people if they participate in religious practices regularly. There is a 57 percent decrease in people dealing with drugs. They are more likely to stay away from smoking and alcohol.
Education:
Education is essential for everybody. It is crucial to achieving good academic achievement. Level of education, school attendance, academic expectations, and performance is known to be affected positively by religious practices.
The people engaged in religious practices are known to learn healthy habits and practice them. Thus this motivates them to work hard for their goals.
If the parents are active in religious practices, it also affects the Children’s educational results. The greater the parents are active in spiritual practices, the more likely they have higher educational expectations for their children.
Thus they help them in their studies and stay in touch with their academic performance. Their children are more likely to avoid any disturbances, stay focused, complete their degrees and pursue advanced studies.
Charity:
People engaged in religious activities are known to have a greater generosity in charitable giving and volunteering for the needy ones. Religious people are more generous as they learn the significance of healthy practices and good moral values.
It is related to a higher rate of concern and care for the needy ones. People engaged in non-religious activities are known to be less active in charitable events.
Social mobility:
Religion plays a significant role in building habits of hard work and relationships. It shapes the aspirations of children for education and greater achievement in life. It encourages various moral values and ethics. Religious practices have to lead to a stronger academic performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is spirituality more significant for older adults?
Being active in religious activities has various benefits. Older adults can reap multiple benefits of being spiritual. The topmost advantage is it is known to increase the cognitive control of the person. It enhances the cognitive functioning of the person.
It enables the ones affected with Alzheimer’s and dementia to live a longer life, build relationships and find meaning in life. It helps them find hope in life and encourages them to live a good and valuable life. It is known to enhance the way of living also.
Why do older people go more to church?
Older adults in highly cohesive congregations receive more spiritual and emotional assistance. They feel comfortable and are known to have a peaceful mind. As they are free, they can take time for such important events. Thus older people are more likely to go to church.
How does age affect religion?
We have noticed that older people are more engaged in religious practices than younger ones. They believe that as they are closer to their mortality, thus believe that they should stay active in the religious practices.
Does marital health improve due to religious practices?
Yes, marital health is known to improve due to religious practices. As couples have the same mindset, they are more likely to build a good understanding and bonding amongst themselves.
They stay happy with each other as they possess the same way of living life together. As they both like to be an active part of religious activities, they are more likely to admire each other as they want to live similarly.
Wrap Up!
Many people are confused about why older people are more religious than the younger generation. There are many reasons why elders are more religious than younger ones. Spiritual practices affect certain factors. These factors are known to affect the life of an individual. We have explored all these factors in-depth in this article. Make sure you go through it.
If you have your own experiences about the influence of religions on your life, or just want to share some thoughts on the article, please drop a comment below and we will love to get back to you. If you loved the content, do mention us on your social media handles and in your groups too.
