Why are women more religious than men?
Hello Everyone, I was in Church last weekend and decided to do a quick headcount of the gender balance within the congregation. I estimated that there were around three women to every man. I would imagine that there is a similar sort of gender ratio across most churches in the UK.
In my own experience, I have observed numerous churchgoing families where it is often the mother who takes the lead in encouraging the family to attend Church.
Now on the face of it I find this quite strange. The Bible was essentially a book written by men for men, with men playing the starring roles. The Church has a long history of marginalising women, and in many denominations such as Roman Catholic, women are still unable to hold any positions of significant influence.
Here are some statistics from a UCLA report concerning Christian women in america; they are;
- 57% more likely to participate in Sunday school than men.
- 39% more likely to have a devotional time.
- 33% more likely to volunteer for a church.
- 29% more likely to share faith with others.
The report also states that women more often than not, take the lead role in the spiritual life of the family.
I have been speaking on this issue with my delightful Alcoholics Anonymous partner Karen. She argues that women are given a different type of spirituality to men and are more sensitive to their callings.
Personally, I believe that within a capitalist society men value traits such as individualism, ambition and success, where as traits such as caring, kindness and forgivness are considered feminine or weak. This creates a discinnect between men and values the church asks them to adhere to.
What do you think?
Mani Hussain Sat 07/06/08 19:44
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with all due respect Mani, I would expect that you have a bee in your bonnet about women being more prominent in the church than men.
Is it really an issue if there ARE more women in church?
BTW..I hope that you are keeping well after your recent problems.
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Question Author
wizard - I'm quite happy for there to be more women in church than men (especially those in the 18-25 bracket, wink wink). Just wanted to discuss why there are?
Anyway I'm fine and back on the wagon thanks. It's quite hard but at least I'm sober. Watched a good film you might like the other night, called the Escapist about someone who breaks out of prison.
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Mani...just got back from the off licsense. (seriously). I admire anyone who can keep off the drink (or any other chemical) for as long as you have done. Any animosity sort of dissolves in some cases because credit where its due and you have been a much better person than me in that respect. Notwithstanding, I will always debate you about certain aspects off life and belief but Im glad that you are on the mend.
The escapist rings a bell and I WILL check it out sometime.
Perhaps women find more comfort in religion than men because they are less questionative than males..I really dont know.... * waits for naomi to berate me*....
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or because women are more 'attuned' to spiritual matters..
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And now here's the bummer....
certain things that have happened to me in the last few weeks has led me to become less of a sceptic than I thought that I was.
Not concerning God as such, but other things....
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Question Author
Thanks wizard that really means a lot to me.
Some days I dont know how I can keep going any longer, alcoholism never gets any easier and you never stop wanting to drink. What I've learnt though is that when I feel that way it passes after a while and then I feel better. I'm trying to focus on excercise and getting fit at the moment to take my mind of the falling down juice.
Do you think that you have a minor form of alcoholism, how much do you drink?
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Childbirth is such an awesome experience for most women and the responsibility of children has to be shared....cant rely on some men these days but God is there for believers. Mothers at communal worship have a network for their children. Its all about 'extended family'!
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Mani, my husband died last year at 60 of alcoholism. It was the most awful, degrading death I had seen (have seen a lot on TV). My grown-up children and myself are bereft without him and miss him more each day. We are also annoyed with the problems he has left for us to sort out! Not one single person from his water-hole sent condolences or attended his funeral.....he bought them all drinks when he was able! We are shunned by his friends. Probably because we wont 'buy' their friendship? The world's sick and starving need all our help and that includes your aid.....You're God has kept you alive as he has work for you.... One day at a time, Mani
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The congregation at my local church is made up predominantly of elderly women, mainly widows. Many of them say they go for the society more than anything else.
Having said that, among my Christian friends, I find the men far more enthusiastic for religion, and far more set in their beliefs, than the women. Maybe men have more time to read the bible, eh? ;o)
Perhaps women find more comfort in religion than men because they are less questionative than males..I really dont know.... * waits for naomi to berate me*....
Wiz .... really! What can I say? Nothing that you wouldn't expect me to say!
......has led me to become less of a sceptic than I thought that I was.
Not concerning God as such, but other things....
Oh, now come on. Don't just dangle the carrot - spill the beans.
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The point has been touched upon a few times in the thread, and I would like to add my agreement that women are more spiritually sensitive than men.
This brings great benefits but also great dangers.
The Bible illustrates this fact with many examples.
I too would like to add my voice to Naomis' and ask you, Wiz, to expand on your comment. If you feel that such comment must be done privately, then use the P.M.'s on the sports section.
It's not like you to be shy.
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. . . or of you'd prefer a rational analysis of what you've been experiencing . . . I'm all ears
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Question Author
One of the most popular theories for gender differences in religiousity is that women are “socialized” to be more religious. Although there is a body of research that seems to suggest that this is not the case. Stark and Miller reasoned that if the socialization hypothesis is true, then the gender gap should be larger in more traditional societies with more intense socialization pressures.
They found that in fact, the gender gap is smallest in the most traditional societies, and largest in the least traditional societies. In societies that approve of single motherhood, with a high abortion rate, low fertility, and high female labor force participation, the religiosity gap between women and men is usually especially large.
Maybe a higher percentage of men are irreligious because most religions endorse the repression of some pretty powerful male instincts. In liberal societies, men have fewer social constraints standing in the way of these instincts. Certainly there are plenty of people of both sexes who have no place for religion in their lives, who don’t need it to enforce their moral choices. But I would suggest that there is a certain type of man who stands to lose a lot of what he desires by being religious, and that this effect is more pronounced when other societal factors don’t duplicate religious control.
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Question Author
You weren't impregnated by aliens were you wizard?
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Like naomi24, I think religion attracts women as an acceptable way of having a social life, a sense of purpose and being wanted. It is the comfort and sense of being in relationship that fills a need.
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It's an interesting question Mani, I think there are a few factors at work.
Firstly the age/generational one. Women live longer than men and there is progressively less church attendence from later and later generations. So you start to see more of the older generation who used to attend with their husbands now widows.
Secondly, and I know it's a stereotype but generally speaking women are more emotional reasoners than rational logical ones. Yes - I know it's a generalisation but go into any Maths, Science or Engineering University course and do a head count.
Again whilst you can find many examples to the contrary, logical reasoners are going to have much more of a problem in accepting religious ideas.
Then there's the "nurturing" element. I'll guess that there's a good chunk of people who decide to have their children Christened for whatever reason. Maybe family pressures, maybe for the ceremony or perhaps because they think it's the right thing to do. I'll also bet that a fair few start going to church after that now that they have a family because they feel the need to "bring them up properly" perhaps in the way they were for the first few years anyway before they rebel like their parents did and refuse to go in their early teens.
Still I don't think I've ever been to a church service that wasn't a wedding, christening or fulneral - So what would I know?
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Jake has given a very precise answer. My feeling is that because naturally mother is more closer to the child and that is where the upbringing of a baby starts. So for that reason by God’s will mothers are more attached emotionally to the religion. Because being equally important still there are differences in the role what fathers and mothers play in the early days of a child.
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Keyplus - do you see the same effect in Islam or is it a Christian phenominum?
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Jake – In Islam you would not see more women in the Mosques like you see in Churches. Mainly men go to the mosques and women pray at home. However as far as attachment to religion is concerned and that is what this question is about, So I would say yes, women are more religious as compared to men and the reason is same as I said above.
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I think the majority are older women and whose husbands have died. Maybe its a way of reaching out to the dead. You will probably find the same mix at a spritualists meeting.
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