In light of America's changing faith landscape, sltrib asked readers not why they may have left a religion but instead why they stayed. The answers were as varied as those who offered them.
From Latter-day Saints to Catholics to Unitarian Universalists, adherents of many faiths speak about the cherished traditions and beliefs that keep them in their congregations.
While many studies, stories and surveys highlight these landmark departures from denominations, implicit and often unspoken in these numbers is the fact that many Americans are persisting in their piety. In light of this, The Salt Lake Tribune asked its readers not why they may have left a religion but instead why they stayed.” The answers, unsurprisingly, were as varied as those who offered them.
Another reason religious people stay involved, he said, is simply so they aren’t ostracized by family, friends and neighbors. Sandy resident Catherine Ostler Bearden said she’s been a Latter-day Saint since she was 8 years old, the faith’s traditional age of baptism. It’s unfair to judge people or organizations by current standards of good and right, she continued, and it’s the duty of a community’s members to think critically, understand nuance, and be part of solutions.
She believes in community, she said, and finds order and meaning in her day-to-day life through ritual and tradition. “For people who are able to find their place within the confines of a particular religious tradition, in this case Mormonism ... it can be such a nourishing and empowering identity for them,” Riess said. “[But] sometimes the very reasons that that some people stay and find comfort in the tradition are the same things that tend to push other people out.”Though Latter-day Saints made up over half the responses to our unscientific survey, plenty of other faiths were represented.
Midvale resident Jan Crane said she was a Latter-day Saint for 60 years until she no longer could reconcile problems she had with the church and left. “I love the sense of community. I love celebrating the cycles of the year with spiritual practice instead of just materialistic holidays,” Brunvand said. “I also like to be around a group of people who believe spiritual seeking is an important part of life.”
“I find my most pressing concerns and values are echoed in the ministry,” Newman said, “such as inclusivity, diversity, equality and care of the planet.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
A son explains why he turned in his father over the Jan. 6 attackJackson Reffitt notified the FBI about his concerns and recorded his father making statements about the Capitol siege on Jan. 6, 2021:
Read more »
Why it matters that Trump’s team told him the truth about his loss.MaddowBlog: Trump can’t credibly say he didn’t know the truth about his 2020 defeat when so many of those around him had already told him the truth.
Read more »
Why ‘Indie Sleaze,’ ‘That Girl’ Aesthetics Are Taking Over TikTokTwo opposing trends on TikTok, called 'Indie Sleaze' and 'That Girl,' are gaining traction on Google search.
Read more »
Lyme and Other Tick-borne Diseases Are on the Rise—But Why?Many tick species are expanding their ranges, swelling in number and picking up new pathogens that can deliver disease to people should a tick latch on and bite.
Read more »