Posted on 04/21/2021 7:34:55 PM PDT by marshmallow
Past studies have shown participating in religious services and in the life of a religious community can be good for your health.
(RNS) — Going to church is generally touted as good for the soul.
But there is also evidence church attendance can be good for your health — unless, that is, you are a woman at a church that bars women from preaching or other leadership roles.
A new study published in the American Sociological Review has found that women who attend churches with such restrictions report worse health than those who attend churches with women in leadership roles.
The study suggests sexism can counter some of the health benefits associated with religion, said co-author Patricia Homan, an associate professor of sociology at Florida State University.
“Women who attend sexist congregations have the same health as those who do not attend religious services at all, and have worse health than women who attend inclusive churches,” said Homan.
A number of past studies have shown that taking part in religious services and belonging to a religious community can be associated with better health outcomes. Regular worship attenders are less likely to smoke, may be less likely to use drugs and may live longer than those who don’t attend services.
That health effect of religion appears to be tied to active participation in a church. Those who have religious beliefs but don’t attend can report poorer health outcomes. (Atheists, by contrast, also seem to report better health.)
Gender discrimination, on the other hand, can be associated with poorer health outcomes. In a previous study, Homan looked at the effects of what she called “structural sexism” at the state level. She found that states that had fewer women political leaders, larger gaps in wages and workplace..............
(Excerpt) Read more at religionnews.com ...
Ditto.
Male pastors stick to the Word.
Female pastors, in my experience, are more concerned with feelings.
Call me sexist (ridiculously overused term) but I am a woman who prefers men in church leadership roles.
The institutional racism/sexism known as “affirmative action” may be harmful to the health of straight white males.
I am an alpha woman in many areas of my life, but I find this church to be an outstanding place to worship and serve. It's not this way in every congregation of our denomination, but I left one that was woman-dominated, with lots of ineffetual infighting, to go to the one I'm in now, and it is excellent.
Good point!
Exactly! Women serve as Bible school director, Sunday school teachers, asst. choir director and for a time choir director and serve on various committees from the food committee to the board of directors in my Southern Baptist church, but not deacons or pastors as they are not eligible. Our numbers continue to grow and amazingly over the pandemic last year our tithes and offerings actually increased.
The local woke first baptist church has women in every possible position and their numbers and funds have dwindled and continue to dwindle. I’ve watched their services on facebook and that church is dead spiritually. It’s a social gathering under the pale guise of Christianity at best.
My great-grandmother was a member of a very conservative religion. In her old age, they carried her in to services in her rocking chair. Once the pastor announced that “Now, our oldest member will lead us in prayer.” Her response: “Pastor, that’s what we pay you for.” She lived just short of her 100th birthday.
One whouldn’t wipe oneself with poison inked paper!
“What doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
Maybe, just maybe, the point is not to feel good about oneself but rather to glorify the creator and submit to his teachings.
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