American Beliefs and Healthy Living
© Gary Sweeten

What are the deepest beliefs of Americans? Why are so many national politicians shocked by the fact that so many of us are interested in voting?

According to most polls the majority of us come from a Christian tradition. About 42% of all Americans attend religious services weekly. Some 95% of Americans believe in God. This is more than those who attend all professional sports in an entire year.

So, why is there so much news about sports and so little about spiritual matters?

In 1985 George Gallup found that 72% of Americans said that My whole approach to life is based on my religion. (This includes politics!)

We are the most religious western nation in the world. This is shocking because the country is divided 50/50 in politics. America, for all her weaknesses, is a religious nation.

One wag noted that India is the most religious country in the world and Sweden the least. America is a bunch of Indians ruled by Swedes.

Research shows that 91% of blacks, 93% of Hispanics and 88% of whites report a religious affiliation. Even more startling is the numberof regular attendance:

51% of blacks,
48% of Hispanics
43% of whites

attend services weekly or more often.

Sixty four percent (64%) of blacks in the national sample were members of religious communities (churches)

Fifty nine percent (59%) of whites and

Forty three percent (43%) of Hispanics. Participation in religious activities outside weekend services is also high with 47% blacks, 41% whites and 31% Hispanics saying they are in church during the week as well as on Sunday. (See Social Capital @ http://www.cfsv.org/communitysurvey/results6.html)

In a nation obsessed with racial and cultural diversity the facts about minorities and religious faith have been strangely absent from the dialogue.

One statistic about African American longevity and church attendance makes the absence of a good dialogue especially puzzling. The data are rarely mentioned in the debates about faith based organizations.

An article by Hummer et al in Demography Journal, 36:273-285 in 1999, Blacks who attend church live much longer than those who do not.

Attendance+++++++++++White expectancy+Black expectancy
Never++++++++++++++++++++77 Years+++++++67 = 10 year difference
Weekly or Less+++++++++++++80 Years+++++++75 = 5 year difference
Weekly or more+++++++++++++83 Years+++++++80 = 3 year difference

Whites who attend services more than weekly gain an average of six years in longevity.

African Americans who attend services weekly or more gain a whopping 13 years in life expectancy. The normal difference in longevity of Blacks is almost completely eclipsed by church attendance. In fact, attending church more often than weekly raises Blacks life expectancy to that of whites who attend weekly or less.

Is it not racist to fail to encourage Blacks to develop religious commitment?

It is malpractice and wrong not to encourage both Blacks and Whites to attend religious services.

Is the ACLU promoting sickness by attacking religious freedom?