Why are older people more likely to believe in God?

Question

witnessofJesus: really? So you don't believe people can choose to believe in God after they're 15? Why do you feel that way?

Renata: interesting points, but the finding that older people are more likely to believe in God is firmly established in the social scientific literature (www.thearda.com).

Answer 1

I'm a 55 year old atheist.  But I live in England where God is out of fashion.

Answer 2

I think it's purely because society is only making it a little less difficult to admit to NOT believing in god.  In other words, atheism has a lot of bad connotations in our society (speaking about US) and not many people have seen it as a viable option.

I'm really exicted and happy that there is a new dialogue happening, especially in the US.  Atheists are not satan worshipers, we don't eat babies and we DO have morals.

The older generation has a hard time letting go of the old fears and fairytales.

Answer 3

We've been around long enough to have crashed and burned many times over trying to run our own lives.

Answer 4

Because they're on average less educated than a typical 25-year-old.

Answer 5

i disagree with conclusion

unless you come to believe by the time your 14 or 15, most Older people will have always rejected or accepted christ and God in their lives already.

stubbornness

Answer 6

Honestly  they are getting closer to being with Him. Thier beliefs become more important as friends begin to pass on and the reality sets in that one day it is also thier chance. When  we are young  these thoughts do not  seem real but as you grow older you realize  how short life is and you begin to prepare for your journey home to God.  

Answer 7

They are closer to the gates than the younger people

Answer 8

Experience. There are many of us young people that have went through a lot and turned ourselves to the Lord.

Answer 9

If you equate belief in God with church attendance, then it may seem like older people are more likely to believe.

If you're under 40, and go to church and see many more older people there then you see elsewhere, you could assume that that's because older people are more likely to believe in God.

But it may be because the younger generation just doesn't hang out where the Seniors do on a daily basis.  (The Senior Citizens Community Center, the chiropractor, Social Security office, 1/2 price matinee at the cinema)

Answer 10

I think there are numerous reasons. The first is that older people are maybe more likely to have never questioned their beliefs than younger generations today. Another reason is of course, mortality is that much closer and for some religion offers comfort. People tend to be more conservative in their behaviors as well, most of us won't be out clubbing until dawn in our golden years so the issues of having the desire or freedom to do so is not so much there. On the other hand they may be quite concerned about what their offspring or grandchildren are doing that might get them in trouble. Social life and community may be more easily centered around some religious belief for older people as well.

Answer 11

Staci J has a good point older people do have a harder time adapting to change and what has apparently served them well in the past may do so in the present/future.

Also some not all people as they get older may develop fears as they realise they are no longer young and are not immortal as when thought they were when young.

I was brought up as a Christian (no choice - parents) became an atheist and later on became a Christian again and just to upset the apple-cart became a firm Atheist again. So as you see life's journey has had its dead ends and wrong turnings.

I do not believe in someone in the sky looking down on us but I do believe there is a next level.