How often do you go to church/synagogue/mosque/temple?
Posted by chiffongalore@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 426 comments
[removed]
Posted by chiffongalore@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 426 comments
[removed]
FuckMcYou@reddit
America is not deeply religious. Some people are.
Recent-Irish@reddit
Weekly.
Coro-NO-Ra@reddit
That's one thing I've noticed Europeans seem to be missing about our culture - that a lot of our denominations are not extreme. They seem to think that all American churches are Evangelical mega-churches.
I think it might be because, from what I understand, religion tracks closely with conservatism there. It can track that way here, but it's not a 1:1 thing.
ItsPumpkinSpiceTime@reddit
I think it's because they are SO loud they drown out anything from other movements. The church my kid went to was very liberal/progressive and all about social justice and community outreach. They have a pantry and a "community dinner" every week for people dealing with food insecurity. They even have a little set-up in their parking lot with two fridges and several shelves where people take or leave at any time, no appointment needed.
But they never get any attention. It's always the fish shakers and Bible thumpers that get seen and heard.
Karnakite@reddit
Nobody wants to talk about people who are normal and boring. “Here’s this church, everyone in it is perfectly fine, they’re great people and they never do anything weird or hateful at all” doesn’t get headlines.
ItsPumpkinSpiceTime@reddit
I think it would also help if they indulged in a little self-promotion. I know humility is the thing but some horns should be tooted over the good works they do for the community. I just wish they'd be a little louder in their critique of the bad ones.
annaoze94@reddit
That sounds like a good non-toxic church and we need a lot more of those..
Karnakite@reddit
To be fair, a lot of Americans think that too.
Mostly edgy ones, but still.
ColossusOfChoads@reddit
That's usually because there's only one game in town, and it's often the centuries-upon-centuries old official state-associated church.
MyUsername2459@reddit
I've had people from Europe flat-out refuse to accept the fact of how religiously diverse America is.
I've mentioned how many Churches are in the small town where I live, and they believe I MUST be lying and exaggerating, even when I show them things like imagery on Google Maps, or other directories, of Churches, they simply can't wrap their mind around how many Churches there are in the US and how many different denominations they are.
So many seem to think small town = one church, and that's all there EVER can be, end of story.
ferret_80@reddit
most of their small towns were built up around a church that some rich guy had built back in the 12th century to pay their way to Heaven.
There weren't a lot of remote monasteries already established as Colonial/American settlers expanded. and buying your way into Heaven by building a church fell out of favour in the 16th century with the Protestant Reformation.
ColossusOfChoads@reddit
My wife (see flair) was flabbergasted that people would drive half an hour on multiple freeways to go to the church of their particular choosing.
"They don't just go to the one nearest them?" Well no, that's only a selling point if you want to go to that particular church. If it's not your kind of church, or if you think the place sucks or doesn't qualify as a 'real' church, you'll gladly keep driving.
I asked her "don't people 'shop around' for which particular Catholic church to go to?"
She said "maybe if they were feuding with everyone and had pissed off their entire village. And even then."
Prowindowlicker@reddit
It works sorta the same in Judaism too.
There’s a shul that I pass on the way to my shul but I refuse to go to that one, even though it’s closer.
There’s even a joke among Jews that there will always be your shul and a shul you refuse to step foot in.
Blue_Star_Child@reddit
My town of 500 has 3 different denominations of churches. 6 minutes down the road in the next larger town of 1,000, there are more churches. Also 5 min the other way more churches. They are everywhere.
Majestic-Macaron6019@reddit
Most of the most virulently right-wing people I know claim to be Christian, but haven't been to church in years.
Maryfarrell642@reddit
We're getting closer and closer every day – particularly now that religion is more important than women's bodies or choice
The_Law_of_Pizza@reddit
That's really not true.
I grew up in the South, and the evangelicals will absolutely socially probe to figure out if you attend church, and where.
If the answer isn't acceptable, they will attempt to ostracize you.
You're sort of making the same mistake that some white people make when they dismiss police racism that they can never experience. You attend church, and are openly religious, so you'll never experience what it's like to be in the crosshairs of these people.
appleparkfive@reddit
Interesting graph that compares each US state to all of the European countries
Essentially we're notably more religious overall, but not to an extreme level
Adnan7631@reddit
Saudi Arabia is authoritarian and because of that, the people may not be as religious as they may appear. For example, there is good reason to believe that the American leadership is more religious than the Saudi leadership.
SenecatheEldest@reddit
To be fair, there is a bit of that compulsion in the American leadership as well. Do you really think there is not a single atheist member of Congress?
Recent-Irish@reddit
I mean there are multiple.
That said, saying you go to church is one of the safest political things you can say. Refusing to say that makes you look weird and out of touch while you’ll lose almost no votes for saying you do.
Very different dynamics overall.
Spirited_Ingenuity89@reddit
Well, based on this breakdown, there might be 22, but I’d say at least 1 is a definite. Lots of people are “spiritual” even if they’re not religiously affiliated. In general, I don’t think there are that many atheists/people who believe that there’s nothing supernatural/metaphysical/transcendent. Only 4% of Americans self-identify as atheist, so no, it’s not shocking that there’d be such a small amount in Congress.
Adnan7631@reddit
I don’t think you understand what I mean. The likes of Muhammad Bin Salman are likely still Muslim and not atheist, but I say that with the expectation that he mostly doesn’t care. That kind of attitude shows up when you spend time with, for example, Saudi foreign students at American universities. But you can’t gauge their religiosity because the state forces it on them and their disinterest only shows up (in a weird concentrated form) only when they aren’t subject to the same government threat.
In contrast, a clearly religiously disinclined Donald Trump is the head of the party whose largest constituency are religious conservatives. Piety is clearly not an enforced requirement. At the same time, it is very easy to believe from their actions and words that Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George Bush jr, Bush Sr., and Jimmy Carter are all more genuinely religious than the likes of Saudi’s MBS.
WingedSeven@reddit
outside of the bible belt and wherever the mormons are, alot of the us is pretty secular. we're very influenced by 18th century empiricism and 20th century pragmatism so not too many people care about what a god has to say
Haunting_PoetGhost4@reddit
I wouldn’t call the US a deeply religious country. Most people I meet and know are secular than religious.
Gatodeluna@reddit
There is a perception in the world press, greatly ramped up during and since since Trump’s presidency, that Americans are ‘more religious’ than other countries. Yes, there is a very judgmental and puritanical mindset in some Americans, that’s true. But it’s the act of judging, and finding others wanting, that’s at the core of that, not religion. In today’s America people use ‘religion’ and ‘morality’ like shields, but such people are not religious as far as following the teachings of their religion - only the ones that suit them. I grew up without religion and have lived my life as an atheist. I’m very far from rare. I’ve gone to church with others, been to religious ceremonies, but otherwise would have no desire to go. Using OP’s examples, I’d venture to guess that most Jews and Muslims go to services more because they want to than for appearances, whereas Christians are more likely to go because otherwise they’d be negatively gossiped about. I would say there are reasons for the stereotypes, but the stereotypes themselves are a minority in the US now and shrinking every day.
JulieannFromChicago@reddit
I’m Catholic and I go to Mass on Sundays. I also go on holy days of obligation and some other feast days. I volunteer at Salvation Army occasionally and participate in some other Church groups and am a lector (I do the readings when scheduled). So Church is important in my life.
Mysteryman64@reddit
I haven't been in years and have no future plans to.
My Aunt goes literally every day. My grandparents go maybe two or three times a week.
cdb03b@reddit
Every Sunday and Wednesday. We also have monthly events for the women, the men, and several for the children, as well as a monthly Thursday fellowship day.
Prowindowlicker@reddit
Church on a Wednesday is very strange to me. Why then?
cdb03b@reddit
It is the middle of the week.
Prowindowlicker@reddit
I get that but why? Why is it in the middle of the week and not say on a Tuesday or Thursday?
st-christina-of-tyre@reddit
So usually it is because you have Sunday worship (Communion), which is to be proceeded by its matching Vesperal service the evening before on Saturday. That's two. You also have your daily services which can be mass and/or vespers and I think Wednesday services are often selected for those who work on Saturdays or Sundays, or can't attend them for other reasons. My local church (Orthodox Christian) also uses Wednesday for things like Bible study or catechism classes. I hope this helped.
Prowindowlicker@reddit
Interesting. The idea of multiple days spent at place of worship is odd to me.
Outside of holidays and Shabbat I’ve never gone to the shul on multiple days
cdb03b@reddit
Because it is the middle of the week. The point is to have a second day of communal bible study and fellowship in the middle of the week. You are right that Thursday would be equally appropriate for that purpose, and selecting Wednesday is somewhat arbitrary in that regard, but that even serves a purpose of being mid work week so being more centered in the mind.
deltagma@reddit
Weekly. (LDS/Mormon)
Icy-Student8443@reddit
i never go to church bc i’m an atheist but a lot of people i know who r religious don’t go to church that often as people might think
BankManager69420@reddit
Pretty much weekly. It’s been a bit harder recently now that I work graveyards but I try as much as possible. I genuinely do believe and go for myself. I started going as a kid, despite most of my family being agnostic/non Church going Christian.
therealdrewder@reddit
You're lucky that many graveyards are near churches.
Karnakite@reddit
Are they? I always feel like I have to drive twenty minutes to get to the cemetery after a funeral.
therealdrewder@reddit
The difference between a cemetery and a graveyard is that a graveyard is attached to a church, and a cemetery is municipal and not associated with a particular religion.
Both_Fold6488@reddit
Glad you to get the make it when you can your best is always enough!
MistaSoviet@reddit
Never, I’m an atheist. I went to church as a kid because it made my mom happy and when I grew up I decided not to do that anymore.
Sorcha9@reddit
I have not stepped foot into a church in 7 years. Last time was for a funeral.
MDSplat007@reddit
Only for funerals
stinson16@reddit
I think the US is deeply religious in a way that is different than some other countries and probably different than you’re thinking. I think a lot of times when people hear “deeply religious country” they think of a country where a vast majority, maybe 90%+ is affiliated with religion. Some more devout than others, but almost everyone believes in a religion (or appears to). Whereas in the US 22% aren’t religious at all and religion tends to be more prevalent in certain areas, so some regions are less religious than others. For example, in Seattle 37% of people aren’t religious, much higher than the national average. On top of that, some people feel more private about their religion, I know a few people who are very religious, but don’t go to church. (Percentages pulled from Gallup and Pew Research polls I found on Google)
As someone who is not religious and from one of the least religious areas, to me the US being deeply religious is more about how religion has influenced politics and school curriculum. But I imagine if you’re in a more religious area, like The South, it might feel closer to the way you’re probably thinking of “deeply religious”
Karnakite@reddit
I see so many Europeans and Australians and even Canadians who seem to think Americans make a really, really big deal out of what others believe and how they need to conform to what they believe.
We don’t. I’ve heard a few stories from people claiming to be from the South about how they deal with some kind of mass community harassment due to not being religious, but honestly, they seem to mostly come from attention-hungry, grumpy teenage basement dwellers, and as a rule, I don’t believe them. They’re too sensationalist.
I would say that here, even if your beliefs make you think that someone from outside your faith is probably going to hell, you’re most likely too polite to actually make a fuss about it. You’ll just figure that’s between them and God. I’m not religious, but in my experience, that’s how most religious people seem to operate. We really only care about how people act, and don’t pry.
VoluptuousValeera@reddit
This should answer your first question.
Every or almost once a week 30%, Once a month 11%, Seldom or Never 56%. Article breaks down by popular religions/denominations if anyone is curious. Also attendance is in decline.
Side tangent for Question #2: One could argue that social pressure is the only reason to attend a religious gathering. Organized religion is inherently social. (You can totally be religious or spiritual without "society", but to gather and learn from a "teacher" is strictly a societal construct)
boulevardofdef@reddit
In some religions, though, attendance at religious services is considered essentially mandatory, and not to do so constitutes something like a sin. Observant Jews are expected to pray three times a day, and the prayers aren't supposed to be as effective unless done with a group of at least 10 men. While I doubt a Jew has ever existed who never missed one of these services, it's considered a commandment to attend them whenever possible. Catholics are expected to perform some sacraments that can only be done in a group setting.
Karnakite@reddit
Psst: A lot of religious people, even really religious ones, don’t follow all the obligations they’re supposed to.
VoluptuousValeera@reddit
Totally get where you're minds at here, I saw this one coming when I posted it🤣
The literature that mandates these rules was created by organized religion aka society aka social pressure.
crystalxclear@reddit
Attendance isn't a good indicator imo. It's anecdotal, but I know a bunch of people who stopped going to church during the pandemic and then never went back, but they're still deeply religious. Some of them stream sermons, some don't at all.
Karnakite@reddit
This right here. I’ve noticed that if the religious people I do know, very few of them actually attend services regularly.
It’s like asking someone, “How often do you eat lobster?” to determine how much people actually like it. But a lot of people might absolutely love lobster but never have the money or time to eat it. Only a few lobster lovers might actually take the effort and money to have it regularly.
LT256@reddit
I also heard a stat that 30 years ago, people who called themselves "regular churchgoers" averaged 3.5 times a month, now people put themselves in that category average 1x a month or less.
HermioneMarch@reddit
2-3 Sundays a month.
mfigroid@reddit
Only when someone gets married or buried.
needmoarbass@reddit
Never. Idk many who do. As kids we went more but most of my friends and I are not religious as adults. And the couple of friends who are religious, only one goes to church. And I assume goes weekly, maybe more or less, idk.
zugabdu@reddit
"Deeply religious" might be overstating the case. Rather, the US is a country with deeply religious subpopulations. Plenty of places and people in the US are as secular as those of any other Western country.
I for one only attend a house of worship if it's a wedding, funeral, or bar mitzvah for a friend or relative.
appleparkfive@reddit
Although I will say Europe is a bit more secular overall
Here's a chart. It even breaks up the US by states to compare
zugabdu@reddit
It's more nuanced than that. It's not really a matter of Americans being slightly more religious than Europeans - it's that there are highly religious subsets of Americans and those subsets are substantially larger than in Europe. It's a subtle but important distinction because if you're a European meeting an American, you can't safely assume "this person is slightly more religious than me". It's more likely that they're approximately as secular as you, or they're much more religious than you. Averages are deceptive here.
Signal-Spend-6548@reddit
We have TONS of protestant sects that are uniquely American. They are very impacted by immigration patterns from decades and centuries ago.
But, one thing about protestantism is that it highlights a PERSONAL relationship with Christ... So there are tons of protestant sects in the US that don't exist abroad to the same degree.
OfTheAtom@reddit
A lot of posts on reddit could be summed up with "you're trying to use a statistical ensemble based metric and bring it to determine your predictions for particular locale experiences, which works statistically only, not ontologicaly. "
But ya know what you said works better
caiaphas8@reddit
Yeah but there’s highly religious subgroups in Europe too
WonderfulVariation93@reddit
All those crazy people in FL who are constantly spouting off about religion and higher percentage of MARYLANDERS (a highly liberal state!) are going to church?
StarWars_Girl_@reddit
I think it also depends where in the US you are.
Here in Maryland, we have a pretty diverse population, so a lot of Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, etc, along with a lot of Jews (including a fair amount of Orthodox Jews) and lots of Catholics. But pretty much everyone is unbothered by what everyone else is doing and it's a "whatever floats your boat" mentality.
Then elsewhere, you've got the Bible belt, you've got places where most people aren't at all religious...it just varies.
annaoze94@reddit
I'm from Chicago which is very Polish, Italian, and Irish and Puerto Rican, so Catholic AF. But I don't think more people in Chicago go to church compared to any other big city.
RodeoBoss66@reddit
Going to an event like a wedding or a funeral at a place of worship is not “attending” worship services. It’s just going into a place of worship. For what you’re there for, it’s essentially a gathering place like a community center. That’s not what the OP is asking.
If you go there specifically for worship services, even just to observe and not to participate, then you could say that you’re attending worship services.
There’s a difference between “going to church” and “going to a church.” If you only go for a wedding, a funeral, a bar mitzvah or something like that, then you’re just going to a church or going to a temple.
TheRtHonLaqueesha@reddit
Yeah, if the US were deeply religious, let's just say that the two major presidential candidates wouldn't be what they are.
BarriBlue@reddit
American are deeply religious like Trump is deeply religious.
Practical-Basil-3494@reddit
Many Americans are deeply religious.
saint_of_thieves@reddit
I can't remember the last wedding I attended that was at a church.
WrongJohnSilver@reddit
Heck, around here (NJ), many funerals take place at a funeral home, not a place of worship.
Places of worship are popular spots for group meetings, and I've been in churches much more often for secular events than for worship.
Signal-Spend-6548@reddit
ALWAYS weekly and sometimes more.
Undispjuted@reddit
I rarely attend a Christian church (but I don’t claim to be a Christian. I like Jesus and I have my own private beliefs.) My best friend is a minister and her whole family is very religious. My Daddy’s people are all cultural Catholics who turn up every time the doors open, celebrate every fast and feast day, you name it. I had 2 roommates who were devout Muslims and were very active in their mosque. I have a Jewish friend who’s semi observant. It reallllllly varies.
prtekonik@reddit
Weddings or funerals.
catscatscatsohmy@reddit
0 times. I am 35. Half jewish half catholic
spk92986@reddit
Every Sunday, occasionally during the week for confession.
WinterKnigget@reddit
I was raised Jewish. Had a bat mitzvah, went to Israel and I can still read in Hebrew. The last time I went to a synagogue, it was for my youngest cousin's bar mitzvah, which was a few years ago. I don't remember exactly when, but at a minimum, it was 3 years ago. There is a pretty sizeable Jewish population here in East Tennessee (which surprised me a lot), but I don't have the time or inclination to go.
A few years ago, I had a roommate B, who was also Jewish. He and I were in different sects, so it experiences were different. Growing up, I mostly went every week, but something had always felt off. Not about the community, or even the rabbis, but the whole G-d thing.
To make a very long story short, I consider myself a Jewish Atheist. While I don't believe in G-d, I do believe in living my life by Jewish values, like the sacridity of life. I also remember the story about the famous rabbi (maybe Rashi) who said that a person could learn a lot of an atheist, because when they do good, it's because it's the right thing to do, rather than doing it to please the imaginary guy in the sky. That lady bit sticks with me
Prowindowlicker@reddit
I go a bit more frequently than you. Mostly HHD and that’s about it with occasional attendance for socializing with friends and family.
I’d say I’m more an agnostic Jew than atheist but ya
WinterKnigget@reddit
Makes sense
ThatMuslimCowBoy@reddit
Depends on the person I don’t know many Jews who regularly attend synagogue save a Rabbi I know I know a few Christians who attend regularly from a few denominations and many Muslims who attend Friday prayer not sure on actual percentages
Prowindowlicker@reddit
If the synagogue is large enough the rabbi might not even attend weekly services. More rabbis mean at least one rabbi isn’t going to services that week
ThatMuslimCowBoy@reddit
Interesting ya I only know one he has a pretty small community
To-RB@reddit
5-7 days a week. Catholic living in the Deep South.
Livvylove@reddit
I think the last time I went was around when my little brother got baptized. He is in his 20s now
inthenameofselassie@reddit
I go probably one a month or so.
Prowindowlicker@reddit
Once every few months. Gotta show up occasionally to show people I exist and I’m still alive.
Well that and so I don’t end up being a High Holy Days Jew. Gotta mix it up a bit and see how some people are doing
TransThrowaway4096@reddit
I'd like to go once a week, but it's rather far away and there isn't always someone that can take me. If I can't go in person I watch my shul's Shabbat service livestream. Still, it's not the same as going in person. I also (virtually) attend Torah study every Saturday morning. I would describe myself as fairly religious.
Icy-Kitchen6648@reddit
Never. Every single one of coworkers attends church every Sunday though
Baymavision@reddit
I haven't been inside a church for anything other than a wedding or a funeral in ~30 years. I also won't go for any other reason.
Gswizzlee@reddit
Never
Bonzo4691@reddit
America is not at all a deeply religious country. You are completely off base. The problem is that the people who are extremely religious are very loud and aggressive about it. So you hear about it more than it actually exists. The vast majority of Americans are not very religious and the entire concept of religion is losing its popularity in the country as a whole. We are a nation founded on logic and reason and secular government. Religion is not a foundation of our nation.
Recent-Irish@reddit
America is the most religious first world country…
Which means it’s still pretty secular.
Bonzo4691@reddit
Exactly. With education comes loss of religious fervor. Gee, almost sounds like the more you know the more you recognize religion is a bunch of bullshit.
Recent-Irish@reddit
Nah hard disagree. Education increased my religiosity, in all honesty.
Bonzo4691@reddit
You are the exception that proves the rule then. Because the higher the education the lower the level of religious participation. At least here in the states. It is a well-known statistic
mrawesomesword@reddit
According to who? I've seen statistics claiming the very opposite of that.
https://religioninpublic.blog/2017/07/21/do-educated-people-abandon-religion-theres-no-evidence-in-the-data/
Recent-Irish@reddit
“Exception that proves the rule” doesn’t mean what you seem to think.
Bonzo4691@reddit
It means exactly what I think it is. If you look at every statistic in the United States that compares education and religious participation you will see the statistic. It is blatantly obvious.
Henrylord1111111111@reddit
Exception that proves the rule is more like a sign saying “No parking on Sundays” which then implies that you can park there every other day of the week. So whilst i agree with your point unless im misunderstanding something this is not the correct usage of it.
websterhamster@reddit
Same here. I would elaborate that a lot of modern scientific discovery that has troubled less educated Christians for decades (such as evolution, BBT, etc.) is in turn more evidence of God to me after graduating college.
In short, I have fewer excuses to not believe.
therealdrewder@reddit
With most communities, that's true. The exception is Jewish and LDS, both of which become more religious with more education.
Bonzo4691@reddit
And that's untrue as well. As a Jew I can tell you that the majority of Jews who are highly educated are not highly religious. They may go to services on the high holidays but they're not sitting in dark rooms reading from the Talmud. As for the mormons, they are extremely religious from the moment that they're born. Until they escape that lunacy.
doyathinkasaurus@reddit
Exactly. Only 1 in 4 Jews in the US believes in God - and US Jews are twice as likely as the average American to be atheist
DoinIt989@reddit
New Hampshire is much less religious than the US average. Your perspective would be different if you lived in Alabama.
Bonzo4691@reddit
I do get that. But statistics show that religion is getting less and less popular in the entire United states. Granted, the Bible Belt will probably not change for another generation or two
DoinIt989@reddit
In general yes, but this is a huge country and regional cultures do still vary quite a bit. The religious people are less common than say 20 years ago, but it absolutely still exists.
Bonzo4691@reddit
Oh I never said that it didn't. I simply said that we are rapidly becoming a more and more secular society and we are certainly not a very religious society as the OP suggested. And thank God for that (no pun intended lol)
Jakebob70@reddit
Every week. Various family members have youth group, bible study, etc.. on different days of the week also.
pete_blake@reddit
I was raised a Lutheran but haven’t stepped foot inside a church in 30 years.
AnybodySeeMyKeys@reddit
We're Episcopalian (American variant of Anglicanism). We typically attend every other Sunday. Not as a matter of course, but that's just how our lives work out.
doyathinkasaurus@reddit
How well attended are your services, out of interest? Apparently the no of weekly church goers in the UK is less than the no of people who attend mosques weekly, whilst church of England attendance has halved over the last 25 years - and that are left are mostly over 60 (according to the CofE "in large swathes of England, the church now has no children in its churches on a Sunday. This is moving beyond decline and toward extinction.")
Just curious how this picture compares to the congregation at your church?
AnybodySeeMyKeys@reddit
About 250 .
ColossusOfChoads@reddit
What's the age breakdown? Any families with kids?
AnybodySeeMyKeys@reddit
There is a substantial number of families with kids. I don't have a number. But I do observe a pattern.
Kids attend because, well, their parents go. Then, once they go off to college, they kind of disappear for a while. Then they marry, have kids of their own, and come back. My daughter, who is 29 and single, calls it Rumspringa for Episcopalians.
We're lucky in our diocese because we have an outstanding youth program centered around a fantastic wilderness camp. It also helps that the Episcopal Church does not embroil itself in today's nightmarish politics. It's interesting how many former Catholics and Baptists have joined in our congregation over time as a result.
ColossusOfChoads@reddit
In recent years, do you think there's been a 'Trump Bump' on that particular front?
ColossusOfChoads@reddit
I've always seen that as largely a 'Northeastern Seaboard' thing. Is it pretty much the same deal down South, or does it vary any?
Meat_Bingo@reddit
When somebody dies, or gets married
Worried_Place_917@reddit
The last time I was in a church was for a funeral. Joking with my sibling that if this shit were real i'd be on fire by now.
Last time I attended a non-death/wedding related service was about 20 years ago during high school because I had a crush on a girl in youth group. Then we both stopped going and spent that after-school open time banging instead.
eac555@reddit
Almost never.
MagicMissile27@reddit
For Americans in general, it really depends. I've never met people who go extremely frequently just for the sake of social pressure, generally people who go weekly or more go because they want to. I go to Mass nearly every day because that happens to work with my schedule.
Tomagander@reddit
I attend Mass every Sunday and Holy Day. I participate in an informal Men's fellowship on Wednesday nights when I take my kids to catechism (religion class). I also have a virtual Bible study with my college buddies about once a month.
Nodeal_reddit@reddit
4-5.
I go about 2-3 Sunday mornings / month and probably another 2 non- Sunday activities.
RaspberrySadberry@reddit
Haven't in about 10 years. My family isn't religious. Only went for the monthly potlucks cause we were broke.
TheCrazyBlacksmith@reddit
Extremely rarely. I was raised Catholic, but I decided I didn’t believe in it in Middle School. By the time I was 18, I’d only go for Christmas or Easter Mass with my family. Now, funerals and weddings are pretty much it.
GhostofAugustWest@reddit
Never. I’m an atheist.
PiesAteMyFace@reddit
It's more accurate to say that there are pockets of deep, opinionated religiosity here. It's inversely correlated with the level of education. I'm an atheist personally, and so are most of the folks we know.
mklinger23@reddit
I'm atheist so never. My grandma goes 3-4 times per week.
Paleozoic_Fossil@reddit
🕉️I’m Hindu, I go 1-2x a year or so — because it’s traditional for Hindus to have a small temple in their home. I have a temple room and that’s where we pray, do our rituals, celebrate holidays, etc. Music and dance (Hindu-based types) are also forms of worship for us.
Going to an outside temple is not mandatory for us. We believe God is with us everywhere. 🙏🏽
Key-Candle8141@reddit
I'm not religious in a typical way I'm more about nature so in my own way I visit church about 8 hours a week with occasional week or 2 retreats
Manic_Monday_2009@reddit
I go almost every Sunday.
Some regions of America are more religious than others. The south is deeply religious. Other regions not so much.
fickystingers@reddit
Basically never-- I could count on one hand the number of times I've been to ANY kind of religious service as an adult (not counting things like weddings or funerals)
max-wellington@reddit
Literally never.
penguin_stomper@reddit
I last attended church in 1987.
fahhgedaboutit@reddit
Literally never. I was raised catholic and found it to be complete BS growing up so didn’t continue practicing as an adult
fortysix_sunsets@reddit
Your question actually has a lot of nuance.
First, “going to service” and “religious” and especially “ethical” are not synonymous. My own mom goes to church twice a week but is highly unethical and doesn’t follow any tenets of her religion she doesn’t want to. This “trail mix religion” is quite common (keeping the parts you like and discarding the ones you don’t). For many, going to service is more a social event than a religious observance or social obligation.
Secondly, the religious part of American culture varies wildly by region and then by city and state. You said “this side of the Atlantic” go I’m guessing you’re European. The US is more than twice the size of the EU.
Also, your survey sample is inherently biased. in America, typically people who label themselves “religious” are also more conservative and nationalistic (like someone else’s comment about Republicans vs Democrats). These pro-America xenophobes are not going to be traveling abroad as much. Religion is often also associated with a lower socioeconomic class and these people may not be able to afford a trip abroad.
These are all just generalizations so take it all with a grain of salt.
annaoze94@reddit
I don't.. I grew up Catholic but I don't practice anymore. Even when I was a kid I went once a week to church for religious Ed and it wasn't a service it was a class. We really only went to church every Sunday when me or my brother were like practicing communion so we wouldn't mess it up on our first communion..
RodeoBoss66@reddit
I’m a Christian, and my faith is very important to me. Right now, I worship daily at my home, participating in various online services on Sundays and using the YouVersion Bible app every day for private worship and prayer. I’ve had church homes before, which is to say that I’ve been a member of a specific church outside my home that I attend regularly, including one in Houston, Texas, where I previously lived, that I really enjoyed greatly, but right now, I’m currently in between church homes due to my living situation and the fact that I’m in a new (for me) city. Choosing the right church home is a very important thing for us as Christians, and I have my eyes on one in particular that I’m interested in checking out soon since I’ve heard the pastor speak a couple of times, and we’ll see how that goes. I do know that the Bible teaches us that we’re supposed to worship with a family of believers, and I have no intention of failing in that endeavor. I’m simply letting the Holy Spirit guide me to the right church where I’m meant to be.
Fantastic-Anything@reddit
Reddit is not a good place to ask this question because there are so many anti religion types
ElectronicAgent8453@reddit
Mosque. A couple times a year but I’d like to go more often
legion_XXX@reddit
0 times per year.
Ok-Understanding9244@reddit
Every Sunday
RingGiver@reddit
Not often enough, but usually once per week.
TwinkieDad@reddit
The last time was for a friend’s wedding in 2019. Time before that would have been another wedding somewhere in 2013, maybe? I’m not sure. So at most twice in the last decade.
Turdle_Vic@reddit
I’ve probably been to a church service like 6 times in my 25 years on this earth, all for funerals. I pray but I don’t like the institution of church itself. My faith is within myself and the Bible I own. I need not a man to tell me how to live by the Bible as the good book itself tells me how to live
Maryfarrell642@reddit
Never -I'm an atheist
raexlouise13@reddit
Never. Atheist.
B_Maximus@reddit
I go most sundays to church
11061995@reddit
Growing up, even having lost religion as a teenager, I would attend a church youth group on Wednesday and Saturday night for the social aspect. Religious services are as much for community and social interaction as anything else.
Idahotato21@reddit
Sundays + 7 holy days of obligation + random times i have the time to. So like 70ish
DDemetriG@reddit
When I was a Kid, we went every Sunday and Wednesday. Then Middle school hit, so we started to skip Wednesdays. Then the Apostolic Pentecostal Church expanded with the New building, and the Old Building was converted into a Youth Church. The Youth Church people were very much Butt-holes to my Brother and Sister (they were Racist to my Brother because of their Hair, and they called my Sister a Sl*t because she had blonde hair). That combined with the drop in actual religious zeal at the church was what caused my mom to drift away from regular attendance (I was happy to not go, as I had Autism, and Church was Overstimulating in all the Bad ways. Also, I noticed they were being mean to my siblings.). Then our Family hit a rough Financial Patch, so my Mom had to work a lot more, so we just stopped entirely. It's been years since I've set foot in a Church, and the last time was to watch my Niece get baptized in a Catholic Church. I am personally somewhere between Shintoism and Fae worship in terms of beliefs, and I wouldn't call myself Religious so much as Superstitious.
Lets_focus_onRampart@reddit
OP you may be dealing with some selection bias. The Americans who choose to move to Europe are more likely to be non-religious than the average American.
shadowdragon1978@reddit
Personally, I don't go, because I don't believe in organized religion.
I think a lot of the idea that America is "deeply religious" comes from the fact that a majority of the first English settlers were "religious criminals" - people who had been imprisoned for their religious beliefs.
Another part is that our founding fathers used religion to get support for the Revolutionary War. Basically, telling people that the revolution was sanctioned by God. Religion/God is mentioned several times in our Declaration of Independence.
Runny-Yolks@reddit
Weddings and funerals.
kuriT9@reddit
America has deep religious pockets of people all over more often found in rural areas, atheistism has grown in the younger population and has left the church for multitudes of reasons that I'm sure are similar elsewhere. Religious fanatics such as those in the Catholic Church (my personal experience) and the millions of subsets of Christianity have left a horrible taste in the mouths of Americans. Stemming from condemnation of the LGBT and all those who are deemed as "othered."
To answer your question directly, i went every Sunday and many Wednesdays. This went on until I was 14 but stopped altogether when I was 16.
I may have a bitter experience, but there are plenty of fine and fair god-fearing Americans. Several are dear friends, but the extremist actions of the church will continue to push the younger generations away.
worrymon@reddit
For services, I think 3 times in the past 53 years. Then a dozen for weddings and funerals and a dozen more just as a tourist.
nocranberries@reddit
Virtually never. Pretty sure the last time I was in a church or even near a church-related property was like 14 years ago in high school. Our high school was so small that for gym class, we all had to walk 10 minutes down the street to a church with a gymnasium they'd let the school use. I was forced to go to church on occasion as a small child and hated it, and obviously didn't resonate with Christianity, so it never took with me.
Starbucksplasticcups@reddit
Never. My family is Atheist.
MiseryisCompany@reddit
I haven't gone to a church service in 40 years. My children (17,21) never have.
No_Ad5511@reddit
As an atheist….never.
Both_Fold6488@reddit
Once a week.
iteachag5@reddit
We normally go once a week to Christian worship service.
smugbox@reddit
Never ever
That-Addendum-9064@reddit
i’m very atheist and have been for 10 years, i’ve only been a handful of times
That-Addendum-9064@reddit
only went when i was spending weekends over at my bestfriend’s house. didn’t believe in God but what am i gonna say? no?
AssassinWench@reddit
This really varies based on where you live, but I was raised Mormon and have since left the church and don’t plan on ever going back.
That-Addendum-9064@reddit
good for you!
Techaissance@reddit
I’m not religious so I only enter religious buildings for the tourism value. Ex. Westminster Abbey when I went to London.
Techialo@reddit
Never. Haven't been since 2009.
bdrwr@reddit
There are deeply religious people here, but there are also vast numbers of nonreligious. I'm an atheist.
Taz9093@reddit
Grew up catholic, mass 2 times a week, more on holidays and holy days of obligation. I hope to never set foot in a church ever again.
s001196@reddit
I don’t.
EddeyDingle@reddit
I've been to church three times as a kid, all after spending the night at various friends' homes. Outside of that, no church has had any sort of direct impact on my life. America is a large country, values and lifestyles vary greatly here
Rebeccah623@reddit
Never unless there is an event that I am obligated to go to.
Red_Beard_Rising@reddit
The last time was about 2000 AD. I was performing with a musical group in college. The church was the campus church. There was another church a few blocks down I had been to several times. They had an organ with audience seating. The organ majors held their recitals at the church.
Exciting-Hedgehog944@reddit
Float between agnostic and atheism. Have not been to church earnestly since I was a child with my aunt and uncle. Neither of my parents go either. The only person I even know who goes regularly is my stepfather. He is a catholic who attends weekly. He was angry we did not get married in the church and have not baptized our children and do not intend on doing so. Not part of our belief system. I live in small town Midwest.
Belief systems in the US are very nuanced and many people my age (xenial ) may believe in a higher power but not organized religion.
greatdanegal1985@reddit
Never.
LowerEast7401@reddit
Almost every Sunday, but sometimes things happen.
I also do get involved in the community events a lot. Food bank drives, teaching english to children of immigrants.
As far as Americans overseas, aside from military members, most overseas Americans tend to be very liberal and non religious, so not a good representations of Americans as a whole.
You see church attendance also being much higher among working classes and minorities (like myself)You won't see those groups live overseas much, unless they join the military.
biggcb@reddit
Only for weddings and funerals
Ginsu_Viking@reddit
Weekly (Lutheran), I go by choice. I run the A/V for our contemporary service and livestream. I would note, as a result of that experience, I have noticed a lot of houses of worship livestream or record their services and post them online. So, quite a few people "attend" but may have not set foot inside the actual building since 2020, or indeed ever.
Successful_Fish4662@reddit
Lutheran here too! Which synod are you?
Ginsu_Viking@reddit
WELS. You?
Successful_Fish4662@reddit
ELCA, don’t hate me, I was born into it 😂
Ginsu_Viking@reddit
No hatred here! As long as the important bits are on lockdown, denomination doesn't matter.
allaboutwanderlust@reddit
Never
Sorry-Ad-1169@reddit
When I was younger, I went to both services, Wednesday Bible study, and anything involving whatever ministry I was in. Now I only attend one service (there's only service, thanks COVID), and anything involving whatever ministry I'm in. I wish I could go back to Bible study, but... I think work is the reason I don't...?
churchgrym@reddit
I try to go every week
MuscaMurum@reddit
None.
mis_no_mer@reddit
Never. I’ve been to maybe 4 church services in my life (I’m 41), and 0 synagogues, mosques, or temples.
adaughterofpromise@reddit
Every Sunday morning. Two Wednesday’s a month we have prayer meeting and song service. Revival week, which happens twice a year, we are in church Wednesday through Sunday mornings.
AilanthusHydra@reddit
Slightly more than once per year most years.
I consistently go with my dad on Christmas Eve. It's possible I might go to a church at some other point in the year, but often not for religious reasons as much as architectural or historical interest.
I don't really count weddings and funerals, even if they are held in a church and have associated religious elements. There may or may not be one or more of these in a given year, and it's not like I'm attending for my own religious purposes.
DoinIt989@reddit
Americans who move overseas tend to be less religious/traditional on average (unless they're moving specifically to be a missionary).
LoisLaneEl@reddit
I’m a Christian and I haven’t gone to church in many years. I went every week as a child and a lot as a teen, but I’m not an early morning person. I can love God without being performative about it
cohrt@reddit
Christmas and Easter.
BigBlaisanGirl@reddit
Lol. No we're not. First amendment includes freedom of religion, meaning we don't have to practice or believe and do as much or as little as we want.
WhichSpirit@reddit
There's a term for Christians who only go to church on Christmas and Easter; CEOs.
I'm an F. Funerals.
ReferenceSufficient@reddit
Every Sunday or Saturday night, I'm Catholic.
SaintScrosh@reddit
I used to go every weekend when I was in high school. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve found “my own church” as in I find a way that works for me. I still on occasion go to church (I’m catholic) but I’ve been disappointed Church as a whole. I say I’m religious because it dictates a few aspects of my life. But Im part of the younger generation of religious Americans possibly.
AncientGuy1950@reddit
Well, the last time I was in a church for a service was April 1975, for my wedding, and then only because my wife wanted it. Her minister and I came to an understanding, I didn't point out the inconsistencies and flat-out contradictions in his Bible, and he didn't give my wife to be any religious crap for marrying an Atheist.
amishcatholic@reddit
Every Sunday and major feast day, and every Wednesday when my kids' faith formation is in session.
FishingWorth3068@reddit
The last time someone died or a wedding. I have an aunt that sometimes goes and she’s probably the most religious family member I have. I don’t have any friends that go to religious services of any kind.
sean8877@reddit
Was raised Catholic and escaped. I never go now unless I have to for a wedding or something like that.
NamTokMoo222@reddit
Went to Catholic grade school, high school and a Jesuit college (Loyola).
They had mandatory mass in high school and after that I couldn't tell you the last time I went to mass by choice, other than for weddings and funerals.
WingedLady@reddit
I think the last time I went to a church was a wedding sometime like...7 years ago?
Stickyfynger@reddit
Haven’t been since covid…
Lucky-Royal-6156@reddit
At least once a week. (Christian)
chrisinator9393@reddit
Absolutely zero. I'd never even enter a church.
Luckytxn_1959@reddit
Every Sunday I attend mass and during the week 8 attend 1-2 more and that is masses but Mondays I help out in classes.
panic_bread@reddit
Your understanding is incorrect. There are certain segments of the population that are religious. But most people are not. I don’t think I know anyone under the age of 70 who goes to church/temple/mosque/synagogue.
kabo7474@reddit
I never go. Raised Catholic, now atheist. Boston area.
MagnumForce24@reddit
Every Sunday unless something else is going on
dulcetsloth@reddit
Several times a week. Sunday morning, Monday evening for a group, and Wednesday morning for another group. Occasional events outside of that.
Any-Geologist-1837@reddit
MAGA is a religious cult at this point. "Evangelicals who no longer want to be Christian." Trump is their god. They attend his rallies, pay him tithes, buy his bible, and watch Fox News/OANN at least one a week if not daily to hear their sermons.
Caranath128@reddit
Never. The next time I expect to step inside a place of worship is at my MiLs funeral. The last time was for my FiLs funeral
They are/ were Catholic. They are the type who practice what they preach, are accepting of others and are generally decent people who do not shove their religion down other peoples throats.
Unfortunately, they are the non vocal minority.
michelle427@reddit
I go to church every week.
Daebongyo574@reddit
Lately it's been 2-3x per month. Until the last couple years it was weekly.
srock0223@reddit
Never. Most people I know don’t go either.
The people who are very religious are also often, rather loud about it. So that’s probably why it seems that way.
green_dragonfly_art@reddit
Church musician, so I go almost every week. I am religious but also kind of lazy, so it motivates me to go to church every week, since people are relying on me. When I'm not playing the keyboard, I'm also looking forward to church since I get to be a "Mary," meaning I can just sit in the pew and listen (and sing the hymns).
RandomGrasspass@reddit
It’s not a deeply religious country
Sihaya212@reddit
Never. Unless it’s for a wedding or a funeral.
Sipping_tea@reddit
Not unless there is a funeral, wedding, or a baptism I am forced to attend.
SufficientZucchini21@reddit
Blah. Yuck. As infrequently as I can. Born, raised, schooled in a religious environment and I’m so over it. We humans over complicate the shit out of things.
Believe_In_Magic@reddit
I haven't been in a church since my grandma's funeral over 5 years ago, never been to a mosque or temple. Some areas of the country are more religious than others, but the number of people I know who go to church regularly, is very low. I know a few more people who go for special days like Easter or Christmas, but most people I know don't go at all. Even my parents, who are Christian, haven't regularly gone to church in almost 30 years.
thebabyderp@reddit
I go to mass weekly as required by the Church additionally I go to the obligation masses throughout the year. Sometimes I go to more. Would like to go daily one day
Positive-Avocado-881@reddit
I go to church once a week and a Christian book club every other Monday.
TechnologyDragon6973@reddit
Weekly, plus the tiny handful of days of obligation that aren’t Sunday. There’s really no external social pressure where I live to attend church services. Nonreligious people are far more common now than when I was a kid.
WompWompWompity@reddit
Never
Jhamin1@reddit
Yep.
My Grandma took me once or twice when I was a little kid. My parents never took me & I've never gone myself.
Not religious.
Fartosaurus_Rex@reddit
As a child I went to Sunday school ahead of church each weekend, and was even in the choir for years.
I don't know why. My parents weren't religious but their grandparents and hometown were. It was basically just keeping up appearances even though we didn't have contact with most of the people who would care.
She stopped making us go in my early teenage years when we basically asked her to stop.
WompWompWompity@reddit
My parents took me once. There was some game the priest was playing where he told the kids to find a quarter that was hidden somewhere in the....area with the benches?
I took a quarter out of my pocket, walked around for a second pretending to look, then said I found it and got what I think was a small Butterfingers thing of candy.
Never been back.
I don't have anything against religion. Just not for me.
XelaNiba@reddit
Same. I was never baptized nor were my parents. My grandparents didn't attend church. There's not even a biblical name in the tree going back 5 generations.
Interestingly, there's a couple of cousins who became Christian Nationalists and now attend an Evangelical church where 90% of the "sermon" is just political ranting.
undertheliveoaktrees@reddit
Same. Literally almost never. Last stepped foot in a church about 12 years ago for a (non-religious) classical musical performance. Have been inside a church fewer than ten times in my life, almost all for performances or weddings. We're not all religious.
Indifferentchildren@reddit
About 5% of Americans attend church, mosque, or synagogue in a given week. Another few percent attend less often. Most Americans haven't been in a church since a religious relative got married or died.
TheRandomestWonderer@reddit
Not anymore. Raised pentecostal, attended a baptist church for a while. Haven’t attended in quite a few years. My kids still attend youth group there though. My husband has always been agnostic.
DankBlunderwood@reddit
The last time I went inside a church for church services, I was fifteen years old. That was 1990.
jessper17@reddit
Never. I’m an atheist and those places are not somewhere I go except maybe if I’m invited to a wedding at one.
Repq@reddit
Once a week
Repq@reddit
Once a week
omarsn93@reddit
Every Friday to perform Friday prayer.
DrinksOnMeEveryNight@reddit
I go to Christmas Eve Mass for the aesthetic, and I’ve done Mass during Lent when I’ve used it as a time to meditate, relax, etc. otherwise, no church for me.
mufassil@reddit
I used to go 1-2x per week prior to the pandemic. I haven't been back since. I think i have some lingering fatigue from having covid a few times. But I work in a nursing home and work with a couple pastors there.
Groollover86@reddit
Zero. Religion is dying.
MatrixGodfather0435@reddit
Well, I guess that depends on what counts as church. Weekly Sunday service with Bible Study and prayer group are scattered through the week plus monthly community events. So I'd probably say around 14 times per month. This is pretty typical for my church but others in the area vary from once a week to everyday. I know a number of people who go to a Catholic mass everyday and then have men's and women's nights and Bible studies on top of that.
Successful_Fish4662@reddit
I want to get involved with a women’s group myself. They seem awesome.
MatrixGodfather0435@reddit
My wife loves hers so I'll always suggest it. They did a study on Ruth recently and she was telling me about it and it was very convicting.
MainEgg320@reddit
When there’s a wedding or a funeral.
OMGtheykilldkenni@reddit
Grew up religious in a Baptist/pentecost home. Stopped going at 18 after I graduated high school. Only went for special events or occasions. Tried to go back to a united methodist church when I moved to Florida two years ago. I’m now 38 and could care LESS about some “mythical creature” in the sky judging me!
fraurodin@reddit
Never, exceptions only for funerals or weddings.
PeterPauze@reddit
Never.
Wood_floors_are_wood@reddit
I go to church two times a week and then we have another more informal meeting at each others houses for like a Bible study another day a week.
So three-ish
RedditSkippy@reddit
I go a couple of times a month.
AuggieNorth@reddit
I was forced to go to church as a kid, but over the past 50 years, I've only been there either for a wedding, a funeral, as a tourist, as a worker, or to get a free meal, and I've never been inside any of the others. In my part of the country, New England, this is kind of the norm these days. Only a small minority goes to church every Sunday. I live in a majority immigrant city, where church has become mostly an immigrant thing. All the major local ethnicities have their church, mosque, or temple, and it's about a lot more than religion. It's where they speak their language and practice their culture.
virgo_fake_ocd@reddit
I went 2 twice a week when I was a kid. Sometimes more if there was an event. I don't go at all now.
servantofdumbcat@reddit
never been. the only religious ceremony i've ever attended was a bar mitzvah in 7th grade
ElectricOrangutan@reddit
Is that like a Burger King/Pizza Hut/Taco Bell?
nooneiknow800@reddit
I used to attend weekly , then it became 3 times a year. Since my father passed away I stopped going.
nooneiknow800@reddit
I don't agree with your premise(from a recent article)
As Americans observe Ramadan and prepare to celebrate Easter and Passover, the percentage of adults who report regularly attending religious services remains low. Three in 10 Americans say they attend religious services every week (21%) or almost every week (9%), while 11% report attending about once a month and 56% seldom (25%) or never (31%) attend.
Ryukion@reddit
The US is far from a "deeply religious" country.... we have a bunch of religions and there are some judeo-christian overtones but thats about it. Maybe certain parts of the country, or certain counties with various subgroups of a certain religion it may be more religious, stores closed on sunday, ect.... but usually not. Some people dont go to a church or temple every week, and might be somewhat religious but not serious about it. Some aren't religious at all. Some just go once a week or every other week as a routine to keep up wtih the community, maybe they got kids in some sunday school.
But it doesn't play a huge role outside of that. It gets brought up in politics occasionally. The recent abortion debate is a good example.... not sure why it has become such a big issue in the last ten years all of a sudden but it has and that is certainly influenced by religious beliefs (and trying to enforce it onto others).
Cratertooth_27@reddit
In what is referred to as a “Christmas and Easter Catholic “ I go on those days and whenever we need to pretend for my wife’s deacon grandfather
lavasca@reddit
There are pockets of active practitioners — certain cities and states have larger concentrations of devout practitioners.
Christianity is very present in our politics despite separation of church and state.
Also, Zoom. And, cable TV will provide religious broadcasts for those unable to attend.
Krillin@reddit
I'm a Roman Catholic (and have been since the day I was born), so twice a year for the big 2.
Maynard078@reddit
I rarely attend Mass these days, and attend church services infrequently, although I consider myself solidly Christian and spiritual.
I simply find the intersection of radical conservative politics and religion in the US today to be particularly unnerving. No thanks. I've since voted with my feet.
itsjustme10@reddit
Last time was when I was in elementary school. There’s pretty big demographic divides. My grandparents (Boomers) are weekly goers, parents (Gen X) are Christmas/Easter, myself and siblings (Gen Z) never. I associate with other professional 20 somethings and it would be pretty rare for someone I know to be a regular church goer.
taniamorse85@reddit
I'm a Christian, but I haven't physically been to church in years. I'm disabled, and a lot of churches are not accessible.
tv996509@reddit
Never
exo-planet-12@reddit
At least once a month. I try for more, but damn is sleep good.
notsosecretshipper@reddit
I'm pretty sure the last church service I attended was nearly 20 years ago, and I only went then because my mom's close friend was singing so my mom and I went to support her.
The last church service I went to before that was nearly 25 years ago. For a few years, I was heavily involved in a local church's youth group, because my friends were in it and they did fun activities/outings. Sure, I had to stand awkwardly and pretend to pray alongside them at the beginning and end, but for a few years, it was worth it.
The only time I've been in a church since then were for weddings, funerals, parties in the church's rented hall, community meetings, or charity events.
The US as a whole is not deeply religious. It was founded on the very fact that everyone should be allowed to decide for themselves how religious to be. Most people I know will say Yeah, sure if asked if they believe in God, but they never go to church, can't list any Bible verses, etc.
Uberchelle@reddit
I go to Sunday mass every week. I’m also in the SF Bay Area and not the Bible belt. Catholic Churches in Texas are completely different than Catholic Churches in California.
Young_Rock@reddit
Actual service, once a week on Sunday of course. I’ll have an event or two each week outside of that but that’s not always at the church itself
Unusual_Sundae8483@reddit
I usually go twice a week, Sunday and Wednesday. Sometimes we’ll also have Sunday afternoon service as well. Wednesdays are usually Bible study from a specific chapter or theme. Sunday afternoon services are usually about the New Testament and Jesus in particular. Sunday mornings are small group meetings where people can share their spiritual thoughts for the week.
PoeMe_a_Stiff_One@reddit
Located in a college town in south central Indiana, lots of diverse religious worship options as the university is very diverse. However, I work in a large company and between work and my social circle I know two people who go to church somewhat regularly and they are Christians. I have not been to church since I was forced to go as a child and none of my social circle ever goes to church nor are they religious in any way really.
Blue_Star_Child@reddit
I never go. I'm an atheist. My husband and kids are to at this point. My extended family are Christian in name only really. They will tell you they believe in Jesus and the Bible and all the rest but they don't go to church or pray. I do have an aunt and uncle who are penacostal. They are very religious. Girls wear dresses, have long hair ect.
_alittlefrittata@reddit
We’re not deeply religious. Deeply religious people just tend to be very loud.
I’m an atheist, but I drunkenly “went” to Mass virtually when my marriage and liver were failing during COVID lockdown. The reason was that I wanted (and received) some simple human normalcy. Community. I didn’t exactly advertise this, though.
elephant35e@reddit
I used to go on Christmas only, but now I don’t go anymore.
I have people in my family though who go every Sunday.
Studious_Noodle@reddit
Never. I did when I was younger but that was because there was a church with a fantastic classical music program and a semi-professional choir that I was in.
The pastor estimated that about half the church's population was only there for the music.
AlbertoSaurus9@reddit
I try either on Sunday or Wednesday.
mekkeron@reddit
Never. But then again, I'm an atheist.
Cheap_Coffee@reddit
Many people are. Many people aren't. I'm among the latter.
domestiFem@reddit
We try to go every Sunday. Growing up it was Sunday morning for church, Sunday night for youth group, and Wednesday for choir / Bible study. In our group of friends I'd say we are probably more the outliers - most people consider themselves "culturally" Christian but don't attend services every week.
My father in law is a Christian pastor and the father of 4 boys. 2 go regularly, one goes for Christmas & Easter, and the other is an atheist.
MetroBS@reddit
The U.S. is definitely not a “deeply religious” country
Recent-Irish@reddit
This is just one of those questions where the US is the most/least “X” of any developed country but on the global scale it is a negligible difference.
A11U45@reddit
I'm a non American browsing this subreddit, and I used to live in a moderate Muslim country. I was really confused when the OP said the US was a deeply religious country.
tsukiii@reddit
Only for other people’s events. A few Christian churches for friends’ weddings, Buddhist temples for family funerals.
kaz1976@reddit
I usually go to church weekly.
cool_weed_dad@reddit
The whole country isn’t “deeply religious”, that’s mainly just the area called the Bible Belt.
I live in northern New England, one of the least religious parts of the country, and don’t know anyone under the age of like 80 that actually goes to church. It’s actually unusual for someone to be very religious here.
I can count on one hand the number of times over ever been in a church in my life.
MonkeyThrowing@reddit
Weekly/never/never/never
stangAce20@reddit
Xmas maybe
the_cadaver_synod@reddit
Catholic Grandma goes to Mass weekly and participates in the Altar Society (I think that means raising money for vestments and altar cloths, in addition to sponsoring pancake breakfasts and the like). Catholic Mom goes nearly every day, but it isn’t a huge deal to her if she misses it occasionally. They’re both very progressive Catholics.
Lutheran Grandma goes weekly now, but only turned up for Christmas and Easter for years. I think she’s just old and lonely, and not especially religious. She likes the community and having coffee after the service.
I haven’t been in a church outside of the occasional wedding or funeral in years. I’m an atheist, so I don’t have any reason to go.
I think many Americans take a Protestant American individualist attitude towards faith, where they might consider themselves devout Christians but feel they can fulfill their obligations by personal prayer and “time with God” on their own, and don’t require attending formal services.
cookingismything@reddit
Never go to anything. I’m an atheist
nice_coat_serbedzija@reddit
Never, I'm an atheist.
AZymph@reddit
Never. Deeply religious doesn't describe large swaths of the country. Those who are religious however, often are VERY religious to the point of trying to force their religion into law.
Soundwave-1976@reddit
Never, was raised by atheists. I have probably been in a church 5 times in my life for services.
HayMomWatchThis@reddit
I only go to church for weddings and funerals.
happyburger25@reddit
I'm probably far from the norm, but I'll really only go to church on Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas Day.
Though since the pandemic and the creation of online church services, I haven't been in the physical building in a while.
GuitarEvening8674@reddit
I haven't attended church regularly in 40 years. I go to special events like weddings or piano recitals
Coro-NO-Ra@reddit
A couple of times a month. It depends on whether you mean specifically for formal services, or for volunteer projects and civic stuff. My church is very involved with a lot of volunteer efforts in our community, which is why I selected it.
Successful_Fish4662@reddit
That’s why I selected my church as well 🫶
CupBeEmpty@reddit
Nearly every Sunday and holy days of obligation. Also the random wedding, funeral, baptism (but those are almost always on Sunday anyway).
Catholic Church.
theatremom2016@reddit
I was raised Roman Catholic, but as an adult I don't go to church. I stopped going after I was confirmed.
ButterFace225@reddit
We have pockets of religious communities and regions, but the whole country isn't deeply religious. I haven't attended church in 10+ years or so. The reasons why people go varies. I am not religious, but a lot of my family is. Even they skip church sometimes though.
kaps84@reddit
I don't.
drakewouldloveme@reddit
I live in the Deep South which is known for being very Christian. I go to worship weekly on Sundays and do a Bible study/life group weekly on Wednesdays at the church as well. That is more chatting in a group than a formal service though.
limbodog@reddit
Weddings and funerals. I used to go with my dad to help fix pipe organs, but that's long ago now.
Ok_Zucchini2446@reddit
Personally, I go to church once a week.
Successful_Fish4662@reddit
Me too 🫶 I used to not but I’m Lutheran and it’s very open-minded and they don’t preach fire and brimstone. They really emphasize good works and community.
anneofgraygardens@reddit
never.
Successful_Fish4662@reddit
I try to go weekly, but I’m Lutheran so it’s extremely open minded and chill and more about doing good works. They don’t preach fire and brimstone and stuff.
SaltyEsty@reddit
This is just anecdotal, but I suspect that, in general, people whose religion is more evangelical and whose politics lean to the right are slightly less inclined to travel abroad unless it involves doing mission work. Not saying that ALL of this group travel internationally less, so religious people, don't come at me. I've just encountered more than a fair amount of fervent believers who seem more content with keeping their travel within the borders of the US. Just saying that the sample you're basing your impression on may not be fully representative of all Americans.
No_Maintenance_6719@reddit
The majority of Americans never or almost never attend church. I’m an atheist, I haven’t been in a church since I was a child.
OhThrowed@reddit
Weekly, and someone will follow up with "flair checks out" or some such.
No_Maintenance_6719@reddit
Do you give them 10% of your paycheck too?
OceanBlueRose@reddit
My family used to force me to go while I was young (Catholic Church) - occasional Sundays, but not much else. After I made confirmation (against my will lol), we only ever went for weddings and funerals.
TopperMadeline@reddit
There are pockets of deeply religious people, but the US wholly varies by faith/lack of faith.
OmChi123456@reddit
Never
MrsTurnPage@reddit
I think we are a country of people who would identify as part of XYX religion but most arent "practicing".
I went to church 5 or more days a week until I was 18. I lost my faith as they say and stopped.
Now I'm converting and I go to mass weekly. I'd go more often if my schedule permitted it.
dontneedareason94@reddit
Hardly ever. Calling America a deeply religious country is false. Pockets of it are sure, but that’s not really true at all.
_halfwitt@reddit
i’ve never been religious, so i don’t go to church.
stellalunawitchbaby@reddit
Never (I’m an atheist and was not raised with religion).
Vidistis@reddit
I'm not religious, so I never go.
RyanByork@reddit
Every Monday and trying to do Sunday again
john510runner@reddit
"I understand that the US is a deeply religious country."
If you view America as a single place I can see that's how you see things. I'm in California and generally speaking people here are not very religious. But California is a big state and there are pockets of the state that are more religious. I would say Texas is more religious but there are pockets of Texas that aren't as religious. Approximately 1 in 8 people in the US live in California.
"Yet all the Americans I've met on this side of the Atlantic are all pretty non-religious."
You're seeing a very specific subset of Americans.
Are they visiting or do they live there?
If they are visiting let's look at some numbers.
cnbc.com/2023/08/31/63percent-of-workers-are-unable-to-pay-a-500-emergency-expense-survey.html
Around 1 in 3 Americans have $500 to spare. Last year I took over 50 days off but very few Americans have paid vacation time like I do. When people here ask me where I've been the last 3 weeks and I say I had a nice vacation to Italy, people here ask me how I get so much time off.
I think I spent a few thousand on my trip last year. How many Americans have a few thousand extra dollars and have vacation time like Luxemburg?
If the Americans you've met live there, it might be even more difficult to get into a position to be able to live in Europe.
Here in the Bay Area in California I've met many people from Europe but they are mostly German. They are all highly educated and work in tech. But that doesn't mean everyone in Germany is a highly educated tech worker.
john510runner@reddit
I might go to church once a year but only to donate clothes for a coat drive or food for a food drive.
Most of the time it is done in the parking lot. I don't set food inside of a building there.
ToxDocUSA@reddit
My family and I go to Catholic Mass every Sunday + all the holy days of obligation. I'd like to go to Mass some during the week too, but with family/work/school schedules getting to the 7am or 9am weekday Mass just doesn't happen.
It's not a matter of peer/social pressure, quite the opposite as most people don't do what we do. It's a matter of what is right. Given that a creator God exists it is only right to provide Him due worship. The specifics of that (Sunday vs Saturday vs prayer 5/7 times per day) can be debated, but that we have an obligation to worship is only logical.
santar0s80@reddit
Pew Research Center in 2021 had 29% of American adults as non religious which I believe they describe as Aetheists and Agnostics.
Churches for me for most of my life are for weddings and funerals. And recently I'd say maybe 1/3 of the weddings I go to aren't even at churches. I got married in a function hall with a Justice of the peace in a non religious ceremony. I had one friend get married in his back yard and the most recent wedding I attended was at a motorcycle clubs clubhouse.
FakeNickOfferman@reddit
I'd sooner be shot out of a cannon into a lake of shit.
eodchop@reddit
Most of my family sticks with the CEO philosophy. Christmas and Easter Only.
Eric848448@reddit
Never.
aj68s@reddit
3 out of 10 Americans attend religious services weekly. Per the linked article, that number is declining. The US is a very big, very diverse country, so attendance varies widely amongst regions and groups.
potentalstupidanswer@reddit
I think three times as an adult, 2 weddings and once when I wanted to hear a specific organ on vacation and had to reschedule a different activity and missed the only concert setting it was being used while was there.
The_Lumox2000@reddit
3 Days a year at Synagogue unless there's a bar mitzvah or wedding or something
BAC2Think@reddit
I cancelled my subscription to that life years ago
FrankCobretti@reddit
I go whenever I'm in town on a Sunday. I often work weekends, so that equates to one or two times per month.
Zwolfer@reddit
Never
OK_Ingenue@reddit
Never
Shiiiiiiiingle@reddit
Never. I grew up without religion. I know a lot of people like myself but not in my current state.
IntrovertedGiraffe@reddit
The church next door is my landlord, but I don’t go to services unless it’s Christmas or Easter, and that’s just to make my parents happy.
scificionado@reddit
None of my family and friends go to any religious services. Never ever.
tcrhs@reddit
I only go for a funeral, wedding or christening.
dtb1987@reddit
We are not a deeply religious country. There is just a loud minority that would like you to think we are. Personally I don't go to church and I can only think of a few people in my age group that do
Oceanbreeze871@reddit
Raised catholic with weekly church and catholic school. Haven’t been in 25 years. Once I became an adult and moved out on my own I stopped going. I got nothing out of organized religion.
I don’t think America is “deeply religious” at all. Church (Christian adjacent) is used socially and politically but it’s kinda obvious we don’t walk the walk when it comes to following the teachings with our actions and politics.
dangleicious13@reddit
Pretty much never these days. Stopped being religious around 2013.
MyUsername2459@reddit
I go to Church every Sunday.
It's not due to peer pressure, I'm the only member of my friend group to regularly go to Church. I go because I am faithful.
Apocalyptic0n3@reddit
I have never regularly gone to church (or the others). The last time I was even inside one was probably for my cousin's christening. That cousin is now in the mid-20s so... yeah. I'll let you do the math on that. I know a few people are quite religious - oddly, a number of them are all from Europe and here working - but I've never been religious myself.
devnullopinions@reddit
The only time I’ve been in any religious building over the last 20 years is for a handful of weddings that I was invited to.
TheRealDudeMitch@reddit
I was raised Catholic, but I don’t practice any religion as an adult. I only end up in church for weddings and funerals theses days, and even those are pretty rare. Most people do a non denominational sort of ceremony, at least in my circles
TheRealDudeMitch@reddit
Never
TheMainEffort@reddit
Raised catholic. Wife is Hindu. We occasionally go to a temple or something. Haven’t been inside a church in something like seven years.
eugenesbluegenes@reddit
In the past decade I attended one wedding in a church, two funerals in a church, and once wandered into the catholic cathedral in town that looks like a giant vagina when my wife and I were tripping on acid to look around.
Writes4Living@reddit
I used to go every week. I have some minor, curable health problems that prevent me from going very often nowadays. Sometimes I watch online now.
I am motivated to go by faith, not pressure. Its a good start to the week.
ElectionProper8172@reddit
I haven't been to church in years. I don't really care to go.
yozaner1324@reddit
Religiousness isn't universal and it's also somewhat regional. I live in the northwest and I don't know hardly anyone who goes to church.
xxxjessicann00xxx@reddit
I haven't been to a non funeral related church service in over 20 years.
hugeuvula@reddit
Weekly and Bible study on Tuesdays.
OwlishIntergalactic@reddit
Never. My family is non-religious with some pagan tendencies. If it means anything to your survey, I’m in the Pacific Northwest region and a Millennial. I believe the majority of my generation is not religiously affiliated and Gen Z is less so.
Used_Return9095@reddit
every friday for friday prayer. But only cuz my dad brings me along and he’s much more religous than me
_pamelab@reddit
Never.
My mom made us go when I was little. Crabby dad in uncomfortable clothes, crabby teenage boy in uncomfortable clothes, tiny me sobbing in seriously painful shoes. A whole lot of yelling so my mom could look respectable to her distant family. We could have slept in and been happy.
03zx3@reddit
The last time I set foot in a church was my nephew's birthday when we used the fellowship center at my parent's church for his first birthday in May. The next time with be in November when I vote. Otherwise, I don't ever go to church.
TehLoneWanderer101@reddit
On purpose? Never.
StarWars_Girl_@reddit
Weekly/twice a week, but usually virtually because I have ADHD with sensory issues and the lights bother me.
Meilingcrusader@reddit
Every Sunday and on holy days
TheRtHonLaqueesha@reddit
Never.
lyndseymariee@reddit
Never. I can’t remember the last time I went to a church service. The only time I’m ever in a church is if I’m attending a wedding or a funeral.
TucsonTacos@reddit
Every Friday. Takes almost 2 hours because the Iman does the sermon in Bosnian first and I’d say 50% of the masjid has no idea what he’s saying :/
G00dSh0tJans0n@reddit
Never. I think the last time was for a funeral and/or wedding a number of years ago.
Ravenclaw79@reddit
Never. We have deeply religious pockets of population, but we’re not all that way.
notthegoatseguy@reddit
There's a coffee shop that I go to that's run by one of the mega churches
That's about it
LoudCrickets72@reddit
I'd argue that Americans as a whole are no more religious than our European brothers. About a quarter of the American public is non-religious. The main difference between religious Europeans and religious Americans is how "in your face" they can be. Religious Europeans tend to keep it to themselves, but the same cannot be said about religious Americans. It's almost as if their religion defines their entire personality; they also feel the need to talk about their religion a lot and even impose their beliefs on others.
We're kind of like Ireland - there's clearly a religious presence there, but America is like Ireland on steroids when it comes to religion. I can't imagine seeing religious billboards in any European country, and if they exist, there certainly aren't many of them.
So I would say that the "US is a deeply religious country" is untrue; our religious population is simply louder than others.
tropicsandcaffeine@reddit
Weddings and funerals only. Even then it has been years. The last memorial service I went to was not at a church and the last wedding was outdoors and officiated by a friend of the bride and groom. I do have religious relatives though who go weekly.
rrsafety@reddit
Catholic Mass about 45 times a year.
dotdedo@reddit
My mom stopped taking us to church around the ages of 12 or so for her own personal reasons. Never went again.
Heavy-Dentist-9435@reddit
I grew up going to church twice every Sunday and on Wednesday evenings. I don't go to church now. I know folks who are very religious (my dad is a preacher) and folks who aren't.
I personally don't care what someone as long as it's not hurting other people. My kids talk to me about Jesus and God. It's not that we don't believe. Just that we don't go for personal issues with the man made church.
Judgy-Introvert@reddit
I haven’t stepped foot inside a church, outside of a funeral, for probably at least 25 years. None of my friends or family attend either. I know some religious people, but none that I would refer to as “deeply religious.”
itsmejpt@reddit
Unless it's a wedding or a funeral, never.
IPreferDiamonds@reddit
I'm Jewish. Haven't been to Temple in over ten years.
ProbablyMyRealName@reddit
Never.
sto_brohammed@reddit
I've never been to any of those things. Nothing against those that do, though.
calicoskiies@reddit
I don’t go unless it’s an event that I am basically required to be at. I’m atheist and the last time I was in a church was for my Poppop’s funeral 3 years ago. Before that, it was my cousin’s wedding the month before. Before that I don’t even remember.
Dr_Watson349@reddit
As a kid it was every week plus a once a week religious class at the church. It was absolutely horrible.
They stopped forcing me at 16. Haven't been back except for marriages and funerals.
The only religious iconography in our home is a picture of our Lord and Savior, FSM and a picture of Saint FAMAS.
Crayshack@reddit
I can't actually remember the last time I went to one. Must be 5+ years at least.
shits-n-gigs@reddit
Never.
The South has a stronger religious culture than elsewhere.
sundial11sxm@reddit
And yet I hardly know anyone who goes to church.
Mr_Kittlesworth@reddit
Never except to attend weddings and funerals
sundial11sxm@reddit
Never.
brilliantpants@reddit
Only for the very occasional wedding or funeral, but these days you also get a lot of those kinds of events that don’t involve a church at all.
NastyNate4@reddit
A few times per year. Usually around Christmas and Easter. The church near us does a great job with performances around the holidays. Probably the closest thing to a theater production i have attended in years.
AmbulanceChaser12@reddit
I grew up atheist, although my Jewish grandparents (on one side) were active in their temple. We lived nowhere near them, but visited 3-4 times a year, so I attended a few temple services with him. On Thanksgiving, they were interfaith (jointly with the local Catholic community). My parents and brother wouldn’t come, and wanted nothing to do with religion.
Mustang46L@reddit
Last time was about 30 years ago because my family required me to go.
ItsPumpkinSpiceTime@reddit
I'm atheist so never. I took my 35 year old to some youth group activities at a church when she was a teen. That's it. I grew up going every week though. I don't know a single atheist IRL other than myself and my son. My daughter isn't Christian either but she's still a theist of the pagan variety.
tonsofun08@reddit
My wife is religious, so I go on occasion if she wants me to go.
manicpixidreamgirl04@reddit
Only for a wedding or baby naming or something like that. And that's rare because most people I know don't have their ceremonies in places of worship.
ostrichesonfire@reddit
I literally only know one family that goes to church, and that’s only for Easter and Christmas.
NotTheMariner@reddit
I don’t physically attend church but my church does livestream services and I watch the streams over the course of the week.
CardiologistSweet343@reddit
At least once a month when they do communion. Sometimes weekly.
therealdrewder@reddit
Church weekly, temple monthly.
twxf@reddit
I'm in Northern California and I don't know anyone personally who attends church or other regular religious services. Some people clearly go to church, as I see cars parked at them sometimes.
nomuggle@reddit
Weddings and funerals. Although most weddings now aren’t at a religious facility, so mostly I just go at funerals.
bloodectomy@reddit
Not since I was a kid and my parents forced me to go.
GF_baker_2024@reddit
I think the last time I attended a religious service was my uncle's church funeral in 2020 (yes, socially distanced and fully masked). Before that, my great-uncle's church funeral in 2019 and my cousin's church funeral in 2017.
I don't attend religious services outside of weddings and funerals.
sheilahulud@reddit
Weekly.
slayer1am@reddit
The United States WAS a deeply religious country for a long time, the last 20-30 years have seen a dramatic reduction in religious participation.
At this point in time, the non-believers are a significant percentage of the population and probably within the next 10-15 years they might outnumber the church goers, especially as the older generation dies off.
For me personally, I used to attend church three times a week, and after deconverting several years ago, I haven't attended a single church event since.
0rangeMarmalade@reddit
I went weekly as a child but I'm an atheist now.
The last time I went to church was to appease my mom when I visited for Christmas in 2019. I think she mostly wanted me there to help keep her awake during midnight mass.
rattlehead44@reddit
Only for the occasional wedding or baptism.
LexiLemon@reddit
Never.
Ok-Celebration8435@reddit
Once a month
DrWhoisOverRated@reddit
Maybe once a year on Christmas or Easter.
You're not going to get a variety of answers on here on Reddit.
Recent-Irish@reddit
You’re going to get a lot of smug comments though
Redbubble89@reddit
Easter and Christmas.
DOMSdeluise@reddit
I do not attend religious services due to not being religious.
Kevincelt@reddit
I tend to go every week on Sundays and I have one or two events that I go to once a month or once every two weeks that are more like book club and discussion. I go to group rosary occasionally as well. All of this will vary by person and religious institution, with some groups having more strenuous religious practice vs others and others having more or less times you’re obligated to attend a religious institution. I go regularly, and my bothers and parents rarely go if at all. Oftentimes you’ll have very religious people living with and alongside people who aren’t religious in the same communities or even home.
inbigtreble30@reddit
Currently Redditing at church.
HurlingFruit@reddit
Never if you exclude funerals.
mtcwby@reddit
Not sure I can remember the last time. Probably a wedding but even those tend to not be in churches these days.
butt_honcho@reddit
I have religious friends and family, so I go to the occasional baptism, funeral, or wedding in a church. I grew up in the faith, and my break from it wasn't traumatic, so it's not an uncomfortable space for me. But I don't belong to one, and don't attend services.
Also, we need to distinguish "going to church," as in attending services, from "going to a church," as in visiting a building used as a place of worship. Lots of community events are held in churches. The next time I plan to go to a church is November 5th, 'cause that's where my polling place is.
Routine_Phone_2550@reddit
Once a month
HotButteredPoptart@reddit
Only weddings and funerals.
HotButteredPoptart@reddit
Never.
Lugbor@reddit
The US may have deeply religious people, but religious participation is falling year over year. I have not set foot in a religious institution in more than ten years, the last time I did was for a funeral, and the church in my local area closed down due to lack of participation a few years ago.
lsp2005@reddit
Three times a year. But I do observe things in my home on a daily basis, and celebrate the bigger holidays.
BranchBarkLeaf@reddit
Once per month
Divertimentoast@reddit
Very rarely.
WarrenMulaney@reddit
Never except for weddings and funerals.
let-it-rain-sunshine@reddit
Not in over 25 years since my folks dragged me to church have I been back.
sighnwaves@reddit
For Easter and Christmas, gotta keep my Ma happy.
Vachic09@reddit
Twice a month
Itsdanaozideshihou@reddit
The last time was +5 years ago for a funeral, i'd be happy if I never stepped foot in any religious space again.
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