Research finds that going to Church at Christmas is good for you !

Even if you have no religion and worry about being hypocritical, services improve relationships

Did you know that in the US, people aren’t supposed to say Merry Christmas any more: it’s Season’s Greetings. How about going to church ? Isn’t it superficial to go just for the atmosphere, the carols and greeting neighbours you haven’t seen in a while? Isn’t it a bit conformist to go to church if you’re not “religious”? Around the world, millions of people describe themselves as “Christian” without belonging to a church or attending services.

Merry Christmas Everyone !

A lot of us feel that our spirituality, faith or belief system – whatever you want to call it – is no longer part of an organised religion. We don’t feel we have a spiritual home in a specific building called “church”.

This phenomenon is known as post-denominationalism. This lack of a church where we might feel welcome, is a kind of spiritual homelessness. It’s not easy to have this post-denominational faith, where we believe in “something” without having a trustworthy religion to hang it on. Millions worldwide describe themselves as “Christian” even though they’re not “religious”.

The secularisation of Christian values has taken hold. Humanists, for example, believe that God is other people – which was Jesus’s point, actually. Yet at the same time to admit to being Christian in certain circles is like saying you’re a spiritual Neanderthal who takes comfort in fairy tales.

But if we don’t believe in a particular church, where do we find one? Will the church down the road do? Religious or not, there are many reasons why going to church is good for us. Teenagers who attend religious services with parents are more likely to feel greater well-being, while romantic partners who pray for their “significant others” experience greater relationship commitment, according to research. Studies looked at how spiritual beliefs seem to strengthen generally happy marriages. In families, it’s enough for just one member to be spiritual. “Relational spirituality” is research that focuses on the ways diverse couples and families can rely on specific spiritual beliefs and behaviours to motivate them to create, maintain and transform intimate relationships.

Research shows how this spiritual “connectness” creates well-being. You don’t have to “believe” to benefit from being with believers. Whether you are atheist or agnostic, or whatever you choose, going to church at Christmas is good for you and your family. We’re all part of this awkward celebration of pagan Solstice and commercial/Christian Christmas. It really is okay, this Christmas, to go to church, wherever it is and whatever it means to you. It will be good for you