Religion may play more prominent role in America as baby boomers age

[cbayer]

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865569639/Religion-may-play-more-prominent-role-in-America-as-baby-boomers-age.html

By Matthew Brown, Deseret News
Published: Sunday, Dec. 30 2012 4:06 p.m. MST


Based on the premise that people become more religious as they age, Gallup editor-in-chief Frank Newport predicts that religion will have a more prominent place in American society as a new generation of seniors hits retirement age over the next 20 years.
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Janet and Larry Morgan moved to the tourist town of Lincoln City, Ore., for health reasons. They both suffer from emphysema and the high altitude of Taylorsville, Utah, wasn't helping.

They found it easier to breathe on the Oregon coast, but that wasn't all. The local church reached out to them, and after more than 50 years of rarely sitting in a pew, the retired couple rediscovered the religion they were born into.

Today, the Morgans proudly identify as former smokers who recently had their marriage "sealed" in the Portland temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They each serve in lay positions in their local Mormon congregation.

"We don’t know exactly what brought us back in, but once we started we didn't stop," said 72-year-old Janet.

More at link

[aristocles]

1. Deseret News: owned by LDS n/t

[cbayer]

2. As is most everything in Salt Lake City. Regardless, they have some good writers

and often have very good articles about religion that do not always toe the LDS line.

[southernyankeebelle]

3. You may feel more spiritual then having to go back to church. I know I feel that way.

[cbayer]

4. I think that is true of many and some are seeking and finding community in different ways.

[southernyankeebelle]

5. I agree with that. But I kinda of back away from doing that type of stuff. My husband

was a chaplains assistant in the Army and we also did alot of community work on post. I'm tired out and now I just want peace and quiet now that I will be 65 in a few days.

[cbayer]

6. I have a friend who just made 70.

She is single and lives in a big house up on a hill. She has never been a church goer and now feels isolated and lonely.

She is looking at retirement places where she can have both privacy and community.

That wouldn't work for me, I don't think, but I think it will solve a lot of problems for her.

[southernyankeebelle]

9. Tell her to find a senior citizens club in the area where they go places. I bet it would work for

her.

[cbayer]

10. Here's the thing - she doesn't see herself as a senior citizen at all

and would most likely reject completely the "field trip" mentality.

She needs to be in her own place and have a range of activities available. She is very active.

[southernyankeebelle]

11. Well good for her. My Aunt was a senior citizen in age but not in heart. She lived in a

building where senior citizens were but she moved out. She was active also. She moved into a small apartment. It wasn't far from her church where she was pretty active. But that isn't my thing either. To be honest I love being home. If I never had to leave my house I'd be happy. My best friend is my husband and myself. I never have a fight with either. In the summer I have a small garden. Maybe since she has a young spirit to her why doesn't she volunteer at the elementary school. The schools are always looking for help. Maybe she would like that. Just a suggestion.

[cbayer]

14. I am a homebody as well and my needs for community are not great.

We live in very close quarters and I, like you, have a spouse who I can live with very easily.

Volunteer work is a great idea. We will see her on Wednesday and I sill ask her about that.

[southernyankeebelle]

16. Good Luck. I'm sure she will be fulfilled working with young children like in Kindergarten or

1st thru 2d grades. They are the best to deal with. Yep, I just put on my pasta sauce to cook in my crockpot. We are going to have Manicotti and chicken cutlets. Mmmgood. Plus a simple chocolate pie. We are going to have rain here tonight in TN. I plan on watching Anderson Cooper and Stephanie Miller tonight and watch the ball fall. It's pretty funny. She tries to embarrass him. Have a happy new year.

[pinto]

12. She might find a pal to get out and about with, share some activities. My grandmother, at 73

flew Boston - Dublin - Rome - Boston with her best friend. She and my grandfather had an agreement of sorts. Once or twice a year she was off on a trip with her friend. He preferred staying home - retired beat cop, liked sticking to the neighborhood and his routine.

So one year it was Dublin and the Vatican. One year it was Las Vegas. Grandma had a range of interests...

Hope your friend finds something that works for her.

[cbayer]

15. I won't go into why, but she doesn't really have any girlfriends to do things with

and that is a big part of the problem.

She does travel quite a bit with 2 men who live in Italy and really loves that, but once she gets home she is alone again.

Good for your grandmother! My mom traveled solo to Kenya last year and she's 82!

[southernyankeebelle]

17. My mother-in-law friends all died off. Then when my father-in-law died all hell broke lose.

She started hanging around neighbors (men mostly) that were in the late 40s and 50s. She was in her mid 80s. She would go to the bar with them. That woman kinda went back to her youth. She managed to go to our little rural town once because she wanted to get some soup and she ended up in jail. Can you manage coming home from work at 9:00pm and receiving a phone call from the police department saying they had my mother-in-law in jail. OMG I had to call my husband at his job to tell him his mother was in jail. He thought I was kidding. Hardly I said. I told him I would meet him at the jail and we had to bail her out. The topper was having to go to court with her. I worked for the city at that time so some of those people knew me. The court room was packed and we sat in the back praying they would call us last. But no we were called first because of her age. Then the damn judge proceeded to jump my case asking me where was I. I looked at him and told him I was working and the last time I check she was well over 21. I was so upset at the judge. Its funny now but it wasn't back then. So in a way your soooooooooooo lucky. But I have to say I sure miss my mother-in-law. LOL

[cbayer]

20. Great story. She sounds like a real character.

[southernyankeebelle]

21. She was such a nice old lady until my father-in-law died. Then it was like a person I never

knew came out. OMG, funny now but it sure wasn't back then. My friends would laugh and I told them it was funny. I asked them how they would like it if it were their parent? They stopped laughing. She sure was a character.

[Adsos Letter]

7. Burn-out is a real problem, and I empathize with you.

A few years ago my wife was especially active in a couple of ministries in our church (music, and potlucks/showers/weddings). Once it became known that she was willing to be active they called on her more frequently. Pretty soon she was doing way more than she really wanted to, finally got burnt out with it, and took an extended hiatus.

She just recently became active in music and weddings/baby showers again, but now they've asked her to be an elder and she's really balking at it because of the extra time involved.

I don't know how it is in other churches but ours seems to rely on the same group of people to do much of the heavy lifting; our pastor makes appeals for more help, but lots of folks seem contented to warm the pews and be entertained.

[southernyankeebelle]

8. That is the way they get you. She has to be strong and tell them no I won't do it. I'm getting

older and I don't have the same stamina as when I was younger. Also it is up to you to put your foot down and tell her no. That was the way I finally was able to back out of doing things. People and neighbors were taking advantage of me and he stepped in and said it was enough. I told them my husband said no more. That worked putting the blame on him. He didn't care. So I backed away alot and now I live a quiet peaceful life. I have my son and his wife and 2 kids who live next door. That is more than I can handle with my own health issues. So good luck to your wife and tell her to make sure there is balance and make sure her family comes first and tell her to check with you before saying yes. You be the bad guy, LOL. Happy new year.

[Deep13]

13. Probably.

My mother is 62 and has decided rather suddenly that she is a Catholic again. Of course that may be a cultural identity as Fox etc. has convinced her that white, Christian America is somehow under attack.

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. What 'premise'? The graph in the shows unaffiliation pretty flat with age

Each generation is more unaffiliated than the preceding one, but stays at roughly the same level.

[cbayer]

19. You are right. There doesn't seem to be a lot of change over the 35 year span,

just across generations.