Religion can define someone entirely or be an insignificant factor in the makeup of an individual. Religion unites individuals when they are of the same faith but often times is the divide for many people that do not share in religious beliefs. Religion has changed and evolved throughout history, at times priests and bishops were the most powerful members of society and in some society’s religious leaders still hold prominence. Religion is an ever changing facet of society, when times are hard people look to God in mass but in our own culture God is so often placed on the back burners until he is needed. Religion is thought of as a secondary dimension of cultural identity but for a great number of people around the world it is all that defines
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Women are more likely to attend religious services and embrace religion as an important aspect of their lives. The same goes for ethnic differences, when characteristics of an individual are attacked such as their ethnic background they will often emphasize other aspects of their social identity such as religion to help maintain a positive self-concept. Within the United States social class has little influence on religious beliefs but this is not universal around the world. Currently in the United States studies have shown that Catholics have gained in income and education levels over evangelical Protestants and other white Americans. Evangelicals tend to be disproportionately lower class compared to Protestants and Jews. Among younger generations of Americans the education, occupations, and social class of unaffiliated individuals is comparable to evangelical Protestants. Studies also show that upper classes often times are concentrated in formal denominations with lower social classes concentrated in informal denominations. However the way in which an individual practices religion such as frequency that one attends services has no significant correlation to social class. Interestingly religious groups can be ranked by median annual household income. People of the Jewish faith hold the highest ranking while Jehovah’s Witnesses occupy the lowest ranking of all major religions having a median income of around $24,000. Income does ultimately affect social class, therefore an individual’s religions denomination and social class are related. When looking at average income by religion there a clear and obvious
Women are more likely to attend religious services and embrace religion as an important aspect of their lives. The same goes for ethnic differences, when characteristics of an individual are attacked such as their ethnic background they will often emphasize other aspects of their social identity such as religion to help maintain a positive self-concept. Within the United States social class has little influence on religious beliefs but this is not universal around the world. Currently in the United States studies have shown that Catholics have gained in income and education levels over evangelical Protestants and other white Americans. Evangelicals tend to be disproportionately lower class compared to Protestants and Jews. Among younger generations of Americans the education, occupations, and social class of unaffiliated individuals is comparable to evangelical Protestants. Studies also show that upper classes often times are concentrated in formal denominations with lower social classes concentrated in informal denominations. However the way in which an individual practices religion such as frequency that one attends services has no significant correlation to social class. Interestingly religious groups can be ranked by median annual household income. People of the Jewish faith hold the highest ranking while Jehovah’s Witnesses occupy the lowest ranking of all major religions having a median income of around $24,000. Income does ultimately affect social class, therefore an individual’s religions denomination and social class are related. When looking at average income by religion there a clear and obvious