Interesting piece in a UK rag today; those who can read between the lines will understand the reason(s) for posting the piece here. 

Excerpt from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1336371/Going-church-makes-happy-Religion-affirms-sense-belonging.html

Religion makes you happy because of its social rather than spiritual aspects, scientists have revealed.

Being part of a church congregation surrounded by friends is more important to your happiness than prayer, the study concluded.

Forming friendships with like-minded people makes people more happier than the theology or spirituality of a choosen faith.

While past studies have revealed a positive connection between religiosity and life satisfaction, American researchers claim a sense of 'belonging' made people more 'extremely satisfied' with life's lot. 

Sociology assistant professor Chaeyoon Lim of the University of Wisconsin-Madison said: 'Our study offers compelling evidence that it is the social aspects of religion rather than theology or spirituality that leads to life satisfaction.

Church makes some people feel like god. I agree with this to an extent. Church only forms/creates a sense of community.

I heard on the news a few years ago on the news that religious people live on average 10 times longer than their non religious counterparts. They say it was due to the motivational sermons the singing dancing & happy clappy atmosphere at their services.

^^^ crazy profile picture --- haha

The study's a fact. There's hat genuine feeling of happiness being in Church. The kind of happiness that has no regrets.

As the saying do not neglect the gathering of the brethren yeah it's good to always go to Church you'll always relieved and refreshed

@post,

if that's true, then its good for everyone to go to church, whether for spiritual purposes or for social purposes; abi no be so?

e yeah i quite agree cos for me, i get my groove on in d church than anywhere else. I find it easier to dance in church than any oda place

This is true to an extent though am not only happy in church cos fwends but cos i feel God's presence and there's this satisfaction that comes wiv it.

I should look for a church then, hey which one has the happiest people?

Chrisbenogor:

I should look for a church then, hey which one has the happiest people?

mine

Mmmmh! A lot of churches provide high qaulity entertainment and amusement these days.

Not the catholic churches, though. Proceedings are usually dour and gloomy.

KunleOshob:

Mmmmh! A lot of churches provide high qaulity entertainment and amusement these days.

It keeps me sane, gives me an assurance that am not alone in everything i go tru

@jenwitemi
That is why they are loosing patronage to the entertainers.

If I stop going to church then life is not worth it. There I derive my counseling, rebuke and live upright which has helped me till present

A church ought to be a place where

you will be motivated or encouraged.

you praise and worship God and feel good about it.

you fellowship with brethen and study the bible together.

you get help when you need it



But now, unfortunately, the church is now a place where the pastor makes you feel you are a loser or sinner for not been able to drop something.

well lets face it, if you look around you and around the world, you pale in significance to the gargantuan task of explaining how such a miraculous project could have come into existence. believing in a higher deity (and rightly so ) puts a lot of people at peace and makes them happy. believing that you are the master of your own destiny and that the big bang theory brought about our existence makes a lot of people unfulfilled and empty in life and hence they try to fill it up with materialism.

kokoye:

A church ought to be a place where

you will be motivated or encouraged.

you praise and worship God and feel good about it.

you fellowship with brethen and study the bible together.

you get help when you need it



But now, unfortunately, the church is now a place where the pastor makes you feel you are a loser or sinner for not been able to drop something.

IF NA FACEBOOK, I'LL JUST CLICK "LIKE"

church is like a club, esp. if you'are looking for a owanbe party ---- rest assured, you can club away. and[b] lots of deluded chicks.[/b]

strangest:


IF NA FACEBOOK, I'LL JUST CLICK "LIKE"

I go put am for facebook then

sometimes the church can make you feel sad.

just be holy anyway

I prefer going to club than going to church, fuk church!

Chrisbenogor:

I should look for a church then, hey which one has the happiest people?

Come to Christ Embassy. You will be so surprise the personalities of the Pastors and members are really quite different from all the rubbish you hear daily. Its really a place to be always. I have never been happier in my life.

Guys, it's not the church per se that makes one happy but the social aspects such as friendships that do. This of course means that one could derive similar benefits by joining a group of like minded individuals and having good friends in said group.

Church as for me its just a form of social community here in Nigeria and Africa it make us Happy, but dep down there is nothing comin and really helpful in it, You are the solution to your problem not a so called pastor, praying for you, Pray for your self I beg,

To me i stop going to church because that when people bite people, Money Class, selection of the rich, Na who chop belleful dey sidon for front, and offering are not the way it suppose to be

My high moment in church is that period a heart warming, soul raising, spirit filled praise and worship song is going on and I and God are real connected. If the preaching that follows that is heart touching, revealing and spiritually enriching, I will leave church that day feeling very good and spiritually fed. If there are acquintances to FAF(fellowship after fellowship, (any Abiding word member in the house? Make some noise!!!, that's what we use to call it in Abiding word campus fellowship)) with and hug and smile at, that will be like the great garnishing to a great time in church!

jpworld:

I prefer going to club than going to church!

Jpworld
You don't know what you are missing dear, try hanging out in a church (liberal enough to let you be yourself while worshipping with them) and you will have the best of the two worlds. I mean it will be like you are clubbing and enjoying your music and you can still equally get into the mood and connect with God while doing inspirational praise and worship. I recommend my sweet church House on the rock, Christ embassy, Redeemed even Catholic church knows how to give one sweet choir music and Oh! Anglican (their Pianos and organs) will transport you to heaven's gate and lots of other good churches.

Now the "F" word and the church don't intermingle so don't try to mix them okay Baby.

Everything Mankind has ever created usually serves a purpose, religion has come forth out of the total history of our species and serves a good social purpose, like everything created by man it is also subject to abuse and has both good and bad parts. God and satan are just conceptualisations of the two sides of man's nature, it is interesting to note that Man has failed in making God totally good and the devil totally bad because inherently there is nothing of man, infact I can't really think of anything in nature which is totally good or totally bad.
Even the oxygen in the air we breathe and some people thank God for fuels fires which can destroy (e.g forest fires).
There is good in evil and also evil in good. It is the way of the world.

some churches do have very strong social structures and friendships.

especially those ones where youths are the majority.

true, there'll also be all kinds of whatnot going on under the table, but what's to be done about that.

tpia1:

some churches do have very strong social structures and friendships.

especially those ones where youths are the majority.

true, there'll also be all kinds of whatnot going on under the table, but what's to be done about that.

hey tpia my babe,how've u been?missed ur stubborness.

most people go to churches in Nigeria for entertainment and show off. The pastors see themselves a mini-gods especially the pentecostal churches, no form no hierarchy whatsoever. its a one man show. whatever happened to True religion.one day we shall all answer before our maker. with the number of churches we have u will think Nigeria should me one of the most morally upright country in the world its just the opposite. Pretentious Hypocrites thats what the majority of them are.