Comment 10 by Sample :

It was mostly so that she could be around other elderly people who were pretty much there for the same reason. Kim Probable

Thanks a lot. I had to shove corks in my lacrimal ducts after reading that. Mike

Religions have relied on the social construct to a large extent. In earlier times I suspect whole communities turned out to church because it was the done thing and risked being ostracised if they didn't. Had we access to research on those communities I reckon it would be unsurprising to find a wide variation in the extent of their beliefs. In more modern times this probaly doesn't happen but when older people do not have pursuits which provide themselves with a circle of friends a church is one place to find comapnionship (at a price?).

I sometimes think of Darwin taking his long lonely walks because he could no longer compromise himself by going into a church. Though I also imagine during these walks, his critical eye surveying the wonders of nature and being quite content.