Source: CT
New research suggests that Americans with poor physical health and low socioeconomic status are particularly inclined to look to the Bible for insights into attaining “health and wealth”— an aspect of prosperity gospel teaching—even though doing so often ends up making them feel worse.
“At first glance, it might seem unsurprising to learn that people who experience certain deprivations and stressors are more likely to turn to scripture for relevant guidance,” wrote sociologists Reed DeAngelis, John Bartowski, and Xiahe Xu in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.
Based on about 1,500 responses from the 2012 General Social Survey, those in poor health were 28 percent more likely to seek health insights in Scripture, while those with lower socioeconomic status were 62.5 percent more likely to seek weath insights. Neither group was more likely to turn to the text for other reasons, such as personal devotion, Bible study, or memorization.