For the first time in history, the UK has entered an ‘atheist age’ – with more atheists than people who believe in the existence of a god.
Now, scientists think they know why people are turning their backs on religion.
According to researchers from the University of Vienna, many people find spiritual practices boring.
In their study, the researchers surveyed more than 1,200 adults about their experiences with five popular spiritual practices, including yoga, pilgrimages, and Catholic sermons.
Their results revealed that many people reported feeling bored during these practices.
According the researchers, boredom can have a negative effect on motivation and mindfulness during spiritual practices.
What’s more, it can ‘seriously dampen’ any positive effects.
‘Our research shows that boredom in spiritual contexts can pose a serious obstacle, which reduces the transformative power of these practices,’ said Dr Thomas Götz, first author of the study.
According to researchers from the University of Vienna, many people find spiritual practices boring (stock image)
The emotion of boredom has already been widely studied.
For example, previous research has shown that experiencing the ‘wrong’ sort of boredom can make us obese, self-destructive, and sexually impotent.
In extreme cases, it may even lead us to earlier death.
However, until now, boredom experienced in spiritual contexts (dubbed ‘spiritual boredom’) has been largely unexplored.
‘A key reason why spiritual boredom has been neglected may be that it is theoretically unexpected that spiritual contexts could ever be boring,’ the researchers explained in their study, published in Communications Psychology.
‘People typically engage in these contexts voluntarily and with high motivation, seeking meaning and fulfillment in their lives.’
To address this research gap, the researchers surveyed 1,267 adults about their experiences with five typical spiritual experiences – yoga, meditation, silent retreats, Catholic sermons, and pilgrimages.
The results revealed that pilgrimages were the least boring of the five spiritual experiences.
In their study, the researchers surveyed more than 1,200 adults about their experiences with five popular spiritual practices, including yoga, pilgrimages, and Catholic sermons. Their results revealed that many people reported feeling bored during these practices
In contrast, Catholic sermons were rated as the most boring.
As for why participants said spiritual experiences were boring, the researchers uncovered three main reasons.
‘The results show that the central triggers of spiritual boredom are in fact the feeling of being over-challenged or under-challenged as well as a lack of personal relevance for those practising the spiritual activity,’ they explained.
While Catholic sermons were rated as the most boring, the researchers say that this might not put people off going to church.
‘Many participants may attend Catholic services for reasons unrelated to the sermon, such as enjoying the singing of hymns or the quiet elements of the service,’ they explained.
‘Consequently, some attendees may tolerate the sermon, even if boring, in order to experience the other aspects of services they enjoy.’
Based on the findings, the researchers are calling for spiritual teachers to find new ways to promote the value of their practices.
‘It is important to individually adapt spiritual practices and to repeatedly emphasise their relevance and meaning in order to promote their transformative value for our society,’ Dr Gotz added.
‘Spiritual teachers should maintain an active dialogue with those involved in the spiritual practice about feeling over-challenged or under-challenged.
‘In addition, they should emphasise the relevance of spiritual practice for a fulfilling life.’
The study comes shortly after research revealed that the UK now has more atheists than people who believe in the existence of a god.
Figures from 2008 showed that 41.8 per cent of Britons believed in God while 35.2 per cent did not.
Within a decade, by 2018, this had reversed, with 35.2 per cent believing and 42.9 per cent not believing.
Dr Lois Lee, from the University of Kent’s Department of Religious Studies, who led that study, said: ‘The UK is entering its first atheist age.
‘Whilst atheism has been prominent in our culture for some time – be it through Karl Marx, George Eliot, or Ricky Gervais – it is only now that atheists have begun to outnumber theists for the first time in our history.’
