Take a breather from General Convention, and consider these reports from the world where religion and science make strange bedfellows….

ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 9 (UPI) — Social relationships that thrive in church settings may have a positive affect on an older person’s longevity, according to a University of Michigan study.

Study’s author Dr. Neal Krause said previous research has suggested that greater involvement in religion is associated with better physical and mental health but attending services involves many practices, such as
praying, singing, interacting with the congregation and listening to sermons.

However, Krause said the impact of stress on mortality is reduced when church-goers provide support to with whom they worship.

The study data show giving — not receiving –emotional support to another congregation member caused the stress induced by the provider’s own economic problems to decrease, which caused his or her
risk of mortality to decrease.

The benefits seemed to be one sided — those who received the support showed no significant changes in rates of mortality, according to the study published in The Journal of Gerontology: Social Science.

And here is proof:

Rulon Jeffs (December 6, 1909 – September 8, 2002) (known to church members as Uncle Rulon) was the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a religious group with strong
belief in polygamy based out of Colorado City, Arizona. It was reported that at the time of his death at age 92, he had 75 wives and 65 children.

–Dave Howell