Better uses for your Sunday mornings

Many people spend their Sunday mornings going to church for an hour or two, which I argue is a waste of time. I don’t expect to convince anyone to give up religion altogether by saying this, but that’s really beside the point; church is a waste of time, even for the religious. From a theological perspective, God wants you to respect him and obey the tenets of your religion, but most of all, religion is supposed to help you have a good life. Now, I’m sure some people do get a lot out of hearing a sermon once a week, or meeting with like-minded people, but undoubtedly many simple see it as a necessary chore to maintaining their faith. My alternative is simple: exercise.

From the perspective of the CDC, AMA or any number of other health-minded organizations, the vast majority of Americans are significantly overweight and get much less exercise then they ought to. Quite simply, spending an hour or two every Sunday exercising would greatly improve this situation and is significantly beneficial from a psychological standpoint as well. On the surface, it would seem that a religious sermon would be more beneficial for mental well being than physical exercise. Studies show, however, that the mental benefits resulting from exercise are as profound as the physiological ones. Exercise improves mood, alertness and overall affect for days afterward. A good sermon can change ones life, or improve mood as well, but most sermons aren’t that inspiring, and hearing someone talk does a lot less for preventing a heart attack than regular exercise.