Is it pretty outside? Then you're less likely to go to church

c. 2015 Religion News Service

(RNS) Can a beautiful landscape compete with religious worship?

A Baylor University study, published in the journal Sociology of Religion, found that U.S. counties with nicer weather and prettier natural surroundings see lower rates of religious affiliation. The study authors suggest that, yes, people tend to use nature as a spiritual resource, making it a competitor with organized religious institutions.