| Show Death-Related Symbols Affect Death Rate The death rate of Mormons is consistently lower than that of national or Utah a University of Utah sociologist has HIS STUDY of data maintains that the of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints members is in response to distinctive death-related symbols of their religious Glenn M. a nationally recognized sociologist who has spent 15 years studying death-related published his findings in a recent issue of sociological SINCE social behavior may be viewed as behavior in res to Vernon both birth and death behavior are influenced As an he cited the Mormon of which emphasizes abstinence from tobacco and hot moderation in eating meat and the obligation to eat VERNON'S study showed that deaths due to cancer and liver-related three of the ten leading U.S. causes of are less prevalent in it is argued that Mormon death behavior is partially in response to health-related symbols such as those of the of Vernon REFERRING to an earlier survey of Mormon Vernon noted that attitudes characteristically a strong transcendental belief in a future and a strong wish to live after death and to experience a reunion with loved ones in eternity on the basis of these he is also argued that Mormon death behavior is in response to the distinctive death-related symbols of their religious VERNON compared death rates between 1920 and 1970 with U.S. and Utah using worldwide church membership information was not available for U.S. Mormons three populations show a decline in the death rate the 50 the study throughout this decline the difference in Mormon and U.S. death rates has been remarkably In 1920 the difference was per in 1970 it was There was least difference in 1950 at VERNON'S which viewed dying as a social held that death is much more than a biological phenomenon and suggested that death may be classified five social and is known-about how death meanings influence the process of biological Vernon meaning influences ail behavior of |
