ABSTRACT
People are usually socialized into religions by their families rather than through any kind of divine or even social intervention (Lenski, 1961). In fact, for many, lifelong religious affiliations and beliefs result from being ascribed at birth rather than achieved. People tend to follow the religious teachings of parents and grandparents, especially when these relatives share one religion. In these respects religious beliefs-at least in origin-are essentially family products. This fact suggests that the intensity with which beliefs are held is usually more strongly influenced by significant others' degrees of religiosity than by the actual substance of the beliefs (Johnson, 1973).
