Family, more than faith, brings Americans meaning, 2 new Pew Center studies find

What makes life meaningful? For many, there’s a simple answer: family.

The Pew Research Center just released the results of two surveys that sought answers on where Americans find the most meaning in their lives.

Family was a common thread in both surveys — cited by most respondents as the “most important” source of fulfillment.

Faith was not as important. In one of the surveys, in which people were asked open-ended questions, “one in five adults mention spirituality and religious faith when describing the things they find meaningful and fulfilling.”

In the other survey, where participants chose their answers from pre-set categories, roughly a third said they get “a great deal” of meaning from their “religious faith.”

Another finding: “Many evangelicals find meaning in faith, while atheists often find it in activities and finances.”

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