Popular vs. individual religiosity (Mormonism, America, church, prophet)

[tvdxer]

Has anybody noticed this cultural distinction?

Some cultures have high levels of popular religiosity, high levels of devotion, but little adherence to moral and practical "rules". Feasts surrounding religion are prominent. Devotion to the saints and God is pronounced. Yet at the same time, many people in these cultures are apparently not ashamed to outwardly do things their religion tells them not to, and omit doing things their religion tells them they have to. For example, they may live in a non-church sanctioned relationship, have never baptized their kids and never attend church services, but drop into church to pray every day on the way back home from work with regularity and have a very religiously-colored outlook on life. Or in a dramatic example, a prostitute may have a particular devotion to a saint but continue to ply her trade.

On the other hand, in American culture it seems that religion is more of an individual thing. There are varying levels of individual devotion, and one thing tends to imply another. For example, if you regularly go into a church to pray, you probably also attend services. It seems more common to attend services and (outwardly) follow church norms, except those which are looked on as onerous (e.g. the Catholic prohibition of contraception), but to not take part in festive religious activities and to have a generally rationalist worldview that, while not excluding it, contains only marginal religious elements.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Is what I wrote complete nonsense or is there something to it?

[WhipperSnapper 88]

I think what you are talking about would be considered "cultural religion".....

Mostly these are people who inheret their religious beliefs from their parents. They have no idea why they adhere to that specific religion, other than their parents were that religion and they were raised that way. They don't incorporate their religion in their everyday lives. They live perfectly secular lives. I call them, "secular religionists"

[LargeKingCat]

I think you are touching on a similar term perhaps, Natural vs revealed religion
Natural relgion, being Anything from Pantheism , transcendentalism, even agnosticism or atheism vs revealed religion, as in something in which a prophet or teachers reveals "truth" to the masses such as Christianity , Judaeism, Islam, Mormonism......
The first is something that a person can incorporate into their daily life, and may not require dogma or ritual, whereas the latter has to be taught (administered) and may incorporate rituals
Many people will find appeal in a mix of the two, following a particular saint or a particular festival and celebration, but going along with daily life without all the other doctrines or rules of the religion.