Orthodoxy is strange and has a lot of participation based expectations. On top of that they maintain the oldest (most archaic) belief system of any other religion.

To outsiders looking in that's exactly what it looks like. For some one who was either bir into or is being brought into the religion there may be additional pressures causing people to believe they need to go to church.

• belief that this is a test from god

• believe that these may all be signs of a coming rapture

• belief that God will care for them in this time.

• big one: if you are being indoctrinated into orthodoxy there is a spiritual journey you are expected to go on. Like a year of classes and other participation based expectations. Failure to participate may mean you have to wait for the next time that your church goes through the process. If you havnt completed it then you are not saved in the eyes of orthodox jesus from what I understand.

I'm sure there are other reasons to but It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of members of the orthodox religion believe that it is their duty to attend regardless for themselves, their god, and the others that are impacted through them.

I was born Christian and was up until this year. I still feel like I'm increasing someone's odds of being condemned to hell if I speak my mind on weather there is a god or not.

I'm not really sure what I'm saying here, folks should definitely not be gathering in mass right now. I guess that phycology and perspective probably have a huge impact on Christian's attending church service.