Why Teens Are Leaving Religion
Today's teenagers are shifting away from religion. Research from Barna says “The percentage of teens who identify as [non-religious] is double that of the general population (13% vs. 6% of all adults).” It’s very difficult to figure out why this is. Most of the research around this topic is number based and is conducted by adults, and I think we can all agree that sometimes adults have a difficult time understanding teenagers. I wanted to figure out why teenagers are shifting away from religion, and I knew that I had a unique perspective on this topic because I am a teenager, and teenagers are my friends.
So, I interviewed 15 of my friends--some Christians, some questioning their beliefs, and some proclaimed atheists--about why they think teens are leaving religion. The hope was that I would receive answers to uncover how these teenagers feel about religion, and that my established friendships with them would allow for honest, open discussion. Through my interviews and my own opinions on this topic, I have noticed 3 important reasons why teenagers are leaving religion.
#1 - Religion = Control
One teen that I interviewed explained that they had walked away from a religious upbringing, due to the fact that religion felt very controlling and restrictive. This wasn’t the only time control was brought up during my interviews. In fact, it came up almost every time.
“I don’t see the point of religion, I think it’s controlling and I think it’s a bunch of people just trying to take control over others.”
This was a very revealing answer. Many teenagers simply don’t get the point of religion, and they feel like all religion does is limit and restrict us.
“A lot of people think religion is restricting. An example of this is being a part of the LGBTQ+ community and that some religions believe that's wrong.”
The LGBTQ+ community was commonly brought up as an example of restriction in religion. There was also a continued emphasis on the idea that religion is controlling and teenagers today are very explorative about their beliefs and don’t want to be controlled.
And it isn’t just restriction on the self imposed by religion, it’s how religious people act and control others.
“People force religion onto others.”
“The bad thing about religion is people aren't open minded about other religions and believe there's only one way. I don’t like when people take it to extremes and feel like they have to control or convert others.”
I completely agree that many people aren’t open-minded about others with different beliefs. That’s why I write about religion, in hopes that others and myself can develop understanding. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t share what we believe, I share my faith often; it means that we should find better ways to engage in conversations and listen to each other.
#2 - Social Media - Too Many Beliefs!
Many of the teens I talked to brought up social media as a reason teens are leaving religion.
“Because of social media and the internet, it's easy to spread lots of different opinions. Teenagers turn away from religion because there are so many opinions and it’s hard to know what is right.”
“Teens are leaving religion because of social media and the ability to communicate across everywhere super fast and hear lots of different perspectives.”
“Because of social media, people are more connected so lots of ideas spread.”
For most teens, as they start to get older, they get more curious about religion and the world, and it’s natural that they begin to see many different ideas about religion on social media. For teenagers, there is never a time where we cannot open up social media and see a million ideas from all over the world, and we have been doing this since we were little.
Today’s teens aren’t stuck in their own religious bubble like past generations; rather they are wandering around in a whole planet of religious ideas. No other generation has been connected to this many ideas starting at such a young age.
I see a lot of content on social media where people talk about other religions and sometimes say really bad things about other religions and their followers. In my life, social media has helped me grow in my faith by allowing me to feel a part of a larger community and to have people to follow that teach about my religion, Christianity. At the same time, social media has caused me to doubt my beliefs because of the intense division online and the overwhelmingness of seeing so many different opinions, all of which are shared by people who are convinced their beliefs are the truth.
#3 - Religion Isn’t Trendy
Another answer I got from the teens I interviewed was that being religious isn’t cool and trendy, and that may cause teens to walk away from or avoid religion.
“In some social groups, being religious is weird and not cool.”
“Trendy teenagers aren't religious and people fall into this trend of not being religious.”
As a Christian teenager, I get this. Generally, being religious means believing in something different and adhering to lifestyles that aren’t necessarily typical in an increasingly secular culture. I often strive to fit in, so it’s really difficult to make choices that might seem weird or different. Teens reading this and adults who look back realize this is a period in life when we are insecure, and so we can easily fall into trends and behaviors that take us away from religion.
There are many examples of religious guidelines that teens may not want to follow because they aren’t cool in teen culture. For example, Islam strictly forbids alcohol consumption. Christianity is very clear about sexual immorality, as is shown throughout the Bible with verses such as Hebrews 13:4, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” With hormones raging among teens, and partying being a common activity, you can see why guidelines like these don’t always sit well.
Through the conversations I had, I was able to learn about what’s really going on in teenagers' minds regarding religion. Whether you think it’s good or bad that teenagers are shifting away from religion, it is necessary to acknowledge and understand why this is happening.
Written by Peyton Price - Entertainment Values
