rise of teen intrest in spirituality?

[nick]

I read an article on this in some magazine, I was wondering if anyone knows of any statistics proving/disproving this.

[Whack-a-Mole]

This sort of thing is very difficult to measure. Over in a GD thread (Wishing Church and State Were MORE Separate) I posted some links to stats on this. Relevant to your question is:

In addition, in 1997 55% of teenagers reported attending church (or whatever it is for their religion) weekly. This number has also been very stable for the last two decades (High 59% in 1986, Low 45% in 1992). (*Source: http://www.adherents.com/adhloc/Wh_338.html#804 *)

On top of that religion invading our schools has a measurable effect on the knowledge our kids possess. The United States ranks LAST among Western nations in knowledge relating to Human Evolution (High: East Germany-81.6% correct answers, Low: United States-44.2% correct answers). (*Source: http://www.secularhumanism.org/library/fi/bishop_19_3.html *)

Also of interest to you may be:

Americans, who appear to be among the most religious people in the sample-along with the Irish, the Polish, and the Filipinos - were twice as likely as Austrians, three times as likely as Norwegians, and nearly seven times as likely as East Germans to claim “I know God exists and I have no doubts about it” *Source: http://www.secularhumanism.org/library/fi/bishop_19_3.html *

and…

Indeed, when we average across the rankings in tables 1-7, the United States turns out to be the most religious nation (average ranking = 1.71), followed by Northern Ireland (2.43), the Philippines (3.29), Ireland (4.14), Poland (5.21), Italy (5.86), New Zealand (8.0), Israel (8.29), Austria (10.57), Norway (11.0), Great Britain (11.57), The Netherlands (11.86), West Germany (12.07), Russia (12.71), Slovenia (13.86), Hungary (14.13), and East Germany (16.29), respectively. *Source: http://www.secularhumanism.org/library/fi/bishop_19_3.html *

[FarTreker]

It might be accurate, yet transient.

In the 1980s, with the discovery of AIDS loose upon the nation, the preachers started pounding the pulpit, ranting about sexual morals, calling for a return to the ‘old ways’ of near sexual repression and hinting broadly that this disease was the penalty for loose ways.

Shortly after, some preachers came up with a morality contract and persuaded kids to sign then, agreeing to not have sex until bound by the sanctity of marriage! Now that the insanity has settled down, I wonder how many of the horny kids kept those contracts? I wonder how many wound up with psychological problems because they broke the contract which was either between them and the church or considered between them and God. (I don’t know for sure about the latter.)

Either way, if they gave in and had sex, the guilt about violating a religious contract could screw them up!

However, I have little doubt that many just dumped the contract and screwed their little brains out once their hormones kicked in and new information about AIDS became available.

The one accurate statement about kids is that they are variable. They might do like many adults do – go to church on Sunday but on Monday it’s back to raising heck.

[LisaRx]

I know I’m going to get roasted for this, but here goes…

Maybe GOD is actually moving in people’s lives???

[Johnny_Angel]

Seems like a lot of these kids who get really into spirituality eventually grow out of it. As in anything else, just keep them from making any major life decisions until they’re adults.