"Going"
LOSING OUR RELIGION
Those who have lived in America for more than 50 years do not need statistics to back up the fact that our nation's interest in religion has waned—sharply. According to the latest Gallup poll released on December 24, 2018 (according to a Townhall post by J. Warner Wallace) the amount of people affirming that religion was very important to their lives has decreased from 75% in 1952 to 51% now. Obviously, it will not be long until the majority of Americans will say that religion is not a major influence. Most already say that religion is losing its influence.
This topic is frequently discussed and analyzed because religious people—especially Christians—would like to comprehend the causes, which might, if understood, lead to possible solutions. Several explanations for this problem have probably already crossed the reader's mind: religious charlatans who only want to fleece the flock, premillennial prophecies that fail to occur decade after decade, and so on.
Other causes come to mind, such as the rise of the great idol, Entertainment, to which many people bow down regularly, the competition for a person's time, the secularization of society (keeping God out of the public forum), the secular humanism taught in public education, the insistence that evolution is true, and so on. All of these are important contributing factors, and they all have their advocates.
But the main thesis of this post is not a reason behind which there might be a number of conspirators. The suggested culprit primarily is the Internet. To be sure, the Internet can be a dangerous place, with pornography being downloaded by the ream, but, no, the author is not referring to unsavory matters like that. He claims that the autonomy it affords us has influenced all our lives. Consider what Wallace writes:
When we feel like we are in control, like we can find answers on our own, we are less interested in what religion has to offer in these areas. The more powerful we think we are, the less likely we are to turn to a greater power. If, for example, we think we have all the answers (or can get them on our own), we're less likely to turn to religion when we have a question.
He has a point. If we have a health problem, we are likely to do some searching on the Internet to see what information is available. Some might even seek discussions with others regarding their particular issue. Satisfying one's curiosity in this way is not wrong; in fact, it can prove quite helpful, but the unintended consequence is that it makes us feel more independent. When this writer first became a graduate student (in the Dark Ages before the Internet), we had a course in research resources, which familiarized us with libraries and the information that could be found there. The resulting euphoria we experienced at the end of the course came from feeling like we could find out any piece of information in the entire universe. The Internet does that (just about) for everyone today. We're still dependent on what others have to say, but the Internet makes us feel truly free. Wallace adds:
The information age has only exacerbated this reality. Almost anything we want to know, want to own, or want to do, is available online—whenever and however we want it. We now have autonomous access to information in more ways than we've ever had before.
Of course, other factors in our society's change exist, as already noted, and this is just one person's opinion. A contrary argument might be that Europe went down this same road decades ago before the Internet even existed; so it may be that some of those other factors in the decline of religion are more relevant than he thought they were. However, Wallace does note the past and current problem of moral autonomy.
A recent national survey found that "according to a majority of American adults (57 percent), knowing what is right or wrong is a matter of personal experience." Americans increasingly believe that individuals decide what is morally appropriate, and this form of moral autonomy is even stronger in teens. A study of Gen Z Americans (ages 13-18) revealed that teens are more than twice as likely to believe "what is morally right and wrong changes over time based on society" than Boomers (born between 1946-1964).
Why shouldn't they believe in situation ethics? It is taught in school and supported by the news and entertainment media. Everyone becomes his own god, doing what is right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25). Has anyone noticed how well that philosophy is working out? In the past fifty years, abortion has become legal; homosexuality must now be considered "normal"; almost every state has now made lotteries available; and marijuana has already been legalized for recreation in ten states with more than double that number accepting the "medical" version of it.
How can people not think that morality depends on what society thinks rather than on what God has set forth in the Scriptures? So, the result yields more deaths before birth and on the highways—not to mention poverty on the part of those who just knew they would win if they bought a thousand tickets.
God never put man in charge of determining morality; He knew what would happen (see Judges 17-21). Since God declares what is moral and what is not, it is objective—not subjective. It arises from a source outside of and above mankind. We ought to pay attention.
Appearing on September 21, 2018 in a Townhall article by Brianna Heldt is an interesting headline: "Harvard Study: Religious Upbringing Is Beneficial for Kids." Harvard could have saved the money to find out what most people already know, but since the T.H. Chan School of Public Health went to all the trouble to research the issue, we may as well look at the findings that were published the week before Heldt's post in the American Journal of Epidemiology (one has to admit this sounds impressive).
Five thousand youths participated in the study which kept track of them for a time period of between 8 and 14 years. Researchers kept records of how often the youngsters attended worship with their parents, as well as how often they prayed and meditated. As they entered into their 20s, the young adults were evaluated according to their physical and mental health. How did it all turn out?
Children who'd reported attending church weekly with their parents were 18 percent more likely to report being happy once they reached their 20s, versus kids who did not attend church regularly. The church-going children were also 30 percent more likely to volunteer, and 33 percent less likely to abuse drugs.
Those are not bad percentages, although we might wish they would be even higher. However, "being happy" is rather ambiguous. It may be that the happiness resulted from the lack of problems that occur due to activities they did not participate in. 33% were less likely to abuse drugs. Of course, the reason for that statistic is that they were taught the dangers of drugs and likely reminded of the philosophy of Paul when he said, "I will not be brought under the power of anything" (1 Cor. 6:12). It does not take a genius to observe what happens to people when they are under the influence of drugs.
Young people are not stupid. They probably know someone who died as a result of the abuse of alcohol (their own or another's). This writer once had a composition student who lost her high school boyfriend. Her class had a camping trip to a state park. The school and the chaperones made it clear that no alcohol would be allowed or tolerated. Her boyfriend brought some along anyway and drank when no one was observing him. In the night he needed to relieve himself. In the darkness he stumbled off a cliff and impaled himself on a rock below.
Death is not the only problem with alcohol—just the worst. Many have injured themselves or others under its influence. Many have caused themselves health problems due to being in a fight or just being unstable. One student at a university fell over a balcony to his death, but others have been banged up just as Proverbs 23:29-35 describes. Many learn, once they regain their sobriety, that they committed shameful actions while not in control of themselves. Other pain results from having a hangover. Who would not be happy to avoid all these complications and health issues?
Another benefit the study revealed was that the young people with the religious upbringing proved less likely "to engage in early, promiscuous sex and, therefore, had a lower rate of STD's." Has anyone ever regretted not having those and then being treated for them?
The study's author, Ying Chen, stated:
These findings are important for both our understanding of health and our understanding of parenting practices. Many children are raised religiously, and our study shows that this can powerfully affect their health behaviors, mental health, and overall happiness and well-being.
The aspect of mental health would be worth pursuing further. How many school shootings have been committed by students who accompany their parents to worship? If the statistics match these others (or show even a higher rate of non-participation), then we might conclude that teaching objective morality has a positive effect (instead of teaching subjectivism). Not only will right and wrong be more clearly defined, young people will know, if they hear teaching about the Day of Judgment, that God holds them accountable for their actions.
Their minds will not be befuddled by alcohol or marijuana use, and their mental outlook will be much healthier. Furthermore, they do not get as depressed as others. They understand that God created the universe and that He knows what He is doing. Yes, He allows people to sin if that is their desire (which causes problems for them and their victims), but He persuades people away from harmful courses of actions. Depression is alleviated by knowing that God observes all and will repay everyone according to His works—the one exception being for those who repent of wrongdoing.
Being taught Christian principles also helps people to be able to forgive when they need to do so, according to one of those involved in the study. They are more likely to volunteer and be helpful rather than just living for self or their own selfish pleasure. They not only are happy; they desire to make others happy as well.
One final comment linked religious involvement to "better health and well-being outcomes, including lower risk of premature death." The fact is that those who imbibe heavily in alcohol subtract years from their lives. The same thing is true with those who smoke. And we don't need a study for that, either. Almost everyone probably knows a handful of people for which that has proven true. Following Jesus has physical, mental, and especially, spiritual health benefits.