http://www.theage.com.au/news/natio...y-from-religion/2006/08/05/1154198378623.html LESS than half Australia's young people believe in a god and many believe there is little truth in religion, a new study has found. The three-year national study, a joint project between Monash University, the Australian Catholic University and the Christian Research Association, found many young people followed a secular path. The study, The Spirit of Generation Y, found just 48 per cent of Generation Y, defined as those born between 1976 and 1990, believed in a god. Dr Andrew Singleton of Monash University, a co-author of the study, said they were surprised by the findings. "It's well-known that there has been a turn away from church attendance and participation in young people," he said. "But we thought there was going to be a move towards alternative spiritualities. "There are still a number turning towards it, but not as big as you would have thought." Religious identity will be among the questions contained in this year's census, which takes place on Tuesday night. In the past, the denomination with the highest numbers has been Catholic, followed by Anglican and then those who do not identify with any religion. The survey found 20 per cent of young people did not believe in a god and 32 per cent were unsure. It also found just 19 per cent of those who identify themselves as Christian were actively involved in a church, attending services at least once a month. More than 30 per cent of Generation Y were classified as humanists, rejecting the idea of a god, although some believed in a "higher being". Dr Singleton said it was a trend that was likely to continue: "We live in a very individualistic and self-orientated society and I don't see a lot of things challenging that. One of the many predictors of whether we become religious is our parents and unless there is a massive cultural shift, I see that the trajectory will continue as it is." The researchers said many young Australians were humanists, rejecting belief in a god and replacing that with a belief in human experience, human reason and scientific explanations. Robert Forsyth, Anglican Bishop of South Sydney, said the results were expected. "This is the first generation to have nothing to do with Sunday school," he said. "This is the first generation who probably know nothing about Christ, except those who go to Christian schools. "It is sad, but in my view it is entirely what we expected to happen." Researchers conducted the random survey with 1619 people. Of those, 1272 were aged 13 to 24 and the rest were aged 25 to 59. University of NSW Emeritus Professor of sociology and anthropology Clive Kessler said the results reflected the secular and sceptical nature of Australian society. A QUESTION OF SPIRIT ■48 per cent of Generation Y believe in a god. ■20 per cent do not believe in a god. ■32 per cent are unsure. ■19 per cent of Generation Y are actively involved in a church. ■ 17 per cent have an eclectic spirituality, believing in two or more "New Age", esoteric or eastern beliefs, including reincarnation, psychics and astrology. ■31 per cent can be classified as humanists, rejecting the idea of a god, although a few believe in a "higher being". SOURCE: THE SPIRITUALITY OF GENERATION Y
Wouldn't it be something else! if this was a global trend? Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! The benifits of banishing the negative aspects of religion would far outweigh the comforts lost. Alas I suspect this is only a small trough that religon endures along with the peaks. Thus it can only be a dream that religous behaviour can be erradicated from the human psychE.
oh i share such a dream. religions continue to be humiliated by the violence sanctioned by their leaders and carried out by their extremists. its only a matter of time before we see mushroom clouds and the worlds youth begin to finally realise the threat posed.
The battle against forced indoctrination is on two fronts: Schools and parenting. Schools can be fixed with policy. Common sense is required for parents... and it seems that in secular societies like Austrailia and Europe, the fight for common sense is slowly winning. If only America and the Middle East would follow...
I suspect this trend is more common in Christianity. There have been little changes in Islam or Hinduism, except a shift in some groups towards militancy.
one of the main reasons religion is not dieing so fast in America is the fact that the churches are becoming more progressive, or "non denominational" to catch those who would normally leave religion all together. religion will fall in America, it will just take longer as we don't import culture as much as other parts of the world.
Yeah yeah great optimism, but religion has not only endured centuries if not millennia of scientific revolution. It is at one of it's strongest stages even in terms of percentage of world populati0om being theist, not only that one of the most advanced countries in the world (usa) are seeing religon flurrish. For a start your argument about strategy changes is irrelivent because the church often moves with the times and tweeks itself to keep up numbers. Secondlt there is nothing what so ever to indicate that religon will fall off in america (or anywhere else) beyond a natural wax and wane.
I think parts of the USA are advanced, but certainly not all of it (depending on your definition of an advanced culture). Remember that the modern age we all live in, with television, the internet, etc, has only lasted for the blink of an eye in terms of the whole of human existence. Just because any given religion has lasted for thousands of years up to now, is no reason it will last for another thousand years.
************* M*W: You are right. Churches in America are seeing their adherents drop like flies, so they are constantly in the process of reinventing themselves. If religion were the real thing, that decline wouldn't be happening. Yes, religion is "falling" in America, and creating a wider demographic isn't going to help it. People are just smarter today than they were as recent as 50-100 years ago. I think christianity declining worldwide is a natural attrition due to people becoming better educated. Church attendance used to be the social center of American society, but today there are gazillions of ways people socialize, including interculturally as in social and cultural "fusion."
************* M*W: No, I have to disagree with you. Religion is not flourishing in America nor worldwide. In areas such as Brasil and parts of South Africa, christianity is growing slightly, and that's attributed to the lack of education of its peoples. ************* M*W: Sure, like an aging rock icon, they need to reinvent themselves to stay on the charts. Churches are no different. Today, though, they're running scared, because everything they seem to have done still hasn't brought their lost sheeple home, and that's a money issue. It's always about the money. ************* M*W: No, it's really more serious than a simple wax or wane. There's a definite wane in progress, and churches are worried. Religion is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. http://www.adherents.com
Looks like Im out numbered by people that dont appreciate the psycological needs for religion, theres even research to suggest religious behaviour is deep rooted in the brain once again. 85% of the worlds pop are theists America IS indeed experiencing a boom in religion. Religion will die out in 1000years? Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Dream on!
************* M*W: People who have "psychological needs" are called "addicts." They choose their own source of obsession. Some abuse alcohol. Some abuse drugs. Some abuse food. Some abuse sex. Others abuse ritual and religion. Then the many of them abuse all of the above. Yes, it is all hard wired in the brain. It's called psychological survival. That which we don't have naturally, we simply create. It's all the same. Then it becomes a reality to us, and we act upon our compulsions and doubts. Please site some references for "America is indeed experiencing a boom in religion." I'd like to see why recently published data by several of the larger denominations would indicate their membership is up after they've published that it was declining.
************* M*W: No, but it's a start. You do mean "drugs," don't you? Humans have a "hierarchy of needs" (Maslow). I can describe it in song lyrics: "What's to painful to remember, we simply choose to forget." (Bergman) "We are all prisoners here of our own device." (The Eagles) "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave." (The Eagles)
I think religious belief is OK, for some people it certainly is helpful during times of distress. I don’t particularly like monotheism. Too bad we converted from the old poly-theistic Greek Gods. Those were great Gods! The Goddess Athena … Hmmm Hmmm?? Might be a good one. I also like Buddhism – which I heard was the fast growing religious belief in Australia? Alas I’m an Atheist so I suppose that that. Its Fire and Brim Stone for me, Michael
There's always the Japanese Anime Godess Bell Dandy ...... Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
