Religion and spirituality is a topic that's been on my mind a lot lately. I was raised Catholic. I went to Catholic school for 13 years. Even at my public university (before Millersville), I was an active member of the Catholic church for three years. Then senior year hit. My roommate never went to church. One Sunday, I decided not to go. I rarely went back.
I was surprised at how many teens considered themselves "close to God" (71% of 3,360 individuals!) (C. Smith, 2005, p. 4). I am wondering where and how they chose the samples...but anyway...over time, most individuals in the cohort shifted away from conventional religion but considered themselves to be more religious. The author suggests this is because they start to own their own beliefs. That's the thing--most of us learn religion from our parents. I never really questioned my religious beliefs until I got to college and was surrounded by people who didn't share my religion. I definitely feel that growing up in a Catholic school kept me in a bubble, separated from the rest of the world. I do think it instilled certain values in me (being kind to others, valuing a sense of community, incorporating spirituality into everyday life). Though I could have learn these values outside of school, going to a private religious school definitely reinforced them.
I hope that as I grow older I can gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a spiritual person. I honestly don't know what to believe anymore. Religion is a man-made institution. Wars are fought over it. Lives are lost. So many horrific things happen in this world every day. The Catholic church would explain that this is the result of free will. I have friends who ask if God is all-knowing and has the power to intervene in the lives of those on this earth, why doesn't He put an end to this suffering? I don't think anyone really knows. But, I do know that religion also gives people hope when hope is lost. Despite different teachings throughout different religions, for most, I think the overall concept is "be good to others." Definitely a positive message. It unites people. It gives them a sense of place and belonging. And, it gives meaning and purpose to many peoples' lives. I like to believe that there's a God. And no, just because you "believe" something to be true doesn't necessarily make it true. But, I do think that sometimes logic isn't the only answer. Having faith--whether it be in God, yourself, others, or the unknown--makes life so worth living.
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