Smith: Introduction, 1

How does the secularization theory explain religiosity in adolescence? What would Smith's survey data allow us to understand about secularization in American religion?

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Secularization theory describes adolescent ambiguity when it comes to following their parents beliefs. Smith's data shows us that the youth are reflective of the reality of the nation's state. They include examples of people's family values, relationships, and life goals. His view on secularization theory show that adolescents are devout and happy in practicing their faith, despite popular belief that they are more likely to be less religious.

I like your point of views, I strongly believed that adolescents are more likely to be less religious. I think it is alright for parents to teach their children to follow it or not. Children have the right to choose what they want to follow. They should have the right to choose for themselves.

I agree with everything you stated especially on the fact that they should have the right to choose for themselves regarding the type of religion. Today, we are in a society where its okay to convert to another religions and not stay with the one that they were raise in. My sister is a prime example who was raise in a catholic family but ended converting to christianly.

Children should definitely choose for themselves. Often the ones that rebel from religion are the ones who were forced into it without a choice. I think its good for the parents to try to influence and teach them, but never force. Adolescents are usually confused and in need of love and guidance.... who better to supply this than religion and parental love?!

i agree that secularization describes why adolescents tend to follow their parents beliefs and i think it is because they aren't being forced to follow a religion. adolescents tend to look up to their parents especially if it seems as though they're living a good life so it only makes sense that they would end up following the same faith as their parents.

Secularization theory describes adolescent ambiguity or the quality of being open to more than one interpretation. When it comes to following their parent’s beliefs adolescent are focuses on taking in information and grabbing an understating their roles within a family unit. From here, these roles begin to expand and incorporate various views and beliefs, such as religion. Smith's data shows us that the youth are reflective of the reality of the nation's state. Is the state of being separate from religion and being incorporated into religion children, may not being exclusively allied with or against any particular religion, but these times of more much complex thinking can happen later on in life.

I like how you say it comes to following their parent's beliefs adolescent are focuses on taking in information and grabbing an understanding their roles within a family unit. Some parents believe they have brought their children to the world, and it is their job to help lead their children's life. However, in some cases, children will question religion and god, they won't feel like they should believe in it or that it should be followed.

exactly, parents are responsible for leading and training the child into a religious belief, taking the child to church and letting them hear the word. however, when that child becomes much older he/she becomes accountable for their own actions and with what they choose to believe/follow.

I agree. Adolescent follow the attitudes and information given by their parents that pretains to religion. The grab the information and ask questions eventually as the age the will either agree or disagree or agree to disagree making their own judgments.

Secularization follows a process of religious change in the modern society. In which religion eludes in social and cultural significance. It allows an individual to be open to many interpretations, as you mentioned. Smith's data demonstrates how adolescents have different observations on beliefs of religion from following their parents. Children are beginning to either learn more on their faith or follow their own path on it.

I agree with you children and adolescents should be able to understand more than one way of interpretation to fully gravitate to which direction they feel secure in their beliefs about their religion.

I agree with you fully in that religion, if not important in a person's life as an adolescent that if they were exposed to religion younger that they may become more accepting of it.

When it comes to secularization theory adolescents and young adults want to have a sense of independence but in a cultural form. They have internalized what they needed from their parents religious standpoint and want to shape their own understandings. The sample from the data collection shows life goals and values, but the youth are happy with their practices and expression of faith.

I agree with what you're saying short of them being happy i think they're navigating the nuances of their identity within their faith and family unit but i think the data explore a certain level of complacency rather than actual happiness i dont believe that can be accurately measured in this study.

I also agree. Adolescents are learning their role within the family and shaping their identities based on the role they play. There is no evidence in this study that proves that they are happy. They are simply absorbing and applying the information to their lives; happiness, or having an opinion on religion, will come later once they have a broader view of the world.

I think its great that you point out that there isn't any actual proof that teens are in fact happy in terms of religion. At this time of there lives, they are just practicing what they were born into.

Secularization theory describes adolescent ambiguity which in other words means being open to more than one interpreation. Adolescent are grasping information and portraying their roles within their family as a whole. The roles that they have acquired have the capacity too demonstrate to us that most adolecesents are content about their faith participation as well as their practices. Smiths data demonstrates how adolescents have different observations on aspects of religion that they gained from their parents, they are becoming independent on their religious perspectives thus his data shows adolescent religion complexity.

Secularization theory relates to the adolescent experience with religion in that it challenges the socialization of youth into particular religious faiths by weakening the hold that Organized religious institutions have on the social groups those kids grow up in. We can see this in joy as she is raised Christian, but does not attach much commitment or descriptive power to her relationship to the church, which mirrors her immediate social group, both in her family and her friends. The data from Smith's survey reflects this as it shows that the unmooring of religious institutions from systemic power makes the interaction that a teen has with the church more a reflection of their own relationship with other social factors in their lives rather than strictly as a one to one relationship with the institution itself.

I thought it was very interesting that you stated the way in which secularization "challenges" particular religious faiths.In my opinion it does in fact challenge religions by allowing individuals ,especially the youth to explore other ideas or interpretations.

Secularization allows adolescents to develop into their own character granting them free choice to determine which religious faith they'll decide to choose in the future, rather than sharing the same religious tradition and beliefs as their parents. the adolescent now becomes well aware of spiritual being and has the choice to follow a particular religion.

I agree. For many adolescents, religion can be a marker of identity. To follow or not follow a faith tradition is an identity. As you mention free choice, I think about Rational Choice Theory and how adolescents are most likely to follow a tradition that meets their expectations. I also think about obligation and consumption, teens do not have to follow their parent's religion because it is not necessarily obligatory, and they can choose to follow a religion that they feel also meets their expectations.

Secularization theory allows adolescence to have more options in terms of religious choice.They are open to other religions,ideas and values ,here in the United States especially.It allows for different interpretations of religions and ideas as well.

secularization theory allows adolescence to make choices of their own yes they will follow and observe and take in what they grew up knowing by their parents and the religion their parents believe in. Although now and in the future its known to be more open of choices yes children can agree with certain beliefs but that doesn't mean they have to study and practice that religion or be very religious like the first and second generation may be in the United States.

I agree with what you stated especially how adolescences have the power to make their own choices even though at the end of the day they will follow and observe and take in what they grew up knowing by their parents as well as the religion they were born into. Parents are becoming more lenient with the choices that they children are making. Where as maybe before children had to obey and follow the religion they were born into because it wasn't normal to change it. As a matter of fact, some were probably bad-mouthing by close family members. Today its not a problem and is now acceptable.

There is an assumption that’s adolescents are not religious. Many would use secularization theory to support this argument as we have become more modern and individualistic. In the introduction and first chapter, we learn that religiosity is important to many adolescents across different faith traditions. As adolescents grapple with different family and individual issues, some use religion as a method of coping and some do not. We also learn how different agents of socialization affect adolescents and their religiosity.

Secularization follows the process of religious reform in modern society. In my opinion, there is no real social and cultural significance in religions. It allows one person to accept many explanations.The book's data shows that young people have different observations about the religious beliefs of their followers. The children began to either learn more about their beliefs or follow their own path, which is how the world is now.

Adolescent years are all about pushing boundaries and exploring. So even though kids tend to secularize or "leave" religiosity, they are just exploring their options to see and test what they believe in. Many children end up following their parents's faith, as we see in Soul Searching, and many do not- and we also can see that in Soul Searching.

Secularization shows that adolescents are both intertwined and coasting as far as religious beliefs go; his data shows that their has been no decline; greater no lack of adolescents rejecting religion. This could be the result of strong social and political bounds ingrained in the church intuitions, making the church a necessity regardless of era, or age.

Smith's data explains that the religiousness of today's youth is depended on how the general society views religion. The concept of secularization can be applied to how adolescents received religious influence from their parents; because of the turning away of the dependence of religion in modern society, the heavy dependence of religion and all of the benefits that come with it are no longer adequate.

Smith's study and data shows that secularization theory is not fully applicable to our society. Parents still hold on to their religion and therefore socialize children into it. There is a big proof counter attacking secularization theory, that the society still views religion as an important part of ones life. And more those families that view religion as integral part of their lives will socialize children into believing so too. Religion still pervades in 21st century society and secularization cannot explain why it is so.

secularization theory best describes religion in adolescents because it means religion was a choice of their own. secularization means that religion doesn't even have to be in your life so these adolescents had choice about what religion they wanted to follow which usually means they will follow the religion that their parents follow because they don't know any better. the chart shows

Secularization theory relates to adolescence in the sense of it allowing teens to have more of a religious freedom or choice. Adolescents are more likely to be open and respecting of different religions, spirituality, and beliefs.