Teen Religion

Christian Smith, one of the authors of Soul Searching (the book Pres. Hinckley cited at the last General Conference) gave a presentation at BYU this week, reported the SL Trib in an article headlined Study Ranks Mormon Teens No. 1 in Religiosity Nationwide. Smith noted that LDS teens "are the most intensely religious teens in the nation." Hmmm. From another perspective, if there is such a thing as a teenager being too religious, LDS teens are the group most at risk. Not the biggest risk facing teens, I suppose.

Comments

[Darren]

In an earlier story about Mormon teens' beliefs, a bit of a discrepancy showed up: 84% of LDS teens believe in God.  This is a bit surprising since the percentage of LDS teens rating the importance of faith as somewhat important or higher was 87% and 91% have little or no doubts about religious beliefs. This last one however, could go both ways: I have little or no doubts about religious beliefs and would consider myself a generally non-religious person (even though I think more about religion more than I ever did as a regular church goer...grrrr).

[Nate Oman]

"Hmmm. From another perspective, if there is such a thing as a teenager being too religious, LDS teens are the group most at risk. Not the biggest risk facing teens, I suppose."

Dave: You are trying a little too hard here.

[Dave]

Nate, when one has to put up a post every day, sometimes one does try a little too hard to squeeze something bloggable from a news story ...

But I think I raise a valid point: Leaders are probably pleased with the verdict that LDS teens are the most intensely religious of the various denominations, but that view presupposes that religious intensity is the measure of religious success and that more is always better. An alternative viewpoint is that there should be moderation in all things and that too much religious intensity is too much of a good thing. That's how I feel.

Whether LDS teens are overchurched is an empirical question, but a reasonable person is at least open to the idea that a teen *can* be overchurched. And if teens can be overchurched, LDS teens (apparently the "most intensely religious" of the bunch) are likely candidates. Just ask an early-morning seminary kid.

[NFlanders]

Add me to the group who thinks it is possible to overchurch our kids. Three hours a week is not enough, we have to get in another hour every day before school? Not to mention young men's and women's activities and ward functions?
I think burnout should be investigated as a cause of inactivity.