By basing their book on retrospective surveys of adults, Davis, Graham, and Burge overlook one essential descriptive fact about religion in America: most of the decline in religion is actually among children, and virtually all of it among people under age 22. Secularization, or what they call “dechurching,” is happening among children and then trickling upwards into the general population as those children age. This essential fact suggests that any story of secularization in America has to begin with home life: what changed for children born in the 1980s and 1990s that they never fully absorbed religious belief as children?
I think a huge part of it is seeing religion misused as a tool for controlling people. I continued to stay religiously active because it was my choice and my parents didn’t force it on me.
In other words, I think a lot of young people unfortunately associate religion with oppression.
I think a lot of young people unfortunately associate religion with oppression.
looks up from history book it was ever not just about oppression?
Don’t look up from that history book just yet! If you think religion has always been just about oppression, you have a lot more studying of history to do. It might also help to talk to some devoted religious people and get their personal perspectives on why they believe. I encourage you to speak with as diverse a group of people as possible from as many different religions and cultural backgrounds as you can.
