SINCE the 1960s, cultural secularization has increasingly influenced the lifestyle decisions of young Americans. Personal choices involving sexual activity and substance use, which in previous generations would have been condemned for religious and moral reasons, are now glorified as symbols of empowerment. From their preteen years on, young people are bombarded with messages from reality television, magazines and the Internet encouraging them to emulate the questionable behavior of role models like Miley Cyrus and Lindsay Lohan.
Young people's rejection of conservative behavior is easy to understand. It is much easier to adopt patterns of behavior which promote self-gratification and the removal of inhibitions than it is to subscribe to a lifestyle which emphasizes restraint. So why is it that a large contingent of University students resists the temptations of secular culture?
Students involved in religious organizations such as Agape, the Chabad Jewish Heritage Student Association and the Muslim Students Association appear more likely to forgo involvement in some of the riskier activities condoned by modern U.S. culture. These religious organizations provide a vital service to the University community by giving students a social outlet in which they can express their faith and live truly alternative lifestyles.
Religious organizations focused on helping young people grow their faith are more important than ever given the declining levels of religious affiliation among the U.S. population. This trend sparked a large amount of debate in 2009 when Newsweek ran a cover article titled "The Decline and Fall of Christian America."
In the article, then Newsweek editor Jon Meacham highlighted the results of the 2009 American Religious Identification Survey which, according to Duquesne University School law professor and Huffington Post writer Bruce Ledewitz, "showed a rapid increase in secularization in America, doubling since 1990 and a drop in all kinds affiliation."
Moreover, a study by Daniel Abrams and Haley Yaple of Northwestern University and Richard Wiener of the University of Arizona has shown that this trend exists across the globe. In some countries, particularly Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Canada, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Switzerland, the study indicated that religion is dying out.
Why does religion matter? According to Patrick Fagan of the Heritage Foundation, studies have proven that religious practice "leads to a reduction in the incidence of domestic abuse, crime, substance abuse, and addiction." Fagan also asserts that those who are involved in religion are more likely to experience increased "physical and mental health, longevity and education attainment." Fagan goes on to support those claims by citing a variety of studies endorsed by well-respected institutions including the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, the American Journal of Sociology and numerous researchers at well-respected universities.
Despite the decline in national faith, the University has a robust group of student organizations devoted to helping young people practice and explore their religious beliefs. The University currently lists 58 contracted independent organizations which are categorized as "Religious/Spiritual." The majority of these organizations are designed to educate students and provide a forum for religious participation. This benefits the University and the community at large by keeping students engaged in their faiths and preserving the traditions and values which religion encourages among its followers.
Religious organizations' ability to grow and flourish despite the advance of secular culture and the best efforts of powerful institutions to limit their freedom is impressive. As recently as 1995, the Supreme Court ruled that the University was required to provide equal protection for all groups and could not deny funding to a student publication based on religious affiliation. This ruling proved important for the protection of religious groups, and it also demonstrates the threats posed to religion by groups focused on removing faith from public life.
While the evidence suggests that U.S. culture is trending toward secularization, which does not mean citizens should accept the diminished role of religion as a fait accompli. Religion provides both a sense of community and shared cultural values to members of society. At the University, religious associations play an active part in many students' lives. Students' four years at the University should serve as a time to both grow their academic knowledge and explore their faith.
Ginny Robinson's column appears Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at g.robinson@cavalierdaily.com.
Read More
EDITORIAL: Carla Williams deserves her seat at the table
By Editorial Board | 2 days agoLooking beyond basketball and football reveals that Virginia Athletics is, in many ways, thriving.
UPADHYAYA: The Great and not-so-Good sides of U.Va.’s 2030 housing plan
By Apal Upadhyaya | 5 days agoInstead of improving the dire state of existing infrastructure, however, the University has shifted attention away from it and chosen to expand.
EDITORIAL: Support low-barrier shelters in Charlottesville
By Editorial Board | 6 days agoInvesting in low-barrier shelters now will pay off in increased stability for the homeless, which will undoubtedly improve the safety of shelters and the community writ large.
