When are teens old enough to control their own spiritual lives?
This might be when teens could learn meditation, stop going to church, declare themselves to be atheists, or join a different church.
Have you made any of those decisions for yourself? Did you choose your family's religion, a different one, or none at all? At what age did you make these choices? Did your siblings, cousins, or friends make the same choices or different ones?
Please don't answer as though I'm one of those teenagers. I'm a senior citizen & definitely old enough to choose my own spiritual life. I do think it's good to look back at the choices that we've made & to see how it's worked out for us.
2014-06-02T08:01:14Z
Each of you makes a good point. Thanks for your answers.
2014-06-02T08:02:33Z
Some of them are very interesting, too.
?2014-05-26T17:54:12Z
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I wouldn't go out and set an age (as obviously a one-size-fits-all approach to this would be futile), but if I must give a number, I'd say 14. That was when I felt the most change in maturity and understanding in the world around me, as in having a future and empathy...etc.
So, at this point, I feel like I am agnostic along with most of my family members, sans a few Buddhists who married into the family. However, I personally believe in reincarnation.
But then again, I wonder if I'm well informed enough to make a good decision regarding this matter. I don't know much about the Christian and I don't think I've ever read the Bible or Koran or any religious text at that, so my answer is tentative... :)
I was pretty secure in my non-belief by about 13. But it only took me *that* long, because I'd never really been exposed to any religions. Some Christian teacher/parent brought bibles to school one day, and that kind've opened me up to the ludicrousness of the whole thing. :P
Depends on the individual child some are ready before others. If they come from a family of church goes then sooner than ones who's family does not attend services regularly .
I have been going to the same church all my life though I did go to others when I lived other places. I have learned more about spirituality in the past 2 years than in my whole life combined. Children should be taught from day one by their parents or religious training of choice. As they grow up and graduate from high school there is not much a parent can do to influence them so hopefully they have had a huge influence on them all the child's life. We can only raise them the best we know how then it's up to them to make their own life. My family is mostly Christian and that goes back for generations. Once past the teen years and around age 30 people seem to become more interested in their spiritual well being.