What causes mid teens to abandon faith whilst they are so immature?

there are vultures who prey on these vulnerable teenagers.

it's tragic that this happens, and sad that these teens have nowhere to turn.

Lol common sense and mid teens in the same question? Any one older than 20 knows teenagers and common sense have never been good friends.

Teenagers are biologically programmed to seek out their own identity and leave the home, their search for an identity of their own separate from the family they grew up in is what spurs people to leave the security of the home and make a life for themselves, find a mate and set up their own family. In this drive to find their own identity children raised by atheists look at various religions, children reaised with religion tend to explore different religions or atheism.

I'm fourteen, but I can't say that I've ever truly had faith. My parents dressed me in cute little dressed and hats starting an early age so they could drag me along with them to church. As I got older, I actually began to listen to what was being preached. My eyebrows would furrow at the odd scriptures. Some of it made absolutely no sense. I then began to read the bible on my own, and I was repelled by the contents of the book. Not only by the repulsive content, but also by the illogical parts. I think it's actually a good thing that I realized how senseless Christianity and other religions are. If it's helpful to you, then that's perfect. As long as you benefit from it, I have nothing against you or your religion, but I refuse to conform to what I was taught because of fear and ignorance. I'm sure of my thoughts, and though I am at a ripe age, I'm sure my thoughts will remain as I grow and become more educated and enlightned. :)

Actually, at that age, they are taking their first steps toward real maturity, figuring out for themselves what they understand about the world and what they believe with the beginnings of an adult understanding. When they discover beliefs that have no greater justification than "Mom and Dad say it's true," they discard them. That's how firm and rational world-views are formed.

Moreover, if you assert that teens are too immature to "abandon faith," then aren't they also too immature to embrace faith?

Why do little kids stop believing in santa when they are so immature? Surely common sense suggests that they should wait until they grow up a bit.

I fantastically plenty found out all the reason I had for not having faith have been motives for having faith. yet i like to play devils recommend... I recommend WHY have self belief? its superstitious and has led to suffering and evils in the international...yet no...it hasn't.. human beings have unfastened will and that they are frequently the reason for wars and different human made suffering in the international. My best argument was once this yet God is just one thing this is comforting, he's in simple terms a crutch human beings want. So your some tuff person who would not want all of us something whilst's there is not something for you? once you in detention center serving a dying sentence your wonderful being all to your self? Yeah no....you like faith. whilst no person else needs to pay attention it whilst not something is sensible youll discover that God does something it is basically good and there for you.

"Surely common sense suggests that they should wait until they grow up a bit."

But the abandonment of faith IS part of the process of growing up.

Remember when you stopped believing in Santa and why you stopped believing?

Same thing.....

Often teens feel pressured by their parents and hit a certain point and rebel. Many people return to faith when they are more mature. Sometimes their parents faith wasn't right for them and they need to make their own way. In any case, it's a time of defining yourself as an individual and sometimes rebelling. Teens often feel invincible too, so faith doesn't figure into their life at that moment.

Kid... you don't mind if I call you 'kid', do you?

Kid, I was seven when I first heard about *the* imaginary little space chap...

LONG before I knew much about anything let alone science being a concept even...

LONG before teh internets.

LONG before I'd read anything written by atheists...

It was just so obvious - just like Pixie and Elf and Goblin...

And… I never read anything telling me they were fantasy figures either ;)

Anyway, I was surprised grownups could be so silly; I am still amazed.

Monsters in the closet, under the bed, dancing about on cloudies awaiting requests?

It’s nothing but superstitious nonsense; it’s quite pathetic.

At 65 I have NOT seen-heard anything to cause me a change my mind.

~

Churches don't know how to teach the youth, sitting for an hour on a sunday to some boring lecture with no enthusiasm would make anyone stop being involved with religion.

im 13 and im a atheist i started becuz i read the bibal i reserched other religons and i didnt belive it i wonder theses are all so simmulare i got into science pushing me further away fro belif i wouldnt have started going to the best school in main if it wasent for atheism