Why do you think that once some teenagers turn eighteen or start college, they stop attending church regularly (assuming that particular person has been going to church since they were a kid)? Is it because their parents can’t force them to go anymore? Or did they even want to go in the first place? Could it be because of the friends that they hang out with? How can you tell who your true friends are? Is this you? Have you gone to church for many years and suddenly stopped? Is religion even a factor in your life? If so, at what age did religion start to affect your life? Also, if this is/was you, how do/would you get back into going to church or being “religious”?
Jeff Hinkley (1:00)
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I think when a teenager turns eighteen or start college and stop attending church depends on a lot of things. If the teen is working a job, enrolled in college and taking hard classes (which require a lot of studying), then maybe that could be the reason why the teen hasn't been attending church like he or she did in the past. Or on the other hand if the teen is living in their parent's house or has moved out into his or her own place depends on a lot as well. If the teen is still living with his or her parents (doing the same things stated before) then for the most part, I think that teen would eventually end up going because the parents just may make a big deal about it every now and then. But if the teen is living by his or her self then, the teen wouldn't have anyone to force them to go to church.
Some teens as children didn't want to go to church the majority of the time because they are forced and because their friends thought it wasn't the "cool" thing to do. I believe you shouldn't have to change anything for your friends. I believe true friends will like you for who you are.
As for me, I've been attending church since I was 5 years old. It started to affect my life when I was about 12 or 13. I still go to chruch, just not as much as I did before I enrolled in college. That's only because high school was so different and I had so much time to do all of the thing I wanted within 24 hours. Now that I'm in college, my schedule is packed and the majority of the time is studying. But if I know I don't have any major tests or quizzes coming up, I'll be there bright and early for Sunday School and the morning service.
I believe that teenagers stop attenting church for many reasons. Most college students are very stressed. They deal with school, having a job, a lack of money, friends, everything all at once. On the weekends most teen's enjoying hanging out with their friends and going to party's. Once you have begun this lifestyle I believe that it is very hard to go to church. I dont believe that going to church is part of most teenagers priorities once they move away from home. My sister is a prime example of this. My family is very religious, and we have grown up in the church all our lives. Once my sister moved out though she just stopped going. She didnt have my parents nagging at her to go, and waking her up in the morning to get ready. Also my sister is a little on the shy side, and I dont think she likes the idea of going to a church by herself, especially since she doesn't know anyone there. LIfestyle I believe is a huge reason in why teenagers stop going to church.
-Emily Stege
I think that once kids get into college they start going out more and partying.So then on Sundays they just want to catch up on sleep or do the homework that they had been putting off all weekend. I know though that i go to church and there are a lot of college students that can still make it out of bed on their because they chose to, to go to church. This decision is all the person it has a lot to do with your childhood thought too. If you were forced as a child to go every Sunday to church no matter what and your family didnt make it a fun expeirence then when your on your own your going to want to stop. But i like going to church, enjoy those few hours of breakfast then church with my family. It brings us all together to start a fresh week and talk about what has happened in the past week. A person has a choice to go to church they cant be forced. So i feel that it all depends on the situation, everyones lives are different.
I think when kids live at home with their parents they are following their parents rules. Now, not all parents, but a lot of parents want their children to go to church because they went to church when they were younger and well, that's just how things are. My parents were that way. When i was younger i attended catholic school and went to church 3 times a week. I hated it. I stopped going to church when i got into college because i had my own ideas, beliefs, and feelings. I didn't want to go to church just because my parents were making me. I think that's how most kids feel. I am athiest, which may seem depressing to some people, but i see it as being realistic. I think it's just a personal choice to be religious or not.
Allison Hayes
I think that when people turn eighteen they have many things to deal with they move out and worry about paying the rent,bills,food,ect..so people have to work and working may not be a great excuse but thats one of many. Maybe they aren't spiritual and the only reason they went to church all those years was becuase they had to-so now they live the way they want. Perhaps,they have strict religious parents and definatly want an escape. True friends are the one that you call when you are in trouble and help you- I have met good people that are not all religious and just because someone is religious doesn't make them a great person. Anyone can say "I'm christian"-what speaks lounder then words are the actions.
The reason teenagers would stop attending church around the age of 18 or when they enter college, is because they have reached that age where they believe they're adults. If they are considered an adult they can supposedly make adult desicions. If someone was forced to go to church everyday since they were young, they probably could'nt wait until the day they could say "no im not going." On the other hand, if someone voluntarily starting going to church then they most likey would continue going. Friends shouldn't really be a big factor on the way you live your life, but usually they are. Therefore if a teenagers is attending church and the "friends" tease them about it or try to make them do something, then this would eventually make a teenager stop going to church. A true friend would come to church with you if you asked or atleast know you are doing something positve and wouldn't put you down. I have went to church many years and stopped. I voluntarily went to church, but after five or six years the routine at church became very boring; therefore I quit. Religon is a factor in my life always have and always will be. It started around the age of 10 and for me to go back to church it would probably have to be a different church or the old one needs to change its ways.
I think alot of teenagers stop attending church because of their busy schedules. Once they start going to college and working to earn a living they tend to cut out what they think isn't necessary in their opinion. When you get out of the habit of doing things like attending church, it's very hard to make yourself start doing it again. Sometimes it takes a major illness or a problem that deeply affects them, for them to start attending church again.
I did not stop attending church when i entered collage, but i did go less often. With the busy schedule that comes with collage when Sunday morning arrives sometimes you would just rather sleep than get up at eight or nine in the morning. I think most religion is life long and a lot of these students will return to church after the get a steady job and get settled in.
I think that it is typical that once a teenager begins college, they don't attend chuch as often for many reasons. It could be because of a job, school work, or stress, but I believe it is mostly a comfort thing. When your growing up you typically attend church with your family, friends, and other members of your community. In college it's different because typically you are living in a different town and not around your family. Along with a different church and people, which can make some people uncomfortable because they are used to being with family and friends at church. I do agree that some people dont go because their parents cant force them anymore, but I believe the comfort issue is the most common. If they don't go because they aren't foced it typically means they didn't want to go in the first place. I have gone to church for many years and stopped while I'm at school because I wouldn't feel comfortable there, but I do attend when I'm back at home. Religion has always affected my life in some way. I have been going to church on a regular basis since I can remember.
Well for me personally I actually stopped going shortly after I was confirmed. Once I did that and had the party it seemed like the whole family cut back on going. It felt like the church pushed you so hard to get confirmed that once it happened I was just happy that I didn't have to go to church anymore. I think my parents got me to the point where it was up to me to decide wheither I wanted to continue going to church and I decided to quit.
I really feel that when you are younger church is great becasue it builds solid character and morals, but as you get older you keep these qualites and begin to question many things in life. Religion being on of them. For me I believe they way I was taught religion turned me off of it and I just felt like it was a hassel more than a privledge.
I can not really see myself going back to church anytime soon unless a woman I meet and grow close to is very religious and wants me to go with her or until I myself have a family.
I think that for a lot of teenagers they go to church because their parents make them go. Then when they turn 18 they stop because they feel their parents cant force them to go anymore. Some of them probably didnt like going to begin with. I guess maybe the people they hang out with could influence this. I used to go to church all the time, but only because my parents made me go, once I was old enough to decide I didn't like going I stopped. No religion is not a factor in my life. If people are truly your friends they wont try to make you change your views on anything or try to talk you into doing things that they like to do.
I never went to church. I don’t think turning eighteen would stop someone from going, if they liked going. If the person is just forced to go to church by their parents, then they might rebel against their parents. Rebelling against their parents might make them stopping go to church. I don’t believe in a God. I believe in science, along with my parent, too.
From Steve Gratkins (9:00 a.m.)
I THINK THAT AFTER TURNING 18 AND STARTING COLLEGE YOUR LIFE CHANGES. MOST TEENAGER THAT I HAVE CAME ACROSS HAVE SLOWED DOWN ON CHURCH, BUT IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE SO BUSY WITH SCHOOL AND WORKING. I THINK THAT IF YOU PRIORITISE YOUR LIFE IT SHOULD NOT BE SUCH A PROBLEM. I GO TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY, BUT AFTER GRADUATING MY MOTHER AND I NOTICE THAT I HAD SLACKED UP ON GOING. BUT IT WAS BECAUSE OF MY WORK SCHEDULE, I WAS USUALLY SCHEDULED ON THE DAYS THAT I HAD TO GO TO CHURCH. I SOON HAD TO MAKE A CHANGE IN MY SCHEDULE SO THAT I COULD FIT CHURCH IN.
--TWILA DOUGLAS
I think that once you do go to college, all you want to do on your free time is sleep in and relax. I was an avid church goer until I went to college. I also work part-time on the side, and Sunday is my only day off from anything. That time i usually stay in bed, then go to my grandparents for lunch, then come home and take a nap. I do some homework and go to bed early. That is usually my Sundays. Yeah, sure parents could have been forcing their children to go. It could be the people someone hangs out with. They might not be Church goers and that could influence. I think as long as your faith is with the Lord and you believe in Him, you are fine. I am still very religious. I think once I get out of college, I would probably go to Church again. I don't think I'll be stressed, tired, and unrelaxed.
Katelyn Watterson 9:00
I dont think it does and if it does than it has to be a choice. My mom and Dad never forced church upon me. If I wanna go then I will go but they never will make me go to church. I think that is the problem today with religion because people try to force religion on you rather than asking you which one you like and believe more of. I think most religion is kind of off anyway. Its been so many years that it could have been altered and tampered with. I believe in god but I am not any type of religion.
Justin Peacock 1:00
After going to a private Catholic school for 12 years and getting religion drilled into my head at all times, I still believe in God but I don't believe in some of the teachings in the church. I believe if you're a good person and you truly believe you're a good person you will be fine. I don't believe you have to attend church to be a good person and I believe alot of teenagers don't attend church because they question why they have to go to church to believe. They may believe in God and not attend church because they believe they don't have to to be a good person.
Justin Stout (1:00)
I think, for the vast majority of people, they never agreed with the religion they were brought up with in teh first place. As kids, they were forced to attend religious services by their parents and never really had a chance to think about it or decide for themselves. So, when they get to college, they have a chance to really think about the religion they were raised in and to decide if they agree with it or find meaning in it. Friends might have a little bit of an influence if they don;t go to church, but a true friend would support you if you do decide that you want to continue practicing your religion. If you find meaning in heh reliogion and agree with its teachings, then I think that you would continue to go. I never really went to church regularly and it wasn;t a major factor in my life, but if I would find meaning in it and would agree with its teachings, I would go to church and be religious. I think for most people, they grow up in such an open society here with so many different people of different races and religions, that they see that there is no one right answer or religion out there. Many choose to be open-minded and choose not to be religious because many religions clash with each other or contradict. If there was a religion that had really relevant teachings and really helped me with my life, I think I could become "religious."
honestly ive never even been to church i want to say that i would like to go. and i have a lot of questions i want answered but im just not sure if i can believe what someone would tell me. i have my own beliefs and i dont think that i have to go to church all the time for a higher power to recongnize me.
honestly ive never even been to church i want to say that i would like to go. and i have a lot of questions i want answered but im just not sure if i can believe what someone would tell me. i have my own beliefs and i dont think that i have to go to church all the time for a higher power to recongnize me.
Ryan Brown 1 o clock
Religion is within the person. If they beleive in something it's probably going to stick with them. They might change with time but not when the turn from eighteen to neighteen.
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