Monday 18 May 2015

Religion and Teenagers

Cassie is a 16 – year old from Los Angeles, CA.  She enjoys acting, playing guitar and spending time with her younger brothers. Her favorite subject is English because she wants to be a writer.
The phase of adolescence is often defined as the age of self-discovery.  One primary element of this “self-discovery” concept is the value of teen ethics and morality.  In public and private high schools throughout America, teenagers with a commitment to their own religion have a large influence on the social dynamic of the high school environment.  While religiously devoted teens do not impose their set of values upon groups of students, they do set a standard of ethics and morality through their lifestyle.
A fair amount of high school students are involved in Religious Youth Programs in their local community.  Teen Christian Clubs in high schools often strive to promote abstinence among their peers.  A popular Christian Teen trend is the “purity ring.” Teenagers wear purity rings as a statement regarding their belief of abstinence until marriage.  By publicly showcasing their morals, Christians share their core beliefs and encourage other teenagers to consider their options as well.
Religious Youth Programs can also directly influence their community by creating outreach programs.  Such Religious Youth Ambassadors are not preachers or converters.  Youth volunteers simply supply moral support to students who have lost faith in the goodness of humanity.  Religious teenagers often give back to their community through service programs affiliated with their church such as Free Dinners for the Homeless and Peer Counseling Programs.
Religious core values of any individual often affect one’s political views.  In the high school community, moral and ethical principles influence a teenager’s political standpoint.  This influence stems from a religiously diverse student body create a dynamic group of citizenship.  Teenagers’ religious opinions can help form the foundation of their political views, thus creating a more politically active youth.
Through these examples of house religious teenagers influence their community, it is evident that the character o any culture is defined by one’s actions and reactions to efforts of implementing moral values.  Teens who are dedicated to their religion show strong evidence of their ability to morally change their culture.

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