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May 2, 2008

Mat Anderson: 'Starbucks spirituality' and today's teens

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Fri May 02, 2008, 08:53 AM CDT

My teen-culture research recently led me to an article in the May 2008 issue of CosmoGIRL! titled “Religion By Design” by Marina Khidekel.

In the article, Khidekel asks the question: “What if going to church were like going to Starbucks? You wouldn’t just get a plain coffee: You could get a shot of Catholicism, a sprinkle of Buddhism, a pinch of Hindu teachings — or whatever else you’re in the mood for that day.”

The article goes on to explain that this kind of “Starbucks spirituality” is becoming common as more teens abandon organized religion to instead create their own religion from various beliefs like they’re creating an iPod playlist. One teen puts it this way: “With all the options out there, it’s impossible for me to choose just one religion to follow.”

Christian Smith, of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society, says that this approach is part of a new trend in American teens. He says most teens believe in a “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism” that states:

* God exists and created the world, and He wants people to be good, nice, and fair to one another.

* Life’s central goals are to be happy and feel good about yourself.

* God doesn’t need to be particularly involved in your life, unless you have a problem.

* Good people go to Heaven when they die.

From these basic, non-specific beliefs, many teens mix and match various other religions to create a god, or gods, that they are comfortable with. What results are religious beliefs that are mere expressions of identity, like ringtones, MySpace pages, and fashion, rather than a way of life that provides purpose, meaning and hope. One teen summarized this view by saying, “I’m into both Wiccan and Buddhist philosophies, but I’m also reading the Bible. I feel like I’ll always be discovering what beliefs are right for me.”

Experts warn that this take on religion can be detrimental to teens because as religion becomes customizable, it loses its power. It’s no longer about a set of morals and traditions that people have relied on for centuries. Instead it becomes a combination of beliefs, stripped of accountability and absolute truth, which teens can adapt and adjust as they see fit.

“God is who He is. It is His explanation of Himself to humanity that matters, not our guesses at what He ‘might’ be” says Dan Mitchell, President and CEO of The Bridge.

Smith also found that most teens have difficulty articulating what they believe. He says teens can easily talk about substance abuse and STD’s because adults drill those topics into them, but most adults simply don’t talk to teens about religion. As a result, many teens never hear or learn the basics of faith.

This is where parents can make a difference. The two most important factors in strengthening the faith of teens are committed parents and healthy relationships with other adults. Studies have shown that religious commitment significantly and positively impacts teens’ lives. But if parents don’t discuss their beliefs with teens, faith loses its importance and becomes part of the background of life.

It’s important for parents to discuss faith, religion, truth and God with teens and to be themselves involved in a community of faith while encouraging teen involvement in a church youth group, Young Life or a place like The Bridge.

Through this involvement families can discuss messages they encounter in their place of worship and teens can interact with adults who will help them explore the questions of faith while showing them what it means to live it out.



Mat Anderson is the staff writer and research specialist at The Bridge in Joplin. For more information visit futureparadigm.org.

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