There are countless studies discussing the relationship between religion and teens’ habits. In short, teens that are raised in a religious home are more likely to stay away from debilitating habits and develop healthier ones.
In a recent study from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth, which represented over 14,000 American youth, it was discovered that religious youth with intact families are less likely to:
•drink
•do drugs
•engage in physical intimacy
Additionally, this study pointed out that religious teens also have a higher GPA in high school.
A separate study indicated that teens who practice religion will:
•achieve a higher level of marital happiness and stability
•develop greater educational aspirations
•contribute more generously to their community
•live longer and healthier lives
•display higher levels of self-control and self esteem
So the science is here to reinforce the fact that religion in the home affects the outcome of teens, but why is that? Now I can’t speak for other churches, but I do have a theory as to why LDS youth fare better than teens without religion in their home.
An interesting point to address is that these studies touch on the fact that while most religious youth are devoted to their faith, they are uneducated in their doctrine. In other words, they believe in their doctrine, but they don’t know what they believe.
To read the full article go to ldsliving.com
