Dral Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Op-Ed How secular family values stack up For secular people, morality is predicated on one simple principle: empathetic reciprocity, widely known as the Golden Rule. (Los Angeles Times) By Phil Zuckerman Opinion Commentary Scientific Research Minority Groups Duke University A growing American demographic: Children raised without religion, with moral values soundly intact The growing number of children raised without any religion may turn out to be a good thing Children in America's secular families turn out just fine More children are “growing up godless” than at any other time in our nation's history. They are the offspring of an expanding secular population that includes a relatively new and burgeoning category of Americans called the “Nones,” so nicknamed because they identified themselves as believing in “nothing in particular” in a 2012 study by the Pew Research Center. Secular parenting: Believe me, kids can be good without God The number of American children raised without religion has grown significantly since the 1950s, when fewer than 4% of Americans reported growing up in a nonreligious household, according to several recent national studies. That figure entered the double digits when a 2012 study showed that 11% of people born after 1970 said they had been raised in secular homes. This may help explain why 23% of adults in the U.S. claim to have no religion, and more than 30% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 say the same. So how does the raising of upstanding, moral children work without prayers at mealtimes and morality lessons at Sunday school? Quite well, it seems. Far from being dysfunctional, nihilistic and rudderless without the security and rectitude of religion, secular households provide a sound and solid foundation for children, according to Vern Bengston, a USC professor of gerontology and sociology. For nearly 40 years, Bengston has overseen the Longitudinal Study of Generations, which has become the largest study of religion and family life conducted across several generational cohorts in the United States. When Bengston noticed the growth of nonreligious Americans becoming increasingly pronounced, he decided in 2013 to add secular families to his study in an attempt to understand how family life and intergenerational influences play out among the religionless. He was surprised by what he found: High levels of family solidarity and emotional closeness between parents and nonreligious youth, and strong ethical standards and moral values that had been clearly articulated as they were imparted to the next generation. “Many nonreligious parents were more coherent and passionate about their ethical principles than some of the ‘religious' parents in our study,” Bengston told me. “The vast majority appeared to live goal-filled lives characterized by moral direction and sense of life having a purpose.” So how does the raising of upstanding, moral children work without prayers at mealtimes and morality lessons at Sunday school? Quite well, it seems. - My own ongoing research among secular Americans — as well as that of a handful of other social scientists who have only recently turned their gaze on secular culture — confirms that nonreligious family life is replete with its own sustaining moral values and enriching ethical precepts. Chief among those: rational problem solving, personal autonomy, independence of thought, avoidance of corporal punishment, a spirit of “questioning everything” and, far above all, empathy. For secular people, morality is predicated on one simple principle: empathetic reciprocity, widely known as the Golden Rule. Treating other people as you would like to be treated. It is an ancient, universal ethical imperative. And it requires no supernatural beliefs. As one atheist mom who wanted to be identified only as Debbie told me: “The way we teach them what is right and what is wrong is by trying to instill a sense of empathy ... how other people feel. You know, just trying to give them that sense of what it's like to be on the other end of their actions. And I don't see any need for God in that. ... cComments Very interesting piece. Allison Pela at 11:04 AM January 19, 2015 Add a comment See all comments 298 “If your morality is all tied in with God,” she continued, “what if you at some point start to question the existence of God? Does that mean your moral sense suddenly crumbles? The way we are teaching our children … no matter what they choose to believe later in life, even if they become religious or whatever, they are still going to have that system.” Patriotic Americans have the right not to believe in any God The results of such secular child-rearing are encouraging. Studies have found that secular teenagers are far less likely to care what the “cool kids” think, or express a need to fit in with them, than their religious peers. When these teens mature into “godless” adults, they exhibit less racism than their religious counterparts, according to a 2010 Duke University study. Many psychological studies show that secular grownups tend to be less vengeful, less nationalistic, less militaristic, less authoritarian and more tolerant, on average, than religious adults. Recent research also has shown that children raised without religion tend to remain irreligious as they grow older — and are perhaps more accepting. Secular adults are more likely to understand and accept the science concerning global warming, and to support women's equality and gay rights. One telling fact from the criminology field: Atheists were almost absent from our prison population as of the late 1990s, comprising less than half of 1% of those behind bars, according to Federal Bureau of Prisons statistics. This echoes what the criminology field has documented for more than a century — the unaffiliated and the nonreligious engage in far fewer crimes. Another meaningful related fact: Democratic countries with the lowest levels of religious faith and participation today — such as Sweden, Denmark, Japan, Belgium and New Zealand — have among the lowest violent crime rates in the world and enjoy remarkably high levels of societal well-being. If secular people couldn't raise well-functioning, moral children, then a preponderance of them in a given society would spell societal disaster. Yet quite the opposite is the case. Being a secular parent and something of an expert on secular culture, I know well the angst many secular Americans experience when they can't help but wonder: Could I possibly be making a mistake by raising my children without religion? The unequivocal answer is no. Children raised without religion have no shortage of positive traits and virtues, and they ought to be warmly welcomed as a growing American demographic. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0115-zuckerman-secular-parenting-20150115-story.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mustapha Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Interesting article. Although I participated in church related things at a young age, it was because of my own curiosity, my parents never talked about God or anything like that at home. I never really believed that 'morality' could come from a higher being, as by definition, you are just submitting to authority. In order for 'morality' to exist in the first place, you have be able to use your own independent judgement. I do like the idea of mutual respect, treating others how you wish to be treated. Although I don't believe in any supernatural God, I also don't go out and challenge others' beliefs. I believe that those who are able to let go will do so when they are ready. Any attempt to 'force' them to see the light will create ill will and make them less likely to be rational about their beliefs. To be honest, asking some people to abandon their beliefs after centuries (even millennia) of culture ingrained in worship might be a touch difficult for some. Ask the question, but don't decide the answer for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dral Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 One telling fact from the criminology field: Atheists were almost absent from our prison population as of the late 1990s, comprising less than half of 1% of those behind bars, according to Federal Bureau of Prisons statistics. This echoes what the criminology field has documented for more than a century — the unaffiliated and the nonreligious engage in far fewer crimes. Another meaningful related fact: Democratic countries with the lowest levels of religious faith and participation today — such as Sweden, Denmark, Japan, Belgium and New Zealand — have among the lowest violent crime rates in the world and enjoy remarkably high levels of societal well-being. This is the part I found most interesting - less then 1 in every 200 people in jail is Atheist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortorella's Rant Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 And Christians in the US have more abortions per capita than any other demographic. A testament to their hypocrisy as the Youtuber Aronra put it. Anyway, I didn't know Abbotsford was the bible belt of BC until today. That explains the two churches belonging to two different denominations of all things being built near my house. And about the dozen I see just going from my house to the gym to school. Just a hunch, but I bet those guys who live under the freeway overpass on the way to school could put that money to a much more practical usee; clothing, food, housing, medical care they may need - a new chance on life. Nah, instead the city destroys their homeless camp and makes them disperse. Real nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etsen3 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 This is the part I found most interesting - less then 1 in every 200 people in jail is Atheist I'm not sure this is because atheists are necessarily more law-abiding due to their beliefs. Atheism is associated with education and higher income, which of course is associated with lower crime. It takes education to develop a scientific viewpoint on the world. However it is definitely true that one does not have to be religious to have morals. In fact, a person who has thought for themselves rather than deriving their judgment from other institutions likely has stronger principles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLASSJAW Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 This is the part I found most interesting - less then 1 in every 200 people in jail is Atheist just wait until cheetos are criminalized Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dral Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I'm not sure this is because atheists are necessarily more law-abiding due to their beliefs. Atheism is associated with education and higher income, which of course is associated with lower crime. It takes education to develop a scientific viewpoint on the world. However it is definitely true that one does not have to be religious to have morals. In fact, a person who has thought for themselves rather than deriving their judgment from other institutions likely has stronger principles. Maybe it's because Atheist criminals are smarter and less likely to get caught Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddhas Hand Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Quoting frome the article "Studies have found that secular teenagers are far less likely to care what the “cool kids” think, or express a need to fit in with them, than their religious peers. When these teens mature into “godless” adults, they exhibit less racism than their religious counterparts, according to a 2010 Duke University study. Many psychological studies show that secular grownups tend to be less vengeful, less nationalistic, less militaristic, less authoritarian and more tolerant, on average, than religious adults" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dral Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 Quoting frome the article "Studies have found that secular teenagers are far less likely to care what the “cool kids” think, or express a need to fit in with them, than their religious peers. When these teens mature into “godless” adults, they exhibit less racism than their religious counterparts, according to a 2010 Duke University study. Many psychological studies show that secular grownups tend to be less vengeful, less nationalistic, less militaristic, less authoritarian and more tolerant, on average, than religious adults" Yeah... I really wanted to post a meme with a kid sticking out his tongue going "na na na na na" but.... hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FramingDragon Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 just wait until cheetos are criminalized Dew Hall Putsch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otherwise Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I wonder if there is a link or spectrum between how devout a person is and how much like "nones" they are; in terms of being open minded, less vengeful etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offensive Threat Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I grew up in a secular family. I identify myself as being a secular humanist. I do not believe in the existence of deities or any superstitions. When we were children my parents took us to church a few times and I remember Sunday school from those times but it was maybe 5 or 6 times total that we went. So my parents gave it a shot but that was it for that. I believe that ethics and morality are naturally occurring in humans. That these traits evolved with us along with our desire to protect our young and other members of our tribe or family. I have met many people who describe themselves as Very religious but do things regularly that are a basic sin of the religion they supposedly believe in. When I ask about it the response always is an excuse that makes me believe they are cherry picking the parts of the religion that suit them and ignoring the rest. Worse are those who say well I do what I want then go to confession and boom, Im absolved and the slate is clean for the next week. As if all these sins are fine as long as you confess them. Like a get out of jail free card every week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancaster Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 One tidbit about the article mentions about some countries are "more secular". I know in Japan, people aren't religious devout per se, but still do religious things. Shinto ceremony when young and certain holidays, Christian stuff when relating to marriage and Buddhist ceremony when you die.... not really secular. I'm just wonder about the study on how they define someone who is atheist and someone who is just not extremely devout to their faith. Anyways, I thought it was obvious that being religious =/= being moral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Heffy Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Who would have thought someone who came up with their own morals would be better at following them than someone who had them handed down by a magical invisible dude in the sky? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockout Casualty Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Atheists are good for society. How about this one for religious hypocrisy? Why Is Gay Porn So Popular in Pakistan? Among the least tolerant nations surveyed was Pakistan, where only 2 percent of those surveyed said society should accept homosexuality. That statistic might be unsurprising, considering that gay sex is illegal under the Pakistani penal code. But what is surprising is how those views compare to Pakistani search traffic around gay-porn-related terms. As of this writing, Pakistan is by volume the world leader for Google searches of the terms "shemale sex," "teen anal sex," and "man &^@#ing man," according to Google Trends. Pakistan also ranks second in the world (after similarly gay-intolerant Kenya) for volume of searches for the search term "gay sex pics." ...what's even more peculiar is that the highest number of hits for some of these terms, including "shemale sex," come not from Pakistan's cosmopolitan centers, but from Peshawar, a bastion of conservative Islam... http://www.motherjones.com/mixed-media/2013/06/gay-porn-pakistan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drummer4now Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Atheists are good for society. How about this one for religious hypocrisy? http://www.motherjones.com/mixed-media/2013/06/gay-porn-pakistan What a stupid article you should be ashamed.. If your point is that religious people break rules then fine, but Pakistan is no different than say Canada or Saudi Arabia in terms of rules being broken. Each society has their own take from less severe to severe.. That article reeks of personal agendas. Also some flaws from the article: 1) Didn't mention the gender of the searcher 2) Shemale porn is considered transexual not gay 3) Ironically Shemales are accepted more in South Asian countries than gays. 4) The stats are based on Google trends which change every year... if you check now Pakistan is not the leader in anything. 5)Teen anal sex could be either gender.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etsen3 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Atheists are good for society. How about this one for religious hypocrisy? http://www.motherjones.com/mixed-media/2013/06/gay-porn-pakistan This doesn't necessarily prove much other than that people in Pakistan are apparently the only people that actually search for porn on google. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dral Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 This doesn't necessarily prove much other than that people in Pakistan are apparently the only people that actually search for porn on google. what do you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockout Casualty Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 What a stupid article you should be ashamed.. If your point is that religious people break rules then fine, but Pakistan is no different than say Canada or Saudi Arabia in terms of rules being broken. Each society has their own take from less severe to severe.. That article reeks of personal agendas. Also some flaws from the article: 1) Didn't mention the gender of the searcher 2) Shemale porn is considered transexual not gay 3) Ironically Shemales are accepted more in South Asian countries than gays. 4) The stats are based on Google trends which change every year... if you check now Pakistan is not the leader in anything. 5)Teen anal sex could be either gender.. Huh? It's not a scientific article. As for the flaws, 1. The point isn't that Pakistani men love gay porn. It's that gay porn is most searched in Pakistan, a Muslim state. 2. Great. What does this statement change? Is Islam accepting of transsexual but not homosexual porn? 3. How is this a flaw? 4. The article said "at the time of this writing". Again, not a scientific article. 5. And that makes it a-okay with Allah. Again, irrelevant, unless you're drawing a strictly homosexual connection between the article and my post. Yes, my point was that religious people are hypocrites, and the most religious people are the biggest hypocrites. Be that in Canada or Pakistan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry Goose Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Meta ethical non-naturalism booya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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