Loss of faith among college students
By Jacki Dillman | Feature Editor
The typical day for the average college student might include going to classes, doing homework, socializing, checking Facebook, eating, taking a nap, checking Facebook, doing laundry, writing a paper, checking Facebook, and going to bed. Many college students daily lives include some, if not all, of these activities.
However, one occurrence that seems to be missing in the daily, weekly and even monthly lives of many college students, not only at the University of Indianapolis but across the United States, is practicing their religious faith.
According to research done for the June 23, 2008, issue of the Washington Post, almost 90 percent of Americans believe in God. The article says to describe that although the overwhelming majority believe in a supreme being, only 38 percent of college students attend a church service regularly. This rate falls to only 29 percent by graduation, the lowest rate of church attendance for any age group in the United States.
Moving away to go to a university is the first time students have not lived under their parent’s roofs and rules. That freedom can be overwhelming and is probably part of the reason students don’t attend church as regularly as in previous years. They don’t have to.
For the first time, students are making life decisions and choices for themselves, and religion seems to fall to the wayside for many college students.
This loss of faith in American college students is having some detrimental effects as a whole.
For example, students who practice their religion on campuses are less likely to have premarital sex. This leads to lower rates of sexual transmitted diseases and fewer unplanned pregnancies.
Furthermore, the morals, values and behaviors taught in many religions have been found to decrease stress levels and suicide rates among young adults, according to an ABC News survey from early this year.
College students lead busy lives; this can be universally agreed upon. People can make room in their schedules for things they want to do. Lack of time is a poor excuse to stray from religious practices.
Whatever the excuse, we have to acknowledge the fact that religion is becoming a much less prominent part of the lives of many college students today. This straying from religion is also bleeding over into later life. In an article in USA Today, it was stated that after college, nearly 50 percent of Americans never fully return to practicing the religion they grew up following.
Religion has been a part of human existence since the beginning of recorded time. Almost every aspect of life has been affected at some point by a religious implication. So today, it is proven that we, as college students, young adults and American citizens should look at the religion in our country and maybe make some time for faith.
