In all stages of life, internal conflicts about what happens after death or what is right and wrong occupy our minds, but it is during adolescence that these issues consciously appear for the first time. And precisely because of this, it is in youth that many of us begin to follow a religion or get involved with spiritual matters.
But first, it is necessary to understand the difference between the two. Religion is a specific set of beliefs that has been developed over many years and is usually linked to structures like churches, temples, mosques, and synagogues, for example. On the other hand, spirituality tends to be freer, more individualized, and personalized.
"When we look at the statistical data, the number of adolescents who claim to be connected to spirituality and not specifically to a religion is increasing," says Alexandre Ceistutis, a master in religious studies and a history and sociology teacher in primary and secondary education. In 2022, a Datafolha survey showed that 14% of Brazilians claim to be non-religious, but when the focus is on people between 16 and 24 years old, the percentage reaches 25%. This is a phenomenon that is not restricted to Brazil.
The American organization Pew Research Center, which frequently conducts these surveys, detected in 2018 that young people tend to be less religious than older people in various countries, whether these nations are rich or poor, predominantly Christian or Muslim. According to the professor, this process is linked to the volume of information that adolescents come into contact with through the internet and social media.