Pew Research: Young People in Iran and Many Countries Are Less Religious Than Older Generations

Results from a global study show that young people in many countries, including Iran, are less religious compared to older individuals. However, this pattern is reversed in Ghana and Georgia. The research conducted by the Pew Research Center in Washington covers 106 countries. Pew's findings indicate that individuals aged 18 to 39 in 46 of the surveyed countries consider religion to be less important in their lives than older individuals. The opposite scenario is observed in only two countries. Meanwhile, in 52 countries, there is no significant distinction based on age. The research on Iran, which has an Islamic system, reveals a 9% difference in religious inclination between young people and older individuals, with Iranian youth showing 9% less inclination towards religion than their older counterparts. This difference is particularly notable in the United States, where 43% of young people say religion is important to them, while this figure is about 60% among those over 40. The age-based difference is also evident in Latin America, seen in 14 out of 19 countries in the region. On average, 63% of young people in these countries say religion is important to them, compared to 73% among older individuals. Among 35 European countries, age-based distinctions in religious inclinations are evident in 18 countries. On average, 19% of young people say religion is important to them, while this figure is 26% among older individuals. In several European countries, the difference in the importance of religion between young and older individuals is more pronounced than in any other part of the world. For instance, in Poland, only 16% of those under 40 say religion is important to them, while this figure is 40% among older individuals. This may be due to older individuals in Poland being more influenced by Cold War conditions when the Catholic Church was associated with nationalism and was seen as a form of resistance against the Soviet Union. Other forms of belief and commitment to religion also vary significantly by age in many countries. Young respondents in this survey from 41 countries worldwide reported having no religious identity, while the opposite was observed in only two countries. The examination of religious practices such as prayer and attending religious sites also reflects this difference. Research on the differences in the importance of religion among age groups is accompanied by various hypotheses. One hypothesis suggests that people become more religious as they age. Another hypothesis posits that as people experience economic advancements and improved material conditions, they face less anxiety or dangerous problems. According to these hypotheses, in growing and stable societies, young people are less religious compared to older individuals because they face fewer problems. However, it would be a mistake to assume that because younger individuals are less religious, the world today is less religious than in the past. In fact, in many non-religious countries, the population is declining or growing at a slow rate, while other parts of the world with high population growth rates are very religious. For example, in Sub-Saharan Africa, which has the highest population growth rate in the world, the difference in views on the importance of religion among age groups is minimal, and overall belief in religion is very high. On average, in countries in this region, 88% of young people and 89% of older individuals say religion is very important in their lives.