Power and Importance of Religion

Worldnetdaily.com is reporting on some research findings by Brigham Young University out in Utah. BYU looked at a ton of data from nearly 20,000 adolescents, and found that a staggering 50% reduction in the likelihood of drug use by kids/teens who have religion in their lives. One of the researchers, Stephen Bahr, said that "the power of peers is less among youths who are religious." [my emphasis added]

This is an important issue during an election year or not. The liberal (and libertarian) answer is to legalize drugs, and not punish people for things they do. It's much easier to blame society, and that's what liberals tend to do. Well, although I don't hold any advanced degrees in Psychology, I believe that there are basically three levels of development for all people.

1) conditioned response (Pavlov's dog, etc). Children, for example, know that they may be scolded for taking cookies before dinner based on experience, so they react accordingly. Animals typically rely on conditioned response for most of their cognitive functions.

2) social order, or social acceptance. Based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, people need food, shelter, and security before higher level things such as 'job satisfaction' or something along those lines. This is where peer pressure gets involved. Teenagers are especially susceptible to this, and they simply "go with the flow." If everyone else is doing it, then it's fine. This is where liberals stop developing.

3) a true moral compass. An intrinsic knowledge of right and wrong is the highest level of human development, and I don't think that everyone gets there. I don't think that most people get there. How many times have you stopped doing something that you knew was probably right because you were afraid to offend, or you were afraid it would be 'taken the wrong way.'? Is that the true definition of right and wrong? Appeasing?

Most of our politicians exist in the second realm, and I can definitely say that Sen. Obama, and many liberals, are that way, as well. Many Republicans politicians are also stuck in that zone of thinking, but McCain has proven himself to be principled. He doesn't equivocate on answers, and he simply tells you like it is (whether you like it or not). That's indicative of someone who has achieved the third level of development, and believe me, he's earned it. Sphere: Related Content