New survey of teens: clergy not role models
A new survey conducted by Junior Achievement and Deloitte showed that teens only rarely see clergy as role models:
Out of 100 American teens, only three are likely to say they see members of the clergy as role models, according to a survey on teens and ethical decision making.Scarcely any teens (those under age 18) view their pastors, priests, rabbis or imams as role models. Instead, many reported seeing their parents as role models (54 percent), the survey conducted by Junior Achievement and Deloitte showed.
Friends (13 percent), teachers or coaches (6 percent), and siblings (5 percent) also beat out clergies as role model figures.
Just slightly more than one in ten (11 percent) say they don’t have any role models.
But the poll’s major finding is that although the overwhelming majority of teens (80 percent) believe they are ethically prepared to make moral business decisions, nearly 40 percent believe they need to “break the rules” in order to succeed.
Read it all here.
Well that's depressing.
I wonder if the problem is with the level of clergy (from all denominations) misconduct or if it's because so many teenagers are not coming into contact with living breathing parish clergy these days?
Posted by Nicholas Knisely![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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February 22, 2009 10:16 AM
I also wonder whether the fact that clergy are simply less visible in our communities plays a role. Fewer and fewer live in the parish that they serve.
Posted by Jim Naughton![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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February 22, 2009 4:40 PM
You know, Nick, Jim, I wonder if it's that clergy are simply less visible as clergy? Since the '60's few religious have been in habits. Fewer and fewer clergy wear any professional attire at all, much less clericals - including Episcopal clergy, outside of liturgical responsibilities. I was called to the hospital today. An "elder" from one church within the family. He was dressed in the same business casual style as the husband in the family of the congregation. The "youth pastor" also arrived. He was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, like the "youth" he was delegated to serve. Had they not been introduced, I would not have known them as colleagues.
I have expressed elsewhere the value I see in wearing clericals whenever I'm working. In the hospital I find being immediately identifiable meaningful, even if sometimes it causes as much tension as it might ease. How will folks know how clergy behave - expecially the roughly half of the population who see no clergy save to "hatch, match, and dispatch" - if they can't tell clergy or religious professionals when they see them?
Marshall Scott
Posted by mscottsail![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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February 22, 2009 6:43 PM
Could it be all the negative press that clergy have earned? I'm thinking of the Roman Catholic child abuse scandals, the revelations of sexual hypocrisy by evangelicals, and the (apparently) greater propensity of sexual and financial impropriety to be uncovered. It may not be that clergy have become any more flawed than they always have been, but kids are better informed.
Add into the mix TV evangelists and their shallow theology and requests for money. They survive because you can fool some of the people all of the time. But most kids aren't that gullible.
What's more disheartening to me is that 40% believe you have to break the rules to get ahead. That's not the ethic on which a healthy society or vibrant economy is built.
Posted by John B. Chilton![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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February 22, 2009 7:06 PM