Is experiencing strong feelings the same thing as spiritual authenticity?
Adolescent Christians see the faith as incomplete unless it
is affecting them emotionally. They are less likely than adults to settle for a
faith that offers only a dutiful adherence to particular doctrines, rules, or
institutions. On the other hand, they have a hard time keeping religious
commitments when their emotions are not cooperating. They are drawn to
religious practices that produce emotional highs and sometimes assume that
experiencing strong feelings is the same thing as spiritual authenticity. They
may be tempted to believe that God’s main role in their lives is to help them
feel better or to heal their emotional pain. Juvenilized adults agree that
a main purpose of Christianity is to help them feel better about their problems.
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