In Switzerland, Young People Torn Between “Individual Liberties” and “Traditional

In opposition, only 25% of them say they have a religious faith. Over half of them define themselves as “non-religious” and a quarter claim to be atheists.

The survey was conducted on 30,000 people in army recruitment centers. A complementary survey conducted in 100 towns on 2,500 young 19-year-old men and women helped make the results more precise. The complete results were published by the website chx.ch. They show, according to those who conducted the survey, that “many no longer believe in a personal God but rather in the existence of some higher spiritual power”.

Just like religion, “the elements of faith that are traditionally labeled as superstitions are generally unimportant to young adults”. A clear majority of those surveyed say they “do not believe in healers, fortune tellers, or the influence of the zodiac signs” on life. However, “a small half of them think that good luck charms really do bring happiness.” Those who conducted the survey draw the conclusion that “this can be considered as a sign that young adults are developing their own beliefs that are only partially rooted in institutionalized and traditional practices and rituals.” Placing fortune tellers on the same level as “institutionalized and traditional rites” says much about the hasty conclusions of the commenters.

Traditional Family Models 

These models nonetheless remain “enviable for the majority”. 69% of the young adults surveyed wish to marry. The ideal age for this, according to most of them, is between 25 and 30. “A good portion of young adults see marriage as something romantic and a prerequisite for having children, but not necessarily as an essential element of a happy life”, concludes the study, adding that “half of those questioned mentioned the importance of religious motives in a decision to marry”.

As for the organization of the family, “the traditional family models prevail”. When the child is young, “a majority of both the men and the women questioned preferred a traditional or modernized middle class family model, in which the man works full time to support the family and the woman preferably works part time or devotes herself entirely to the family”.  The surveyors point out that “while individual liberties are emphasized when it comes to values, there is a visible preference for traditional family models.”

Commentary

The conclusion we can draw from this sociological approach by the surveyors is that without the Faith, doctrine, and morals faithfully taught by the Church, souls are left to themselves, influenced by the spirit of the times, and in the end, disoriented. The primacy of individual liberty over faith in Christ’s revelation locks each person up in his own conscience that has become the modern idol.