One thing that is remarkable to notice is the correlation of certain family and social conditions with different religious attitudes among American teenagers.

Consistently, the survey results discussed in the book Soul Searching indicate a correlation between teens who are considered religiously “disengaged” or “seeking” with what we generally consider negative social and family situations: single-parent families, low social standing/confidence, bad relationships with their parents, etc.

And consistently teens who are identified as religiously active or involved are correlated with positive social and family situations: very understanding/sympathetic parental relationships, high social standing/confidence, etc.

Correlation does not equal causation, so we have to be careful what conclusions we draw here. But at the very least these numbers seem to counter many media stereotypes about the backwards nature of religious families.