Some, perhaps many, of those attending the Global NGO Forum in
Berlin are worried that youths around the world are turning to religion.
Odd as that may seem, at this conference it is true.
"These fundamentalist movements have a huge following among young
people," said Michelle Goldberg, moderator of one of the panels. Youths
worldwide, she said, are
finding satisfaction among religious movements that seemed to satisfy their desire for supernatural change.
I was shocked, however, by the attitude of the panelists.
"These youth movements are gaining strength in our region," bemoaned
a panelist representing the Latin America and Caribbean region.
One panelist even suggested that, rather than religion, teens should
focus on sexual pleasure. Young people, they said, identify themselves
first as sexual beings. To get teens to follow, you need only
communicate that simple sexual message.
At least one man in the audience was equally appalled. Rather than
fight against those who are religious, these people should try working
with those who are religious on more pressing issues — like honor
killing and female genital mutilation, he said. "I am a Muslim and I
believe the five principles of Islam, but I am here — working with you."
Yesterday, I attended another session attacking religion. In this
one, titled "Of Gods, Sex and Politics," panelists, representing
religions from around the world, claimed the oppression of women is the
result of religion. A larger-than-life poster — featuring a half-naked
woman and questions like "Who decides what happens in your bedroom or
to your womb?" — was the backdrop to the session.
"The problem for them," said Wendy Wright, president of Concerned
Women for America, "is that religions teach morality. And most of their
programs promote immorality."
Wright is in Belin, but she has been denied direct access to the
conference. She was denied media accreditation even though she was
assigned to cover the conference by the Human Events magazine, which
has been producing a magazine since 1944. Concerned Women for America,
the largest conservative women's organization in the U.S., promotes
prayer and faith and is politically active on moral issues.
Susan Roylance does the DeseretNews.com blog "Families Around the World." See her other blog posts at deseretnews.com/blogs.