The Buzz
Can You Hear Me?
How much time to spend plugged into your pod or other MP3 player?
I said, "HOW MUCH TIME ON YOUR POD?" Sorry to shout, but new research out of the UK suggests that as MP3 headphone use goes up, hearing levels goes down. In fact, they're saying that today's kids could start going deaf 30 years earlier than their parents' generation. Yikes!
The chief exec of Deafness Research UK, Vivienne Michael, warns that that ringing in your ears after listening to loud music on an iPod (or prolonged exposure to other loud noises) is often a sign of hearing damage. Worse, lots of 16-34 year olds (almost 40 percent) don't know that all that noise can permanently make everything a lot harder to hear later on. But now you and I know. I said, "NOW YOU KNOW."
[Source: techdigest.tv]
Loving the Lonely
You probably know way more lonely people than you realize. In 1985, 10% of Americans surveyed reported that they had nobody that could talk to about serious personal problems. According to the American Social Review, that number has climbed to 25% of Americans surveyed today. That means one out of four people you encounter every day -- at school, at church, in online communities -- feels isolated and alone in the world.
Some of those people live right next door. The same survey also reports that the number of respondents who felt they could talk to their neighbors about serious problems has fallen from 18.5% to about 8%.
Want to change your world and lead more people into a life-saving relationship with Jesus? It's not enough to say the right words and stand for the right things and wear the right T-shirts. Jesus said the second greatest commandment is that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves. People have to believe we really care about them before they'll trust us with their true selves. And often, they have to believe we love them before they'll believe in the God who loves them most of all. How can you give love to a lonely person today?
[Source: washingtonpost.com, 6/23/06; American Sociological Review, 6/06]
Faith Changes
Has your faith in Jesus Christ changed your life? About half of Americans say their spiritual faith has changed them, another survey showing just how evenly divided we are as a nation on issues of faith and belief. According to a recent study by the Barna Group, 51 percent of Americans responded that their faith had "greatly transformed" their lives. Other responses: 28 percent said their faith has been helpful, but not all that transformative; 17 percent said faith has made very little difference in their lives.
What about younger people? Sadly, only 27 percent of those 23 and younger would say that their faith has transformed their lives. That's a huge drop.
So how many people do you know who would say their lives have been changed by faith in Jesus? Have you seen those changes in anyone? As Christians looking for opportunities to share our faith with others, our most persuasive argument might be pointing to the changes God has made in our own lives through our faith in Him. Do friends, family, neighbors see more of this in you? Or this? Or this? If God is as powerful as we say, how is your faith in Him changing you?
[Source: barna.org, "Half of Americans Say Faith has "Greatly Transformed" Their Life," June 6, 2006]
Better Choices
Believe it or not, fewer teens are choosing to drink, smoke, and have sex these days than those in the same age group 15 years ago. A massive 1991 survey of teens by the federal Centers for Disease Control revealed that 70% had smoked at least one cigarette, 82% had consumed at least one alcoholic beverage, and 54% had at least one sexual experience. In a similar survey this year, those numbers are down to 54% who have smoked, 74% who have imbibed, and 47% who had sex.
Yes, the current numbers of teens smoking, drinking, and having sex are still too high. But the drop is significant. It should encourage students who are trying to make good choices that they're not alone. More and more teens are at least holding off on those activities for a while. Christian students need to realize that their choices to honor God with their bodies can have a huge, positive influence on their friends. Positive peer pressure will never keep everyone from being self-destructive, but it can help lots of us find the strength to stand up for what we know is right. It's also an opportunity to point friends to Jesus as the source of strength for overcoming temptation.
[Source: LATimes.com; "Less Sex and Alcohol for Today's Teens"]
What Do You Believe?
80% of teens identify themselves as Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Mormon or Jewish.
82% say they belong to a local church congregation.
80% had few or no doubts about their beliefs in the past year.
71% feel close to God.
65% prayed alone at least a few times a week.
61% definitely believe in miracles from God.
52% attend worship two or three times a month.
Religion is important to the vast majority of American teens, but most have a hard time expressing their beliefs and the difference they make in their lives. This info comes from the four-year National Study of Youth and Religion that included interviews with 3,370 randomly selected teens. Positive stats. But the downside is that most of the teens couldn't describe clearly or deeply what they believe-an important aspect of being able to share their faith with others. How do the numbers match up to you and your friends?
[Source: "Religion Matters to Teens, Study Says," Richard N. Ostling, Associated Press, 2005]
More Buzz . . .
| 
