Young adults tend to be less religious than their elders by several measures; the opposite is rarely true. This pattern holds true across many countries that have different religious, economic and social profiles.
In 46 countries around the world, adults under age 40 are less likely to say religion is very important in their lives than are older adults.
In these summaries, religious leaders, scholars and ethicists from 16 major American religious groups explain how their faith traditions’ teachings address physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia and other end-of-life questions.
The Social, Legal and Political Dimensions of the End-of-Life Debate
Most Americans say there are circumstances in which doctors and nurses should allow a patient to die, but a growing minority says medical professionals always should do everything possible to save a patient’s life.
Compare your ideal life span to those we surveyed in our report "Living to 120 and Beyond: Americans’ Views on Aging, Medical Advances and Radical Life Extension"
The prospect of dying has always fascinated, haunted and, ultimately, defined human beings. From the beginnings of civilization, people have contemplated their own mortality – and considered the possibility of immortality.
No religious group in the United States has released an official statement on radical life extension. However, here are brief summaries of how some clergy, bioethicists and other scholars from 18 major American religious groups say their traditions might approach this evolving issue.
If new medical treatments could slow the aging process and allow people to live decades longer, would you want to? Most Americans say no, but roughly two-thirds think that most other people would say yes.