By JESSICA ALLEN
There are several reasons why Jonathan Watson doesn't go to church.
He cites the Catholic sex-abuse scandal. Plus, he says people can be spiritual without joining a particular religious organization. Then, there's his desire for tangible evidence that there's one correct path.
"Basically, I'm more of a practical person who needs proof," Watson said. "They say it's more of a leap of faith, and I couldn't make that leap."
The 26-year-old Fredericksburg resident and engineer is among a sizable number of young adults professing an interest in spirituality, but not necessarily in organized religion, according to a couple of recent surveys.
The studies by UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute and Reboot, a Jewish networking group, focused on college-age young people and how they see life's mysteries with and without participating in a religious institution.
Watson, who was raised Catholic and went to Mass on a regular basis, was about 16 when he started wondering about the purpose of life and religion?
At the time, a priest who served in his home parish, St. Mary's Church in Bethel, Conn., was accused of sexual abuse.
Hoping to find some spiritual answers, Watson enrolled in Manhattan College in New York City, a Catholic school.
He took three religion classes where he learned about Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and other religions. Watson said he believed in various aspects of each faith and concluded that all shared the same principles just different stories.
That's when he decided to stop going to church.
"I figured out spirituality is more of a state of mind," he said. "You can be spiritual in the sense of forming your own basis of thought and feelings toward other people and the human environment instead of going methodically to a church, synagogue or temple."
College can be a crucial stage for many individuals who are either holding onto their faith or questioning their beliefs, said the Rev. Rhonda Nash, interim campus minister for the Baptist Student Union at the University of Mary Washington.
Nash, who graduated from Mary Washington 26 years ago, said participating in the Baptist Union as a student was instrumental in her call to the ministry.
Now, she helps those who are seeking a higher power.
"I do believe this generation is one very interested in seeking spirituality whether they fall into that [survey] category or belong to a faith community," she said.
Nash has also noticed that many students view their church "as a place of service" and are active in community ministries "as a way of living out their spirituality."
Alex Engel, a rising senior at Mary Washington, said he understands why students would view themselves as spiritual instead of religious.
"With religion it tells you how you need to react and approach certain things in life," he said.
But spirituality allows an individual to rethink how one lives their life without being tied to a specific faith, he said.
The 21-year-old Arlington native, who is majoring in religion and political science, was raised as a Unitarian Universalist. His denomination allows him to look at aspects of other religions and pick and choose what best suits him, he said.
Emily Taylor, a recent Mary Washington graduate, said people who say they are spiritual but not religious are somewhat misrepresenting their beliefs.
Taylor, whose mother is Jewish and father is Christian, said belonging to a religion involves more than adhering to its teachings, it also means being part of a culture and understanding one's family heritage.
The 22-year-old Massachusetts resident embraced both faiths--she participated in the Hillel Foundation, a Jewish group at the college and also celebrates Christmas and Easter.
"Being Jewish to me is not about believing in everything in the Torah or not believing in the teachings of other religions," she said. Religion is "about spending time with family and friends and about remembering your heritage and culture."
Others find strength in practicing their faith. Vanessa Lantis, a 24-year-old Spotsylvania County resident, says attending Chancellor Baptist Church on Gordon Road helps her build her spirituality.
"When you pray with other people with such strong faith, you can feel the love radiate from them," she said. "Knowing that something greater than you is watching over you makes life's problems a lot easier."
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