Psycho-social reasons for religious disengagement

This thesis aims to examine the psychosocial factors influencing individuals' processes of distancing themselves from religion. Understanding the reasons that lead individuals to move away from religious beliefs, both at the societal and individual levels, is the main goal of this study. By investigating the role of religion and religious beliefs in individuals' lives, this research provides a comprehensive assessment of the personal, social, and psychological dimensions of distancing from religion. In this context, the study was conducted using qualitative research methods. The data for the research were obtained through in-depth interviews with a total of twenty participants who have experienced distancing from religion. The findings from these interviews were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. This approach enabled the identification of personal, psychological, and social factors contributing to individuals' detachment from religious beliefs, which were then examined in detail. The study's results reveal that distancing from religion is a multidimensional process influenced by a variety of psychosocial factors. These factors include superficial or rote religious education experienced during childhood and adolescence, the inconsistent behaviors of religious leaders, societal modernization and individualization processes, familial pressures, emotional traumas, and the inability of religion to provide satisfactory answers to existential questions. Furthermore, the coercive presentation of religious practices, the closed and judgmental nature of religious communities, and scientific and philosophical inquiries are highlighted as additional important factors that weaken individuals' religious commitment. These findings underscore that distancing from religion is closely linked to personal, social, and psychological needs as well as environmental influences. Moreover, the findings show that the process of distancing from religion is rarely a sudden rupture; rather, it typically unfolds through multi-layered stages such as family-based breakdowns, personal questioning, social exclusion, and identity formation. In this respect, the study goes beyond the linear models of religious departure frequently found in the literature and highlights the dynamic nature of the disengagement process. It was also observed that the factors influencing religious disengagement vary across childhood, adolescence, and youth, offering a new contribution to the literature by demonstrating the age-related variability of these causes. Furthermore, the perception of intellectual inadequacy among religious leaders and emotional-psychodynamic ruptures were also found to play a significant role in this process. In this way, the study presents original contributions to the academic field.