Religious beliefs and attitudes during middle adulthood: Kyrgyzstan model

This research aims to examine the relationship between the middle aged and religion. The study aims to investigate the development and changes in the religious beliefs and attitudes of middle-aged people who experienced religious oppression during the Soviet period and later gained freedom of religion. The research employed a qualitative research method and a semi-structured in-depth interview technique. The study was conducted in Kyrgyzstan, focusing on the religious beliefs and attitudes of 24 middle-aged adult participants aged between 50 and 60. Based on the study's findings, significant changes and developments were observed in the religious beliefs and attitudes of middle-aged adults in Kyrgyzstan. The religious policy of the Soviet regime led to the prohibition of religious education and practices. So, religious perspectives during the Soviet period were found to be weak. After the country's independence, there was a general increase in religious inclination. However, participants needed to show more interest in improving their religious education through formal education. They acquired their spiritual knowledge from their social environment and the media. Despite their limited spiritual knowledge, the participants demonstrated a high level of participation in religious worship. These results show that they are driven by religious emotions rather than religious knowledge. The research findings relating to religious feelings and thoughts show that spiritual and moral aspects of religion are predominant. It became evident that the middle-aged people in Kyrgyzstan have a positive religious attitude as a result of this post-independence development. It is believed that the majority of participants hold strong religious attitudes.