Social science research has consistently shown that women, compared to men, generally exhibit greater adherence to religious beliefs. But the waves of change have now reached the shores of this enduring pattern. New studies reported by The Conversation reveal a surprising shift: today’s younger generation of women is breaking this historical mold. While this change blows like a breeze of freedom, does it come at the cost of losing a safe harbor?
The loss of traditional support networks is one of the first and most tangible consequences of this transformation. Throughout history, religious institutions have played an unparalleled role in providing social services to women. These services included supporting widows and single women, offering financial aid to needy families, creating safe shelters for abused women, and providing counseling and psychological services. For instance, churches in the West and mosques in the Islamic world have consistently acted as sanctuaries for vulnerable women. By distancing themselves from these institutions, women effectively deprive themselves of a historical support system that could be their backbone in times of crisis.
From an ethical and value perspective, this distancing can lead to a weakening of women’s status. Heavenly religions, by emphasizing the sanctity of the family, the inherent dignity of women, and the high value of motherhood, created a robust framework to support women’s rights. In contrast, modern secular society, while claiming to defend women’s rights, has in practice contributed to the commodification of the female body, turning women into instruments for advertising and consumerism. It could be argued that religions, by preserving the sanctity of the family and emphasizing the complementary roles of men and women, protected women from the exploitation of modern capitalist systems.
A more profound point is that new spiritualities and modern schools of thought lack the philosophical depth and cultural foundation needed to address the authentic spiritual and emotional needs of women. When life faces deep crises—when an incurable illness appears, when a relationship falls apart, when a loved one passes away forever—it is in these difficult moments that the emptiness of modern spiritualities becomes apparent. Meditation and yoga, though beneficial, what answers do they offer to life’s fundamental questions? Can they bring the same deep and lasting peace as prayer and supplication?
Looking at historical experience, we find that secular feminist movements, while achieving some superficial rights for women in the short term, have in the long run led to women losing their elevated status within the family institution, becoming tools in the hands of the labor market and consumerism. Whereas religions, by safeguarding the family sphere, protected women from such exploitation.
We must also mention the pivotal role of women in transmitting culture and traditions to the next generation. As women distance themselves from religious beliefs, the connection of the future generation with the cultural and historical roots of society is weakened. This can lead to an identity crisis within society and the loss of cultural capital.
In conclusion, it must be emphasized that this retreat from religion not only brings few substantial gains for women but also deprives them of historical spiritual, ethical, and social supports. Extreme modernism ultimately transforms women into new victims of the modern capitalist system, without being able to provide a suitable replacement for the profound functions of religion in their individual and social lives.
Faaze Aghamohammadi