Gençlerin Tanrı Algısı Bağlamında Yaşadıkları İnanç Sorunları ve Kendi Çözüm Önerileri
Young People’s Faith Problems in Relation to Their Perception of God and Their Own Suggestions for Solutions

Summary/Abstract: People’s beliefs and behaviors are largely determined by their perceptions. The perception of God, which expresses all the definitions, feelings and thoughts about God that the individual has acquired from various sources, is a phenomenon at the center of the concept of religion, one of the most important cultural elements that have influenced humanity throughout history. The literature on people’s perceptions of God, the belief orientations that develop based on these perceptions, and perception of these orientations as a problem in society have been examined, and it has been observed as a deficiency that young people who experience the problem themselves are excluded from the studies at the stage of producing solutions to the problems. This situation is a matter that needs to be reconsidered in terms of the student-centered education approaches, also adopted in Turkiye. The research seeks the answer to the question of what the university youth’s solutions are to the belief problems they experience in the context of their perception of God. In addition, the study examines whether or not the definition of their belief in God or their religious attitudes affect the solution of the belief problems they experience in the context of their perception of God. The aim of this study is to reveal the spiritual, psychological, environmental or educational factors that affect young people in their decisions, preferences and solutions to belief. In a similar vein, the study also endeavours to reach the opinions and suggestions of young people who can show remarkable courage individually in the face of problems about their belief in God. The vision of this study is that enhancing the consciousness of young individuals regarding the challenges they encounter in matters of faith, fostering their sense of responsibility for these issues, and engaging them in the solution stage rather than dwelling on the problem stage would yield beneficial outcomes for the youth. In this study, a questionnaire was applied to 586 undergraduate and graduate students at Ondokuz Mayıs University and Samsun University during the period between May 26 and June 10, 2021. The results of the questionnaire revealed the relationships between young people’s perception of God, their solutions to the belief problems they experience in the context of their perception of God, and their socio-demographic characteristics. Ultimately, the study observed that young people who characterized themselves as religious were more active and willing to solve the problems of belief experienced concerning their perception of God.

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