This is about the age where most kids develop an interest in bigger things, and for some kids that means religion and philosophy. A religious club is just the right thing, especially if it allows for some exploration of the material. Even if the group is conservative, it can allow the kid to ask some very interesting questions and can do so in a somewhat safe environment. However, it needs to be debated, both in terms of whether or not it is actually useful and if it is worth it; those are not the same thing.
Some religions require that their youth join some sort of organization around puberty. Although this is for indoctrination purposes, it also provides the boy a number of opportunities. It acts as a common bond between other boys who are also presumably forced to do so as well and probably don't want to be there either; teenage boys can feel a little lost and finding others with some sort of common ground can be a good thing. It also allows them to ask important questions of other boys and see what their opinions are, to see if they share the same opinion or have a different one. Both of these provide a necessary normalization, where the boy finds out that he is just as screwed up as everyone else but it's cool because everyone else is.
It also provides a link to past generations. Boys need to know that they have something in common in the men that they know, especially fathers and grandfathers.They need to know that they are on the same path to manhood as those prior; if they aren't men yet, it helps to have some milestones to work with. Joining those mandatory sucks, but it's becomes a torture that they can share with their fathers and so that makes it sort of cool; it's a mutual pain that they can brag about enduring to those that both understand the pain and who can show them how much worse it is.
The only major problem is that the church fathers (or whatever the source organization is) tend to put the most conservative person in charge of the boys, and that is usually the worst thing that they can do. That kind of instructor is usually ill-prepared for the questions that come up, as he doing it more to control the boys than teach them. Suffice to say that it quickly becomes an obviously bad match, especially when he realizes that he hates kids, and especially boys. Although he can preach dogma, he is going to have problems relating to the boys and they are likely to have questions he just isn't going to answer.
Church youth groups (and their equivalent in other faiths) have some advantages when it comes to feeling normal. There are some potential issues when it comes to groups that are worried more about indoctrination rather than answering questions, but otherwise they can be great groups. Just be cautious when you can, and at least appear to go with the grain when you need to. Have fun, and remember that there is a lot more than learning available if you look closely enough.
Some religions require that their youth join some sort of organization around puberty. Although this is for indoctrination purposes, it also provides the boy a number of opportunities. It acts as a common bond between other boys who are also presumably forced to do so as well and probably don't want to be there either; teenage boys can feel a little lost and finding others with some sort of common ground can be a good thing. It also allows them to ask important questions of other boys and see what their opinions are, to see if they share the same opinion or have a different one. Both of these provide a necessary normalization, where the boy finds out that he is just as screwed up as everyone else but it's cool because everyone else is.
It also provides a link to past generations. Boys need to know that they have something in common in the men that they know, especially fathers and grandfathers.They need to know that they are on the same path to manhood as those prior; if they aren't men yet, it helps to have some milestones to work with. Joining those mandatory sucks, but it's becomes a torture that they can share with their fathers and so that makes it sort of cool; it's a mutual pain that they can brag about enduring to those that both understand the pain and who can show them how much worse it is.
The only major problem is that the church fathers (or whatever the source organization is) tend to put the most conservative person in charge of the boys, and that is usually the worst thing that they can do. That kind of instructor is usually ill-prepared for the questions that come up, as he doing it more to control the boys than teach them. Suffice to say that it quickly becomes an obviously bad match, especially when he realizes that he hates kids, and especially boys. Although he can preach dogma, he is going to have problems relating to the boys and they are likely to have questions he just isn't going to answer.
Church youth groups (and their equivalent in other faiths) have some advantages when it comes to feeling normal. There are some potential issues when it comes to groups that are worried more about indoctrination rather than answering questions, but otherwise they can be great groups. Just be cautious when you can, and at least appear to go with the grain when you need to. Have fun, and remember that there is a lot more than learning available if you look closely enough.
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