Teenagers start thinking for themselves around this age. That's why seminary is so important. 3 hours a week is not enough brainwashing at that point, so the church has to step it up at that point. Your son is smart.
My son came to me at 14, and asked me if the mormon church was "just all made up". I had only been out of the church and become atheist for a short while, so my ears immediately perked up. Not wanting to influence him, I asked him what made him say that. He said that it seems to him that what religion you are is just determined by where you are born. He meant that religion is cultural, and therefore man-made.
LOTS of things are determined by location and circumstances of birth. He’s not too young to read Guns, Germs and Steel by Jerrod Diamond. Sounds like a perceptive, smart young man.
What a perceptive boy. He has such a firmer grasp on reality than many adults in the church. I honestly think kids, even if or maybe especially if, they are raised in the church recognize it for the crap it is early on, but parents quash their critical thinking abilities and "disrespectful" questions so harshly. I saw it happen in my friend's family. There were nine children and I believe less than half remained active. They were strong-armed into going and really hated it. Poor kids hardly had a chance. Guilt and manipulation were the tactics of choice. I lived with this family for a bit so it was very much in my face. Hard to believe I was so TBM for as long as I was.