Why are the young people non-religious

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At the end of the day- God seems like an a$$.

Like who tortures children with cancer to teach their parents a lesson? Who decides that giving miscarriages to parents who want kids is a great test in faith? Or gives the wealthy even more power and wealth during a pandemic. Or takes away moms from innocent kids through cancer as a lesson in love?

Why give so much pain if you are omniscient and loving? It doesn’t make sense. If we are supposed to believe in this and worship this- it is by default an abusive relationship. It’s like being with a boyfriend that hits you, rapes you, tortures you and then says- I do this out of love!!!! I hurt you to test your faith- and if you don’t worship me I will make it worse after you die but while you are alive, it’s going to be pretty awful anyway.

Oh, and on top of that, we’re broke.

It might help you to read When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushner. It addresses a lot of your questions.

[Anonymous]

Maybe they have higher IQs and are more able to question the reality of a sky fairy vs science. Also I'm sure all the bigotry and hatred that comes from many organized religions is a turn off even to those who do believe in a higher power.

[Anonymous]

Parent of teens and a young adult here. I was raised in an evangelical church, left in my 20s, and have not raised my kids in any religion (married to a lapsed Catholic). Our kids know how to behave in church/mass but seem to have no interest in religion. Church is just not the center of community life that it was even in my GenX generation where we went at least 3 times a week. This generation can easily find any information they want online, and can just as easily find like-minded folks who share their interests, hobbies and passions.

Our kids are VERY civic-minded, btw, and have thrown themselves into issues that are important to them: animal welfare, climate change, and political issues.

[Anonymous]

Raised Presbyterian. Questioned and rejected it in my teens when I noticed and asked about the lack of female leadership. Came out as bisexual and felt even more vehemently anti-organized religion, as it seemed punitive and primarily a tool of social and political control.

I attended socially to make my mom happy for holidays for a few years and then stopped altogether when a pastor did a shame-based sermon about how many people were just there for the holidays.

Today I feel spirituality is private and personal. Our society today is so divisive and full of vitriol. A welcoming community is the only possible appeal that could bring me back to an organization along with my young children.

I

[Anonymous]

I can't believe this is a serious question. I'm an interfaith minister. I can totally understand why people are running from religion and church. First, young people tend to be more accepting and inclusive. They don't want to be a part of organizations that preach hatred and intolerance. Second, young people watched older people enthusiastically support trump. These are people who claim to be "Christians", yet behave in exactly the opposite way Christ did. Who would want to be associated with that shi7?

Young people are smart. They see through the bullshi7 of almost all organized religions. These clubs (and that's what they are - social clubs) were created for the sole purpose of controlling people through fear. Young people today are smart enough to know that there is no white man with a beard sitting on a throne casting judgment and sending people to hell.

I'm seeing a dramatic rise in people seeking spirituality as opposed to religion. And I'm so glad! We are shifting. People are starting to become more willing to think for themselves. Young people don't want to be spoon fed opinions by screaming, red-faced white men in ill fitting suits. They want the freedom to explore their own spirituality.

[Anonymous]

A lot of religion is paired with old culture lines that no longer exist in today's world. Catholicism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism are very much paired with countries of origin. Evangelical people are paired with regional and socioeconomic groups, still are, and mainstream Christian is paired with regional attributes as well, with shifts in practice and doctrine. It doesn’t take a lot to separate from these strongholds and suddenly there are new perspectives. We are 2 generations away now from strict cultural standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of them don't like the intolerance of social issues and the hypocrisy of some Religious leaders (Catholic priests, those Evangelicals caught in extra-marital affairs, etc)

At least in this country, a lot of people, on both the right and the left, seem to buy into the idea that "real" religion = conservative and evangelical. The fact that there are lots of liberal mainline Protestants/Jews/Catholics for example, is generally ignored (let alone Hindus, Buddhists, and other religions), and only a narrow slice of religion is recognized. They are turned off by the intolerance, hypocrisy, cruelty, white supremacy, and right-wing politics that characterize the narrow slice of religion that's portrayed as legit. So they reject religion entirely, because that's all they see religion do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many of them don't like the intolerance of social issues and the hypocrisy of some Religious leaders (Catholic priests, those Evangelicals caught in extra-marital affairs, etc)

At least in this country, a lot of people, on both the right and the left, seem to buy into the idea that "real" religion = conservative and evangelical. The fact that there are lots of liberal mainline Protestants/Jews/Catholics for example, is generally ignored (let alone Hindus, Buddhists, and other religions), and only a narrow slice of religion is recognized. They are turned off by the intolerance, hypocrisy, cruelty, white supremacy, and right-wing politics that characterize the narrow slice of religion that's portrayed as legit. So they reject religion entirely, because that's all they see religion do.

+1. The Protestant churches quietly running soup kitchens and coat drives don’t get press attention. Evangelicals stumping loudly next to Trump do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe this is a serious question. I'm an interfaith minister. I can totally understand why people are running from religion and church. First, young people tend to be more accepting and inclusive. They don't want to be a part of organizations that preach hatred and intolerance. Second, young people watched older people enthusiastically support trump. These are people who claim to be "Christians", yet behave in exactly the opposite way Christ did. Who would want to be associated with that shi7?

Young people are smart. They see through the bullshi7 of almost all organized religions. These clubs (and that's what they are - social clubs) were created for the sole purpose of controlling people through fear. Young people today are smart enough to know that there is no white man with a beard sitting on a throne casting judgment and sending people to hell.

I'm seeing a dramatic rise in people seeking spirituality as opposed to religion. And I'm so glad! We are shifting. People are starting to become more willing to think for themselves. Young people don't want to be spoon fed opinions by screaming, red-faced white men in ill fitting suits. They want the freedom to explore their own spirituality.

What is spirituality? Belief in spirits? What kind of spirits? where do they come from?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe this is a serious question. I'm an interfaith minister. I can totally understand why people are running from religion and church. First, young people tend to be more accepting and inclusive. They don't want to be a part of organizations that preach hatred and intolerance. Second, young people watched older people enthusiastically support trump. These are people who claim to be "Christians", yet behave in exactly the opposite way Christ did. Who would want to be associated with that shi7?

Young people are smart. They see through the bullshi7 of almost all organized religions. These clubs (and that's what they are - social clubs) were created for the sole purpose of controlling people through fear. Young people today are smart enough to know that there is no white man with a beard sitting on a throne casting judgment and sending people to hell.

I'm seeing a dramatic rise in people seeking spirituality as opposed to religion. And I'm so glad! We are shifting. People are starting to become more willing to think for themselves. Young people don't want to be spoon fed opinions by screaming, red-faced white men in ill fitting suits. They want the freedom to explore their own spirituality.

What is spirituality? Belief in spirits? What kind of spirits? where do they come from?

DP, but could be nature, auras, energies, positive/negative thinking, souls of people or natural objects, karma, etc etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Studies have shown that while the numbers might not be as high, young people who are religious are more devout or "rooted" than ever before. I think I prefer that. At least this way, they ones that are religious are sincere instead of just following morals loosely based on religious ideas.

Only the most godly prevail. 😂 no thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Studies have shown that while the numbers might not be as high, young people who are religious are more devout or "rooted" than ever before. I think I prefer that. At least this way, they ones that are religious are sincere instead of just following morals loosely based on religious ideas.

Only the most godly prevail. 😂 no thanks!

What studies? Please provide a link to a reputable source.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Studies have shown that while the numbers might not be as high, young people who are religious are more devout or "rooted" than ever before. I think I prefer that. At least this way, they ones that are religious are sincere instead of just following morals loosely based on religious ideas.

Only the most godly prevail. 😂 no thanks!

What studies? Please provide a link to a reputable source.

Not that PP, but pretty sure that comes from Pew. The same Pew study said that “the youths” were less attached than their parents to all kinds or organizations, including government, clubs, and so on. But that attachment and religiosity shouldn’t be confused as they are throughout this thread, because it doesn’t mean they’re less religious.

[Anonymous]

A lot weren't raised with religion, unlike past generations.

My brother and I went to church/Sunday school. That is, we went to the building and daydreamed through a boring sermon. Then we went downstairs and were told what to believe in the bible. Then we went home.

Church was just a Sunday obligation to get through. No reason to do that with my own kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many of them don't like the intolerance of social issues and the hypocrisy of some Religious leaders (Catholic priests, those Evangelicals caught in extra-marital affairs, etc)

At least in this country, a lot of people, on both the right and the left, seem to buy into the idea that "real" religion = conservative and evangelical. The fact that there are lots of liberal mainline Protestants/Jews/Catholics for example, is generally ignored (let alone Hindus, Buddhists, and other religions), and only a narrow slice of religion is recognized. They are turned off by the intolerance, hypocrisy, cruelty, white supremacy, and right-wing politics that characterize the narrow slice of religion that's portrayed as legit. So they reject religion entirely, because that's all they see religion do.

+1. The Protestant churches quietly running soup kitchens and coat drives don’t get press attention. Evangelicals stumping loudly next to Trump do.

It's more like we see the Evangelicals stumping loudly next to Trump and the Protestant Churches being too quiet saying nothing about it.