http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/546042.page

it's thread like above turns people off, young and old.

As a twentysomething myself, I think most young people today have a finely tuned BS radar and are turned off by religious establishments that try to market to them and make religion "cool." I am interested in exploring my faith and spirituality but I don't like feeling like I'm being sold something. The praise bands, the hipster churches that have slick websites and are all over social media and have a marketing plan...those types of establisents are a big turn off. It feels like some middle aged Church leaders were sitting around in a conference room thibking, what can we do to get the young people to church? Let's hire a 38-year-old pastor who plays the guitar and wears jeans and has tattoos!

I think a lot of people my age are interested in the traditions and sacraments and rituals and liturgy and history of the faith tradition. But it's hard to find that in a faith community, especially if you're an outsider or newcomer and don't really speak the lingo. It's just a little awkward. But I think if more faith communities focused on going back to their roots and reviving traditional spiritual practices instead of tripping over themselves to make it "relevant," they would see more young people.

Young people always seem to be non-religious.

People start turning to their childhood religion (or finding a new one) when they get married and have children. Generally speaking.

Why should young people sit around and go to church? they are too busy exploring the world, rightly so.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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)

On top of this, many people I know look at everything science can explain (or is working on explaining) and don't see a need for or evidence of a "creator".

Of course, they pick and choose the "science" they believe in as well. Did you know, for example, that some people actually question the fact that humans born with penises are actually "males," and those born with vaginas and accompanying parts, are "females?"

I don't know anyone who denies that a person born with a penis was born male.

Cute on the wordsmithing. A person born with a penis IS a male.

No. Basic genetics, it is your friend.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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)

On top of this, many people I know look at everything science can explain (or is working on explaining) and don't see a need for or evidence of a "creator".

Of course, they pick and choose the "science" they believe in as well. Did you know, for example, that some people actually question the fact that humans born with penises are actually "males," and those born with vaginas and accompanying parts, are "females?"

I don't know anyone who denies that a person born with a penis was born male.

Cute on the wordsmithing. A person born with a penis IS a male.

So what you're saying is that a person with xx chromosomes is necessarily a male if born with a penis? So chromosomes and sexual identification don't necessarily have to match? What if that xx person identifies as female despite being born with a penis? Will you allow it? Or are you just REALLY hung up on penises?

Anonymous wrote:

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)

On top of this, many people I know look at everything science can explain (or is working on explaining) and don't see a need for or evidence of a "creator".

Of course, they pick and choose the "science" they believe in as well. Did you know, for example, that some people actually question the fact that humans born with penises are actually "males," and those born with vaginas and accompanying parts, are "females?"

I don't know anyone who denies that a person born with a penis was born male.

Cute on the wordsmithing. A person born with a penis IS a male.

Anonymous wrote:

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)

On top of this, many people I know look at everything science can explain (or is working on explaining) and don't see a need for or evidence of a "creator".

Science can't explain away existence or tell us how this all came to be. Science and religion are not mutually exclusive. maybe God created all that science discovers.

Maybe -- but that's a huge guess, with no evidence behind it and the evidence we have so far, points away from it. Things we thought came from God (e.g., lightening) now have a scientific explanation and ideas that were once heretical (earth revolving around the sun instead of vice versa) have been proven by science and are accepted by religion.

It's religion that "explains away" with simple answers -- not science. Science explains, based on careful investigation and experimentation.

What makes you think God make all the things that go into creating lightening, and the entire system that allows lightening to happen -- scientifically, of course?

Anonymous wrote:I can only imagine that more young people are turned off by the recent exposures of how deeply hypocritical and hateful some religious leaders have turned out to be.

+10000

Yes, the hate is so hypocritical.

Perhaps because the education system is better nowadays and the young are thought to think for themselves.

Nowadays, many young people are "spiritual." But they've seen with their own eyes the damage organized religion has done to society and individuals, especially in the West and Middle East.

Those young people who are religious are very deeply committed.

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.

what's undesirable about following morals loosely based on religious ideas?

+1 I think it's very dangerous to base ALL of one's morals off religious ideas. Because what happens if you start to doubt the existence of God/etc.? If all of your morals are tied up in that, do they all go away in that case?

People who leave religion realize that religion didn't "give" them their morals in the first place. Morality is innate -- monkeys have morals

I'm atheist and so are my kids. They don't really know who "god" is. I cannot believe there is so much evil and hate in this world if there were a truly loving god. Why on earth would he let people hurt others the way they do and do such horrific things (and more importantly get away with it for those that do). Why would he allow those we love to physically suffer horrible illness and die? Why would he allow war? (yes, I get the free will crap but those who are spiritual in theory should be behaving better because they hold themselves in such a high regard).

I hope it doesn't change and more continue to question it and not waste their time praying and going to church. You want to do some good, volunteer.

Anonymous wrote:I can only imagine that more young people are turned off by the recent exposures of how deeply hypocritical and hateful some religious leaders have turned out to be.

Yeah -- it's hard to believe any good god is behind any of that.

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)

On top of this, many people I know look at everything science can explain (or is working on explaining) and don't see a need for or evidence of a "creator".

Science can't explain away existence or tell us how this all came to be. Science and religion are not mutually exclusive. maybe God created all that science discovers.

Maybe -- but that's a huge guess, with no evidence behind it and the evidence we have so far, points away from it. Things we thought came from God (e.g., lightening) now have a scientific explanation and ideas that were once heretical (earth revolving around the sun instead of vice versa) have been proven by science and are accepted by religion.

It's religion that "explains away" with simple answers -- not science. Science explains, based on careful investigation and experimentation.

I can only imagine that more young people are turned off by the recent exposures of how deeply hypocritical and hateful some religious leaders have turned out to be.