Young Adults are Less Religious

[uscitizen]

Bush III? John Bush has not yet offered you the opportunity to vote for him as president.

 

[Avatar4321]

Why is it people refuse to read what was actually said?

I read what you said. You think some are accepting it as their religion. I just have to laugh right at you because so many of my generation (just like so many of yours) couldn't even define socialism, never mind worship it. But kerry on.

Are you suggesting that many aren't? You do realize that "all", "most", and "many" have different definitions don't you?

They don't have to understand socialism. In fact, the more ignorant the better, because people who understand socialism are anti-socialists. Same is true with a number of religions.

Like I said, you didn't read what I said.

But as you've decided to chime in, why don't you help further the discussion by telling us what you think the reasons are?

 

[Avatar4321]

See that's the problem. Socialism, in it's various forms, is what some of the young are accepting as their secular religion. It provides false faith, false hope, and false charity.

Really, is that what the kids are saying today? That's scary if true. Thank goodness my daughter has a good foundation in faith from me and my family, and is able to make her own choices of what she wants to believe.

No, Echo, not really. Avatar is just talking bunch of shit. Don't you know Socialism is the new Satan? Beware of socialism! The opium of the masses II!

LOL

Ironic that the "new satan" has the exact same tactics as the old one.

I know you are mocking, but what's so amusing about it how close you really are.

 

[uscitizen]

Really, is that what the kids are saying today? That's scary if true. Thank goodness my daughter has a good foundation in faith from me and my family, and is able to make her own choices of what she wants to believe.

No, Echo, not really. Avatar is just talking bunch of shit. Don't you know Socialism is the new Satan? Beware of socialism! The opium of the masses II!

LOL

Ironic that the "new satan" has the exact same tactics as the old one.

I know you are mocking, but what's so amusing about it how close you really are.

New boss same as the old boss?
But somehow getting the old boss back into power will fix things???

 

[Modbert]

But as you've decided to chime in, why don't you help further the discussion by telling us what you think the reasons are?

1.) Parents are less religious.

2.) Scandals in the church in recent years (Child Molestation).

3.) More Atheists.

4.) People actually don't believe in the bible as much as they use to. 50 years ago, passages about Homosexuals should be stoned and such would be less frowned upon as they are today. In fact, the Old Testament is full of nuggets that such behavior would not be acceptable in any decent society today. (Killing nonbelievers, stoning rape victims, marrying off rape victims to their rapists in return for silver, killing those who disobey parents, priests, etc.)

And that's just for starters.

 

[xsited1]

Bush III? John Bush has not yet offered you the opportunity to vote for him as president.

Bush III = Obama. They're very similar. And who is John Bush? Singer?

 

[Neser Boha]

Really, is that what the kids are saying today? That's scary if true. Thank goodness my daughter has a good foundation in faith from me and my family, and is able to make her own choices of what she wants to believe.

No, Echo, not really. Avatar is just talking bunch of shit. Don't you know Socialism is the new Satan? Beware of socialism! The opium of the masses II!

LOL

Ironic that the "new satan" has the exact same tactics as the old one.

I know you are mocking, but what's so amusing about it how close you really are.

That's what's funny about it - you actually thinking so.

 

[Modbert]

Relevant probably

 

[Father Time]

Yet another step towards Communism. Thanks Bush-II and Bush-III (a.k.a., Obama)!!!!!!

Yes because every good atheist must also like communism </sarcasm>

Where do you come up with this crap?

Every good communist must also like atheism since God cannot be greater than the State. The more the State provides, the less the people need the church. There are plenty of other factors, but the logic is pretty basic. But since you probably voted for either Bush-II or Bush-III, I can understand your confusion.

I voted for neither of them.

Yes communists are usually atheists but it doesn't work both ways.

For example

Ayn Rand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Avatar4321]

1.) Parents are less religious.

I think this is an interesting point. I am not sure that parents are necessarily less religious, they just are religious in name only and don't really teach their children anything nowadays. They don't teach their children how to find spiritual answers so many of their children never know they can find them.

2.) Scandals in the church in recent years (Child Molestation).

This might affect Catholics. But I am not sure how it would effect other religions.

3.) More Atheists.

I am not actually convinced that there are more athiests as much as atheism is more culturally accepted than it has been in the past.

4.) People actually don't believe in the bible as much as they use to. 50 years ago, passages about Homosexuals should be stoned and such would be less frowned upon as they are today. In fact, the Old Testament is full of nuggets that such behavior would not be acceptable in any decent society today. (Killing nonbelievers, stoning rape victims, marrying off rape victims to their rapists in return for silver, killing those who disobey parents, priests, etc.)

Your point here requires that we ask what is decent society? And should we judge past societies by todays standards or try to understand them through their own background, culture, and actions?

It also requires that we ask why some societies need stricter laws than others.

As for the Bible, I think it's less a matter of they dont believe it as "they've never read it." If i may be personal, have you read the Bible all the way through? I didn't get through it till I was 19. And then I was actually motivated because I wanted to learn as much as possible.

And that's just for starters.

Id love to hear some other theories.

 

[Father Time]

Here's something from USA Today that supports the idea that atheism is growing

See how U.S. religious landscape has changed in nearly 2 decades - USATODAY.com

 

[Newby]

You want to know why kids today don't believe in religion as much as their parents?

The Internet. Why? Because kids are naturally curious.

"Why is the sky blue?" "Where do clouds come from?" "How does the sun know when to get up?"

These are all questions that every parent gets, and many cannot answer in a manner that the children find acceptable. So what do they do? They talk to their friends, sign onto the internet and start looking for answers.

The problem isn't in the seeking of knowledge and truth, the problem comes in when the parents cannot answer the questions that the child asks about faith. When they are told "thats' just the way it is", they tend to look around to see if there is something else that the parents missed.

When the child finds out that its based on a non logical story, they then think it doesn't work and go on to find something else that will give their lives meaning.

I had the same crisis of faith myself, because growing up in foster care, each family I was placed with told me that the people I'd just left were heathens, and if I wanted to be saved and considered good, I had to believe as they did.

After about 5 or 6 of those, I kinda thought Christianity was a crock, which is why I became a Taoist.

However.........Tao is a philosophy rather than a religion and teaches you to examine everything. I applied it to Christianity and found out something interesting.

For a religion that is supposed to unite all mankind, people of various denominations are so busy showing that their way is the "right" way, to the exclusion of all others (watch Northern and Southern Baptists go at it sometime), because they want to be "first" in Heaven.

Interestingly enough, everyone gets in. See the Lost Gospel of Thomas that was recently discovered and verified as authentic.

Like I said, for a religion that is supposed to unite all mankind, it does a really good job of dividing them.

Serious question, Biker, what is non-logical about faith? When human kind can answer all of those questions that you referred too, then maybe it will be non-logical to have faith. Until then tho, human kind's answers have no more logic than faith does. If we had all the answers, and the answers clearly had proven no higher being, then there would be no faith or religion. Obviously, we are not even close to being there, therefore, there is nothing non-logical about having faith. You can totally dismiss the Bible and what it says, you still have no evidence that some higher being wasn't responsible for the creation of this planet or this solar system or any other solar system, or the universe.

 

[xsited1]

Yes because every good atheist must also like communism </sarcasm>

Where do you come up with this crap?

Every good communist must also like atheism since God cannot be greater than the State. The more the State provides, the less the people need the church. There are plenty of other factors, but the logic is pretty basic. But since you probably voted for either Bush-II or Bush-III, I can understand your confusion.

I voted for neither of them.

Yes communists are usually atheists but it doesn't work both ways.

For example

Ayn Rand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I never said all atheists are communists. You said that. But my original point is still valid: The more the State provides, the less the people need the church.

 

[Bill O'Olberman]

Most young people have the luxury of not being bogged down by religion. I know personally I think religions are irrelevant in my daily life and fails to provide me any useful insight or guidance. Ive got my own understanding of a God and my understanding has competely rejected religion and religious institutions. However, I admit that Id probably have more faith in the God of certain religious institution that promised eternal salvation if I was unsure where my next meal was coming from, didnt have clothes, housing, or other basic necessities, and/or if I was inches away from death.

So some reasons why I think religion is less important to young people in America today than anyother society that in the past 2000 years:
1. Relative abundance
2. More education
3. Increased acceptance of ideas like atheism and agnosticism in society
4. Decreased acceptance of ideas traditionally espoused by religions
5. Churches themselves failing to inspire people and retain people

 

[ABikerSailor]

You want to know why kids today don't believe in religion as much as their parents?

The Internet. Why? Because kids are naturally curious.

"Why is the sky blue?" "Where do clouds come from?" "How does the sun know when to get up?"

These are all questions that every parent gets, and many cannot answer in a manner that the children find acceptable. So what do they do? They talk to their friends, sign onto the internet and start looking for answers.

The problem isn't in the seeking of knowledge and truth, the problem comes in when the parents cannot answer the questions that the child asks about faith. When they are told "thats' just the way it is", they tend to look around to see if there is something else that the parents missed.

When the child finds out that its based on a non logical story, they then think it doesn't work and go on to find something else that will give their lives meaning.

I had the same crisis of faith myself, because growing up in foster care, each family I was placed with told me that the people I'd just left were heathens, and if I wanted to be saved and considered good, I had to believe as they did.

After about 5 or 6 of those, I kinda thought Christianity was a crock, which is why I became a Taoist.

However.........Tao is a philosophy rather than a religion and teaches you to examine everything. I applied it to Christianity and found out something interesting.

For a religion that is supposed to unite all mankind, people of various denominations are so busy showing that their way is the "right" way, to the exclusion of all others (watch Northern and Southern Baptists go at it sometime), because they want to be "first" in Heaven.

Interestingly enough, everyone gets in. See the Lost Gospel of Thomas that was recently discovered and verified as authentic.

Like I said, for a religion that is supposed to unite all mankind, it does a really good job of dividing them.

Serious question, Biker, what is non-logical about faith? When human kind can answer all of those questions that you referred too, then maybe it will be non-logical to have faith. Until then tho, human kind's answers have no more logic than faith does. If we had all the answers, and the answers clearly had proven no higher being, then there would be no faith or religion. Obviously, we are not even close to being there, therefore, there is nothing non-logical about having faith. You can totally dismiss the Bible and what it says, you still have no evidence that some higher being wasn't responsible for the creation of this planet or this solar system or any other solar system, or the universe.

The thing that I find the most non-logical about Christianity is the way they use the same book (KJV), and they interpret the very same words DIFFERENTLY to discount the belief of someone else who uses the VERY SAME BOOK!

Like I said, watch a Northern and Southern Baptist go at it sometime. Matter of fact, take a whole bunch of different denominations that use the KJV, and then just listen to how they interpret it.

All of them have a slightly different view. If a theology cannot unite everyone who adheres to it, then what good is it?

I'm not saying that faith itself is non logical, I'm saying that they way most Christians use theirs to discount others is the non logical part.

 

[Newby]

You want to know why kids today don't believe in religion as much as their parents?

The Internet. Why? Because kids are naturally curious.

"Why is the sky blue?" "Where do clouds come from?" "How does the sun know when to get up?"

These are all questions that every parent gets, and many cannot answer in a manner that the children find acceptable. So what do they do? They talk to their friends, sign onto the internet and start looking for answers.

The problem isn't in the seeking of knowledge and truth, the problem comes in when the parents cannot answer the questions that the child asks about faith. When they are told "thats' just the way it is", they tend to look around to see if there is something else that the parents missed.

When the child finds out that its based on a non logical story, they then think it doesn't work and go on to find something else that will give their lives meaning.

I had the same crisis of faith myself, because growing up in foster care, each family I was placed with told me that the people I'd just left were heathens, and if I wanted to be saved and considered good, I had to believe as they did.

After about 5 or 6 of those, I kinda thought Christianity was a crock, which is why I became a Taoist.

However.........Tao is a philosophy rather than a religion and teaches you to examine everything. I applied it to Christianity and found out something interesting.

For a religion that is supposed to unite all mankind, people of various denominations are so busy showing that their way is the "right" way, to the exclusion of all others (watch Northern and Southern Baptists go at it sometime), because they want to be "first" in Heaven.

Interestingly enough, everyone gets in. See the Lost Gospel of Thomas that was recently discovered and verified as authentic.

Like I said, for a religion that is supposed to unite all mankind, it does a really good job of dividing them.

Serious question, Biker, what is non-logical about faith? When human kind can answer all of those questions that you referred too, then maybe it will be non-logical to have faith. Until then tho, human kind's answers have no more logic than faith does. If we had all the answers, and the answers clearly had proven no higher being, then there would be no faith or religion. Obviously, we are not even close to being there, therefore, there is nothing non-logical about having faith. You can totally dismiss the Bible and what it says, you still have no evidence that some higher being wasn't responsible for the creation of this planet or this solar system or any other solar system, or the universe.

The thing that I find the most non-logical about Christianity is the way they use the same book (KJV), and they interpret the very same words DIFFERENTLY to discount the belief of someone else who uses the VERY SAME BOOK!

Like I said, watch a Northern and Southern Baptist go at it sometime. Matter of fact, take a whole bunch of different denominations that use the KJV, and then just listen to how they interpret it.

All of them have a slightly different view. If a theology cannot unite everyone who adheres to it, then what good is it?

I'm not saying that faith itself is non logical, I'm saying that they way most Christians use theirs to discount others is the non logical part.

I see where you're coming from, and I agree to a certain extent. Man made religion is not something to have faith in per se, that's why I don't really affiliate with a denomination. I don't think you have to be a part of organized religion to be close to God or to have faith. Some people find comfort in that and in being with others that have the same beliefs tho, so it's different for everyone. I just cannot discount having belief in a higher power whenever you look at the structure of life, from the universe down to the tiniest thing on the planet. There is order, not chaos.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I see where you're coming from, and I agree to a certain extent. Man made religion is not something to have faith in per se, that's why I don't really affiliate with a denomination. I don't think you have to be a part of organized religion to be close to God or to have faith. Some people find comfort in that and in being with others that have the same beliefs tho, so it's different for everyone. I just cannot discount having belief in a higher power whenever you look at the structure of life, from the universe down to the tiniest thing on the planet. There is order, not chaos.

Right. Man made religion is always fallible, which is why I currently REALLY have a problem with Rome and the way the Vatican is trying to gloss over what has been happening.

I also dispute the infallibility of the pope. Why? Simple......if you've got a belly button, you're human, same as me, and because of the state of being human, you have free will and are therefore able to choose sin, so therefore are fallible.

The pope is a man, and therefore he is fallible, which explains the current situation with the Vatican.

As far as organized religions? I look at them as filters, because it states in the Bible that God is Light, and Yeshua is the Son of Light, so therefore, it would stand to reason that religion filters God through the belief system of that church. But, because not everyone likes Wayfarer sunglasses, there are other religions to choose from.

As far as can you talk to God without church? Yes. Buddha did it by looking around in the world and finally reaching "enlightenment" by sitting under a tree for 40 days.

Enlightenment simply means that God has spoken to you directly and illuminated a thought that you'd been wondering about.

The Native Americans also knew who God was without having to attend a typical church. They call Him Father Sky. They learned about Him by simply observing nature much like Abraham did.

Only trouble is, when the Europeans came here, they decided to "save" the Godless heathens, because they didn't believe in God in the same manner as them.

Truth of the matter is, they probably understood Him better than the Christians did.

The people I have the major problem with is those that refuse to look at where their religion came from (the Jews), as well as the fact that they are forcing the older religion (which still works quite well), to change and believe the new religion.

Yeshua is HaShem's son, not HaShem Himself. Wanna know why? When the Apostles asked Yeshua when He was coming back, He stated "only the Father knows when I will return".

Which means........if Yeshua WAS HaShem, why did He not know when He was coming back?

 

[Father Time]

Did anyone ever stop to consider that rikrules was being sarcastic with his post?

Sheesh........most of you have no sense of humor.

Of course we knew he was sarcastic. But, he's also implying all people who have faith try to brainwash their children and indoctrinate them to their beliefs, without the choice to make a decision of faith on their own.

Many of us so called "Liberals" believe in God, yet some other Liberals mock the faith of Christians, I wonder why that is?

As a general rule; Leftists... AKA: Liberal, Moderate, Centrist, Mainstream progressives mouth a belief in God, but while a mile wide, it's rarely as deep a belief as their shadow; this a result of sup-par intellectual means and a general disdain for sound principle;

So I take it you want to become a full blown elitist now?