Not a recent article, but I think it shows some insight:

http://www.alternet.org/story/151947/goo...generation

It doesn't mention that Gen Y-ers are also growing more skeptical of religion as they get older, a significant difference from previous generations, which is likely to have an accelerating effect.

The article also has a plausible explanation for why both fundamentalist churches and the GOP are getting crazier and crazier, and why THAT is an accelerator for people leaving.

Do you think we get better at critical thinking, or is old time religion just not cool any more?

(March 24, 2015 at 11:22 am)Alex K Wrote: Do you think we get better at critical thinking, or is old time religion just not cool any more?

I wish the former but it is definitely the latter. The kids just don't see why they should hate the gays and perceive their faith traditions as hateful and hypocritical. So they leave. Which leaves their old church even grayer and more old-fashioned, which makes it even less tolerable for moderates and people who don't see why homosexuality is the number one concern of their church.

Both, in my opinion largely due to the vast amount of free, accessible, fact-checkable information made available via the internet and other mass communications.

I mean, one of the pillars of keeping young people in religion is keeping them insulated against competing ideas until the religious ideas have been sufficiently ingrained. Have you tried telling a young person to stay off the internet? May as well hold a giant sign saying "we're afraid you'll figure out our bullshit".

That is a factor as well, but far from the whole story. It's likely an additional accelerator, but the trend of each generation being less religious than the previous one has been going on since the forties.

(March 24, 2015 at 11:28 am)Mister Agenda Wrote: That is a factor as well, but far from the whole story. It's likely an additional accelerator, but the trend of each generation being less religious than the previous one has been going on since the forties.

True, but the trend-breaking upward spike of the "nones" in the recent decade or so is (in my opinion, anyway) directly linked to mass information technology like the internet.

Big time. After doing no research I firmly conclude the Internet is a massive factor. Being able to check stuff you are told instantly makes it so much harder to insulate children from reality and scientific knoweldge.

(March 24, 2015 at 11:22 am)Alex K Wrote: Do you think we get better at critical thinking, or is old time religion just not cool any more?

It's not cool anymore and how the hell do you expect the 90's generation and up to think that the bible is true.

Some more analysis:

http://www.pewforum.org/2012/10/09/nones-on-the-rise/

Add to this the argument can be made that when people have been told "to pray" or to "give it to god" and they do, when nothing changes or when problems get worse, they start thinking about why this so-called "god" didn't do as was expected. If I'm told to give my problems to god, by someone who is witnessing to me, and I do, but nothing happens it's like the salesman really failed at making the convincing argument of why I should buy the product he's peddling. It didn't work, therefore I'm not going to waste my time or money on it.

And then there's also the argument that can be made against tithing. A lot of people are struggling these days. Why should they tithe to a place when they don't really have the money to begin with? It's a weak argument, but one that could still be made.