Article: "Why Are Young People Leaving Evangelical Christianity?"

[Godscreated]

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Well, really, I think it has a lot to do with the younger generations being the least religious of any which has come before. Why this is has probably a lot to do with rejecting all the old traditional beliefs and being dragged to boring church services, not to mention that conservative Christians tend to be way out of touch with society at large. I mean, they're still trying to control people's sex lives if their poster boy Santorum is any indication, while young people rightly see nothing wrong with recreational but safe sex. Add to this easy access to information that the internet offers, and it's easy for people who are having doubts of faith to find websites with information which shows that what's being preached from the pulpit every Sunday isn't the truth. I think without the internet this information would be a lot harder to come by. Not only that, but they soon realize that they're not alone in their disbelief and don't feel like they have to just keep going along with it. They can live as an atheist without feeling like they're the only one.

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I have to totally disagree here, the reason the youth are leaving the church has to do with parents who claim to be christians, yet their children do not see the parents to be what they claim to be. I've said it many times on this forum, Christ said we would know them by their deeds. Children are smart and can see through the mask parents put on, this I know from being a youth leader, if parents knew what their children said about them they would hopefully take a good look at themselves. Also with so many single parent homes children are played against the parents, leaving the children confused as what to believe and they become susceptible to much that's thrown in front of them. If the parents thought more of their children than they do of themselves they might be a light of guidance to them.

[The Grand Nudger]

I agree GC, I think the reason that there is less religion is because of parents recent inability to con their child as well (for whatever reason).

[Godscreated]

I agree GC, I think the reason that there is less religion is because of parents recent inability to con their child as well (for whatever reason).

Christian parents should never try and con their children, not because they may be discovered as cons, because they should be responsible enough to guiding their children to Christ (without pressuring them), so the children can make their own decision. If the child does not make the decision for itself, then what good has come of the child's pressured choice, none.

[The Grand Nudger]

Again, agreed, they probably shouldn't ever mention a single word about any god or any christ. Adults (and specifically parents) shouldn't be in the business of conning children.

[Godscreated]

Again, agreed, they probably shouldn't ever mention a single word about any god or any christ. Adults (and specifically parents) shouldn't be in the business of conning children.

You're right parents should not try and con their children, christian parents would be putting on a con if they did not teach their children about Christ.

[genkaus]

Again, agreed, they probably shouldn't ever mention a single word about any god or any christ. Adults (and specifically parents) shouldn't be in the business of conning children.

You're right parents should not try and con their children, christian parents would be putting on a con if they did not teach their children about Christ.

Is it conning if the person doing the conning has been conned himself? Either way, it is irresponsible to teach children about the delusions of Christ as truth.

[The Grand Nudger]

Yeah, pretty much a spiritual MLM. Doesnt matter whether or not you are privvy to the details of the con if you are part of the machinery. The best cons don't directly involve the artist, but a proxy.

(I don't think you know what "con" means btw GC. Confidence game, confidence trick, confidence scam. If a christian parent decided not to say anything about god, they aren't engaging in any confidence trick whatsoever. If they do, they are, leveraging the child's confidence in them as parents for a desired outcome. There is nothing else to offer the child, no evidence, no reason, nothing but the faith the child has in the parent to ascertain the validity of the claims. If a parent said "I believe in god, but I can't prove it, and the claims contradict what can be proven, decide for yourself.....well, that's another ball game isn't it? That's full disclosure. Even then the confidence that the child has in their parent will weigh heavily in their decision, but at least the parent is taking steps to distance themselves from the equation..which would hopefully allow for a more informed or well reasoned decision. You might even call that allowing for a stronger, more personal faith.)

[Sciwoman]

From what I've read, it appears that young people are rejecting the intolerance, rigidity, anti-science bias, and anti-education leanings of fundamentalism. They are also turned off by fundamentalism's obsession with what connecting adults do in private. It does not look like all of them, or even a majority of them, are rejecting god and religion outright, just the dogmatic, inflexible, institutionalized version of their parents and grandparents in favor of their own less stringent, more personal, less structured form.

[Anomalocaris]

From what I've read, it appears that young people are rejecting the intolerance, rigidity, anti-science bias, and anti-education leanings of fundamentalism. They are also turned off by fundamentalism's obsession with what connecting adults do in private. It does not look like all of them, or even a majority of them, are rejecting god and religion outright, just the dogmatic, inflexible, institutionalized version of their parents and grandparents in favor of their own less stringent, more personal, less structured form.

I don't think the average fresh young mind's natural objection to intolerance, rigidity, anti-science bias, and anti-education is significantly more pronounced today than 10, 20 or 30 years ago.

But I think evengelical movements' outward crassness and undisguised appeal to ever lower instincts amongst the uneducated and uncritical, has increased. I think this is the root of its decline amongst the educated and semi-educated.

[Sciwoman]

You're right Chuck. It seems that fundamentalist groups have fallen all over themselves to keep proving that they are 'more fundamentalist than thou.' Because of that, more and more people, especially young people, are finding it unpalatable. Fundamentalism has damn near become a parody of itself.