Do you believe young people are turning away from threat based religions?

Question

Excuse me. Having been born in the 30s, I think anyone up to 30 years of age as "Young People." I guess some of the twenty somethings can only think of children as Young People.

Answer 1

People are more able to show love now than in the past~ its no longer taboo.
Many of us are just not going to accept a deity who would punish us as our parents never would. We can not accept that someone who claims to love us just wants worship and then condemns us if we don't meet his standards.
We are also becoming more in tune with our spiritual side.
Also there is more information out there, so we can make our own judgements instead of taking for gospel the words of which ever pastor is preaching at our local church.
I also believe that people are being born more in tune with their spiritual selves and are trusting their instincts more.
Thank goodness!
Ariel

Answer 2

One of the reasons why I turned away from religion in my youth was all the fear and guilt used to keep people in line. I didn't feel like my belief in God would be very sincere if it was motivated by fear. It felt more honest to me to turn away from religion than to stay in a religion with an insincere belief in God. That was a little more than ten years ago. I still feel the same. I don't know if young people are turning away from threat based religions today, I do know that I did when I was young.

Answer 3

That's an interesting question, but maybe more interesting is who made these religions threatening?

Judaism was always punitive; an angry god begets angry people.

Christianity started as a pastoral and comforting religion, then turned threatening after it became Imperialized.

Muhammadanism was always threatening; war being a tribal national sport.

I submit that most earth based religions are pretty laid-back with a common "live and let live" theme. One professor of mine claimed that the most bloodthirsty religions came from regions with very hot temperatures. I guess temperatures and tempers go hand in hand.

I think today's young people turn away from anyone and anything that tells them "no!"

Answer 4

I know that it isn't just the young that are turning away. Even the older are. I left at age 40 or so. Violence and threats are counter productive and they haven't learned that yet. People are getting fed up with it all. The exodus is beginning quietly but it is beginning none the less.

Answer 5

Because things like esp ghosts life after death, etc have become more out in the open and understood. The religions are intended to keep people under control and to keep them ignorant and the young people as a result see this and reject organized religion and are more open minded as a result.

Answer 6

I don't know about turning away. I think teens tend to explore their world and look for their own truths. It's just what teens do. Sometimes religion is where they explore. Many spend a few years or so elsewhere and often turn back to their religious beginnings, or something similar to it.

Answer 7

Well to be honest nobody wants to be completely forced to do anything. Especially younger people like me. So some religions try to control their followers with fear but that scares people thinking they will go to a horrible place if they don't follow every rule. If I were a priest, rabbi etc. I wouldn't try to dictate with fear but with more understanding.

Answer 8

After spending twenty minutes reading the questions n answers in "R&S", I'd have to say in fact they're turning towards it more :(