The title was *clickbait* because it implied that the people who _left_ the church would be giving their opinions on why they left. Instead ... you got the people who _remained,_ putting words in the mouths of those who left. That's pointless if you want to actually learn something. This video was just a useless echo chamber. Nobody learned a thing here.
Politics play a huge role in why young people are turned off by Christianity. Why would young people want to align themselves with a bunch of wackos that hate everyone?..
@@richchickintexas It's more than just politics, but that is a large part of it. Millennials can also look up a pastor's statements on their smartphones and see that the pastor is lying through his teeth, something that previous generations couldn't do prior to the Internet. If someone is going to lie about gays molesting children, for example, how can you trust that person to tell you the truth about anything else?
@Duke E Short answer: three--male, female, other (with a line after "other" to get more specific) Long answer: Well, you know how the 1960s had the Sexual Revolution? Now it's the Gender Revolution and people are discovering that there's more than just "blue for boy, pink for girl" and all the stereotypes that come along with being a man or a woman. Right now, we have male, female, trans (M2F or F2M), intersexed, genderfluid/genderqueer/mixed gender, genderless/neuter/neutrois/whatever. Once all the dust clears, I suspect it'll either be six genders (M, F, T[rans], G[enderqueer], I[ntersexed], and N[one]), five (combining Intersexed with Genderqueer) or four (M, F, O[ther], N[eutral]).
That’s such a big one. The nakedly rabid and hateful anti-LGBTQ stuff is never going to work for a generation as diverse and tolerant as millennials and gen-z. It’s make or break for a lot of people.
@@stefanfilipovits21 a lot of homophobia is from so called "diversity". Blacks, hispanics, Muslims, modern man-hating feminists, non-binary trans-trenders along with plenty millenials and Gen-zers harbor homophobic bigotry. Diversity doesn't equal non-homophobic look at who voted for Prop8 in California.
It is the result of the increasing secularization of modern society. Young people are constantly being exposed to a diversity of ideas. The simplistic ideas of organized religion cannot stand up against that for very long.
Did you actually watch the video? It nothing to do with "the secularization of society," and "being exposed to a diversity of ideas." I think your comment speaks to another aspect of the problem though. For too long, the church has sought a scapegoat, rather than considering the role it plays in the problem. Until the church learns to listen to the voices of those who are leaving, the problem will remain a problem. In the meantime, millennials are seeking to restore what it means to BE the Church.
@@lancerx1001 The very fact that you use the word "obedience" to Jesus is telling. The word obedience implies that there is a law or rule to be obeyed. How is that not legalism, lol?
@@TwoTrakMind I did watch the video. These millennials are saying in a nutshell that the answer to all the church's problems is to be more hardcore like the early church and have more authenticity and discipleship. Except they're wrong. And to use your words, "Until the church learns to listen to the voices of those who are leaving, the problem will remain a problem." Yes and you aren't listening to me. I am a person who has the left church. And I am telling you that the answers the church and Christianity provide aren't sufficient for dealing with the complexities of modern life. And this is the main reason why I believe people are leaving the church. Young people are being exposed to many different points of view due to the Internet and other sources. This allows them to critique their religious beliefs in an objective way that they wouldn't be able to do otherwise. And they find their religious beliefs lacking. The very fact these millennials in the video are having a discussion about why the church isn't working for them, illustrates this point. If they hadn't been exposed to outside secular critiques about the church, they probably wouldn't even have been aware there was anything wrong with Christian church. Because valid criticism of the Christian church rarely comes from inside the church in my experience.
Then your statement is meaningless because it contradicts itself. Really the only reason people should leave the church is because they want to openly live a totally evil life , and the moral standards of God condemn them. That's the reason to embrace scientific atheism...because if you can restrict all of reality to simply it's material portion, then you can say I didn't see any evidence of the transcendent God when I use the tests that are designed to measure the material world only. If you can get rid of creation...then you can get rid of a creator...then his moral standards don't condemn you. Of course , you will have to live a depressing meaningless existence devoid of any real hope , while knowing that God really does exist despite your efforts to convince yourself otherwise...but then that can be used to justify anger, violence, addiction and suicide .
@@markanthony3275 First My statement was a joke. But if you want a serious answer, I left the church because I realized there were no good evidence for a God. It had nothing to do with wanting to live an evil life. In fact, I believe I do more good acts now as an atheist. Athiesm doesn't necessary restrict everything to material portions. But if there is something transcendent or beyond the material world, it needs to be proven. There is no known way to do that in a way that can be verified. So it's possible we're stuck with the material. But to believe in something simply through faith is not a good and reliable path to truth. There might be no cosmic meaning to life as an atheist, but it doesn't mean we can't create our own meaning and not appreciate life. I know the statistical improbability of existing is next to 0, so I'm thankful for life. And when you believe life and existence is limited, I believe you end up appreciating it more and respecting other people more. I'm not sure why you think atheists in general live depressing lives. Good people will naturally do good things. Bad people will naturally do bad things regardless of their religion and beliefs. But something like religion can make good people do bad things.
@@PositivelyBrainwashed None of your reasons hold up...when a person says they were hooked on crack cocaine, turned their life over to Jesus Christ, and now have a wife, children and a well paying job because God took away his addiction...all of that is VERIFIABLE and therefore counts as evidence . And there are many many accounts of people like that...too many to say it was an exception of some kind. You say you are a good person and you do good things?...so did Hitler. But because your only standard of morality is located in YOURSELF...you must respect that Hitler's morality was also located in HIMSELF...so on what basis can you condemn him? "Oh...but he did HARMFUL things to people and I don't". But that doesn't solve the problem because he could argue (if he was alive) that your definition of harm is wrong...and YOU are the one doing harm...to what authority can you appeal your case ? None exists...except GOD'S moral standard...but you reject that. If there is no OBJECTIVE standard of morality then NO morality is possible...and objective morality only comes from God and necessarily the God of the Bible. "Good people will naturally do good things"? That's a joke right? Hitler thought he was a good person (subjective morality like yourself) and he thought that by eliminating the Jews, he was doing a good thing, because Hitler was a pagan nature worshipper who believed that the Jews were an aberration of nature...so eliminating them was "helping nature out". I could argue extensively against all of your positions...but your problem isn't one of believing argument or evidence, if it was , you'd be a Christian. No...the Bible tells me that you have a condition called spiritual blindness...blinded and seduced by the god of this world..and like the devil, you are in rebellion against he truth. You can repent...you don't want to because you do want to live an evil life...because evil often feels good.
You guys, and I’m not trying to be a prick here, should listen to people who’ve left and learn the real reasons. I guarantee not one of the reasons you guys mentioned comes up. The transparency thing might but the rest? I think you missed the point.
Nope. We’re leaving because we don’t believe Christianity is true anymore. Next time, ask the ACTUAL people; not a projection of what other Christians want to hear and find a way to turn into a sermon. Sheesh. Also: we know that “let’s go to lunch” is a trap.
Okay...enlighten us with the truth then. you seem to know where we come from and you seem to know of our morality. are you God?? if so... SPEAK UP and Enlighten us....
@@KingJonathanThe1st Hi, Jonathan. I can see that your defenses are up. I understand it’s incredibly uncomfortable when someone challenges your worldview. Please know that I don’t mean to demean you. It’s frustrating to see yourself being misrepresented on a platform like this, which is why I posted. Firstly, rejecting Christianity doesn’t mean that I now magically have all the answers. In fact, one of the biggest realizations I’ve had since deconverting is being comfortable admitting that I don’t have all the answers. I don’t believe Christianity knows all the answers like it claims either. The only thing I am putting worth here is that I no longer believe in the core propositions of a Christianity and so I no longer call myself a Christian. As far as cosmology, human evolution, morality, etc. those things I am learning about now. It’s a fascinating and exciting journey! I am glad for you if you find peace, comfort and meaning within a faith tradition. I want others to know that it’s ok to reassess your beliefs and follow the evidence wherever it leads.
@@Erin__D My peace isn’t a temporal one, it’s one that’s deeply rooted in the heart. In other words. I have real peace, not a false one. My faith isn’t a tradition. It’s a spiritual one. Ones faith comes from believing and then seeing what that faith has done to the person spiritually and how that person becomes a whole new person on the outside. You don’t find that by seeing with your own eyes which is what you’re basing your logic in. If you were to see everything on your journey and found that truth that you seem to seek, how would seeing it change you from the inside? Can we both agree here that we are living souls? We are not wild animals or monkeys. We are very aware of morality. We go through the seasons of sadness, seasons of suffering, we hurt others in such ways and then have deep internal regret for it. It sounds to me here that everyones choosing their OWN kind of morality and ignore everything else. We never grow spiritually that way. Good luck on your journey to SEEING what you’re looking for.
@@KingJonathanThe1st thanks Jonathan. I understand where you are coming from. As far as living souls, no I cannot agree with you on that one. I think the idea of substance dualism is unsubstantiated. But I agree that we are very emotional beings, even if that came about through some sort of evolution. We need connection and purpose, and I think that those things are found in the here and now. All I ask is that when you hear someone representing the “other side” please so to the source rather than listening to your side’s interpretation. That was a formula for creating misunderstanding and prejudice and ultimately it’s just existing in an echo chamber. Hope you have a pleasant day.
I'm 17 and I used to go at a evangelical church. I have a choice to go or not to go, which if everything goes back to normal, I'm not returning. Every one and my mother would expect me to be the perfect girl in church. I would take classes for kids of my age where we read the bible, learn the verses, sing, and pray. I was look down upon every one when I couldn't learn my verses or dressed differently. They would criticize my sister and I and they where the "innocent" and would not scold them just because their parents where either teachers, or someone who works there. The church had me feel like the black sheep even if I tried to get along with everyone. In the day I got baptized, the women's would argue that they wanted that the priest would baptize them which made me feel uncomfortable because I started to realize that they would almost worship him more than God. The security was low where a little girl got rape by the family's visitor in the restrooms. It's not safe to go alone anymore even with someone else. I was ignored and pushed away after I came to church with my usual clothes that are black. Black t-shirts that has images of invader zim or the nightmare before christmas, just because there was no time for me to change after school. No one even took a glance at me and lost my opportunity for helping on illustrating a book for the church. I would feel guilty for the things I love in which lead to a deep depression where I would isolate myself from every one, I wouldn't get up to do my chores, go to school, do my homework, go to church, or even get up from my bed. The only times I do was to use the restroom and I would bearly eat. I wouldn't sleep do to nightmares and that led me to the hospital after I had an huge pain in the chest. After not going to that place, my relationship with my mom got better and started to do things I like without the church to pushed me around. Also my mom is okay with me being goth or what my mom would say, "rockera," as long as I dont stray away from God I'm okay. I feel more safe now that I left. There's still one person who was nice to me in church and it was my mom's friend, who her kindness was genuine.
I’m sorry things were so tough and that you had such a awful and painful time. I really hope you (and ur mom) are happy, healthy, and in a better place now. I’m 32 and fell away from the church years ago. I say I’m agnostic but I want to believe in god and I do pray if I’m honest. I’m a millennial with gen-z brothers and I’ve been talking to others who left their church or became atheists for years. I’m always curious to hear how and why others left. Especially because its become so common and seems to be a massive generational trend. Anyway, Thanks for posting your story and again: I’m glad you’re doing better and I hope it stays that way. If what you’re doing makes you a better person who is happier and healthier then you’re definitely doing the right thing. PS: I’ve never heard the term “rockera” and I kinda love it lol
You, your sister and your mom are better. Your family is worth of respect and interest. Don’t waste you precious time on this planet talking to the void. You can live a richer, nicer and with more meaning without the superstition and lyes of religion.
I left my home church because of peer abuse. Came back after going to healthier, stronger churches in order to admonish and try to heal the issue by showing the error of their way which led in paving the way to repentance.
I come back to this video a lot when I’m reading about and researching this topic and I’ve been trying to figure out why. I think the reason I keep coming back to this video is because it kind of amazes me that people could miss the mark so hard. I know it’s not on purpose, they’re trying to help or think they’re listening. They have a very difficult job in addressing this issue and I don’t envy you the work it’ll take to fix it. BUT: If you want to know why millennials and gen-z are leaving YOU SHOULD ASK THEM. Ask the people who are leaving or have left. I’m sorry but people still in the church aren’t gonna get it. I AM a millennial with gen-z brothers. For years Ive read, researched, and actually talked to people my age and younger about why they left. Most leave because frankly, religion and religious people have a reeeeeeal image problem with the aforementioned generations. In America when people especially millennials or gen z hear “Christian” they think “evangelical “, particularly white evangelical. Then when you read the research and see the terms millenials and gen z use to describe Christianity the words “hypocritical”, “closed-minded”, “homophobic”, “greedy”, “stubborn”, “hateful”, and “anti-science”, almost always come up. My generation and gen z grew up in a VERY diverse environment where bigotry and prejudice are the biggest injustice imaginable. We grew up with Jewish friends, Muslim friends, Latino friends, African American friends, gay friends, trans friends, and so on. This is probably the most diverse generation in American history. Most don’t want to be affiliated with what they (rightly or wrongly) see as an exclusionary institution that doesn’t think their lgbtq friends deserve the right to marry. They don’t want to listen to a priest if the institution he serves covered up the sexual abuse of children. They don’t want to participate in a faith that thinks women shouldn’t be in leadership roles or need to be subservient to men. They don’t want to donate to a church that has a private jet but not a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. We also live in a world where the sum of all human knowledge is a click away. People can look up the age of the earth with evidence to back it up. They can read historical records that contradict the Bible. They can talk to others who are questioning or doubting and not feel alone in their skepticism. They can read about and find a faith more in line with their own personal moral code and run with that. Most people don’t even feel like they need religion to want to be a good person they use their empathy to guide them. It’s honestly more a cultural difference and I don’t see this changing any time soon. The Christian culture and gen-z/millennial culture believe and want VERY different things. Most denominations aren’t going to change and millennials and gen z aren’t going to either. I think this decline is here to stay and will continue. Loading up kids on apologetics ain’t gonna cut it. I keep hoping you guys read this and start to listen. This sounds more accusatory and angry than I mean it to because you guys are trying, I can tell you’re trying and you really want to know why this is happening and what can be done. And that’s GREAT! Truly. It’s a good first step. But the next step should be listening to those that aren’t in the bubble, those that are leaving/gone. They’d love to talk to you, I’m sure of it. But PLEASE listen.
Great post and spot on. After watching many similar videos, I am getting the impression that they’re afraid to ask people who have left the faith for their reasons, because Christians are scared that the taint of apostasy will get on them somehow. Besides, the Bible teaches them to distrust the stated beliefs and motivations of non-Christians; it teaches that such people are rebellious, depraved liars in denial of the truth. Yeah, I don’t see either side budging. It will just come down to generational replacement.
Wow, that was really beautifully articulated. I don't know why Christians think that the departure of Millenials and Gen z's is such a mystery. Why would a young woman who enjoys independence and equality in every area of her life want to belong to a Church that relegates her to second class status? Why would lgbtq people want to belong to a Church that actively campaigns against their rights and their acceptance into mainstream society? There's no mystery here.
Thanks for the post Stefan. There's a lot more cultural influence on our youth today than ever before. As you alluded to, we can all go into our own little world via social media and find a group that matches our beliefs and desires. Many youth today have grown up in a world that has replaced the 10 Commandments with 1 Commandment - do not judge. My question (and I'm not asking for a response) is how long can such a philosophy maintain itself? I think we already see what happens when people on the left encounter people on the right - cancel culture, block Chick-fil-A from opening a store, occupy Wall Street, burn down police stations. This isn't empathy, nor is it trying to understand somebody else's point of view. I'm not saying this to argue with you Stefan. I'm simply saying that if you are correct about today's youth then the church needs to prepare itself for doing what Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44) and what St. Paul said, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse" (Romans 12:14).
Our generations (Millenials and Gen Z) are also the ones with the most depression, anxiety, suicide, and drug abuse, in others words we are killing ourselves from lack of meaning in life and lack of Love that comes from knowing God. I guess our generations will just have to die out until people realize that WE are the ones that need God. God made the World and He decided what is right and wrong. Our “culture “ has taught us to accept everything and God does NOT accept everything. May our Lord have mercy on us and pour His Spirit so the blind will see.
Stefan, you don't want church, you want affirmation. You are saying you want a church that conforms to your worldview. If you want exactly what you described I highly recommend you attend one of these protestant churches: Episcopalian, Presbyterian (PCUSA), most United Methodist, Disciples of Christ, Universalist Unitarian, many Lutheran, and pretty much any mainline denomination out there. You will be affirmed but you will leave with nothing. Yes, your view represents the post-modern culture, but it has nothing to do with Christianity. You may be better off skipping the church scene if you want to be affirmed. If you want your thinking challenged, consider a conservative evangelical church.
For me, it started with the betrayal of trust from one church. Then I begin to take notice that churches have gone from telling stories (with a bit of moral teaching) and preaching to suddenly making up and enforcing rules ("you can't listen to rock music as it's a sign from Satan and I know this because the Bible says so", "You have to go to church every Sunday and Wednesday in order to save your soul from eternal damnation" and so on). What's even worse is how when you talk about how you have issues with someone, in my case it was with my late biological father that I've been going at it with all the way till his death (long story and I don't care that he's gone), it's automatically "you have to go and forgive that person right away or else you're condemned to Hell" as well as quoting useless verses like "Honor thy father and mother" (to which I say it should go both ways where the children honors their father and mother and the father and mother should honor their children as well). Forcing someone and demanding said someone to forgive another person is NOT the way to do it as well as forcing someone to go to church is not very Christian-like. Also, don't go preaching about helping the less fortunate if you're not going to bother doing that yourself. Personally, I'm done with churches. I'm not giving up my faith, but I'm giving up the churches.
Church is irrelevant, style is obsolete, doesn't follow the Bible, tones of false teachings that must be fact checked, lies, greed, pride, ok with adultery, gossip rather than help, and judge the poor and needy. They use hypnosis for getting members vulnerable to profit off donations. You are not allowed to help or participate but only give more and more donations and be condemned. Never disagree with the authorities or they attack and make your life hell. Thanks to restrictions for making the church rethink these things.
@@warriorsorb1111 the reason I became atheist was different reasons. It kind of started when I was 9. At the time, I was feeling suicidal though I still don't know why. I had told my mom about my suicidal thoughts and believed that she'd help with that. Instead, she told me that if I killed myself, I'd go to Hell and just prayed over me. I believed that I was "cured" and long story short, I have sudden bouts of extreme suicidal thoughts where I almost kill myself but then get a hold of myself. That kind of gave me a hatred of sorts towards the religion. But funnily enough, the reason I decided to become atheist was because of an argument I had with my aunt about reincarnation and Heaven.
As a former Christian I can tell you why I and many others my age left. 1. I studied history. The facts did not align with the faith. 2. I studied science. The facts did not align with the faith. 3. I studied other religions. Their faith seemed just as strong yet also had no basis in reality. 4. I saw what those in positions of religious power were saying and compared it to the faith. Both were full of lies. 5. If I had been born anywhere else, in any other time, to any other family I would have been born into a different faith.
Expanding on number 4 Religious Trauma Syndrome: An entire generation of Evangelical kids were indoctrinated into a purity culture that was based on ideas by a 20 year old homeschooled kid that didn't know crap (Josh Harris). They were threatened with hellfire and given purity rings. They were taught a purity prosperity gospel. They got older and learned it was all a lie. That's why EVERY person I know that left the church did so. BC eventually we woke up and saw the BS for what it is and nothing will hold on to you when you have been so spiritually abused and you see the truth and know that there is no hell and no heaven and this world is what you make of it. That's the answer that none of them even realise. They will eventually.
How do you know that the history and science you studied were true??? You are just accepting that what you learned is true...because you wanted to believe it was true. You accepted it all by faith ...the same faith you could have had in Jesus Christ . Except there are actually many more reasons to believe in Jesus Christ. What's the real reason you walked away ? You are rebelling against God and you needed an excuse to justify rebelling against what you know is true. Like older generations, you make a plausible sounding excuse...but under examination...it doesn't hold up.
@@markanthony3275 Your point is the same as what Jesus was saying in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man wanted to leave Hades and warn his brothers, but he was told "If they won't listen to Moses and the Prophets, they won't listen to someone who rises from the dead." Facts often substantiate what we currently believe, they do not necessarily cause people to assess them objectively.
The church has done nothing for any of the communities that they dwell in. Think about the location of every Church you see. it's in a dilapidated neighborhood isn't it? Unless it's a mega church. And I've noticed more and more people trying to open up churches why because their tax-exempt that's the only reason why they want a church. Too many pastors don't even live in the community in which they preach. You got people in your congregation praying for a car and then the preacher just bought your wife a Lambo. get out I don't need that in my life. And when you have to work 40 plus hours a week when you finally get a weekend you ain't getting up early to go to no church on Sunday. Work is more important cuz I got bills.
I think there is some merit to what you said. Many leaders of the church have failed the generation. I am sorry that the prosperity preaching ever became a thing that you had to endure. Please though, don’t paint the entire faith with that brush. There are many churches that practice what they preach out there. I hope that you can find one and learn about the love of Jesus in action. Such places are out there my friends.
Bob Many churches nowadays are teaching purely prosperity gospel so they don’t tread on anyone’s toes. Many churches never talk about repentance and WHY Jesus died for us. He died for our sins, but so many pastors aren’t even teaching about sin anymore because they’re afraid of making people feel convicted. It’s all sugar coated preaching.
@@sweeteststar3882 Amen that and being a young man I want to teach the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes I want to teach about the grace, mercy, and love of Christ but I also want to teach on what it means to live for Jesus in obedience, Holiness, righteousness, and also having a heart, mind and spirit to really live for Him and love Him with all that's in us. Also talk about what continuous sinning will lead to without Repentance which is eternal separation from God and torment in hell in the end but God offers us a way out so that we could spend eternity with Him and that is through Repenting (changing) from our wicked and ungodly ways and submitting fully to Jesus as our savior and be sure we have the Holy Ghost dwelling on the inside of us.
@WTF Again? All I can say to that is the Lord loves you and if you only knew it then you'll know why I serve Him the way that i do. Many only try to understand Jesus with the mind instead of with the heart.
@@mauriceglass2854 that's lordship salvation your teaching it's a works based salvation and no lordship salvationst is saved we are saved by faith alone not works the worst sinners who belive in Chrsit is saved osas you are unsaved and hell bound trusting in your works and holy living.
Why would anyone with actual values want to participate in a community that says one set of things but lives in a completely different way? If someone actually believed Christian teachings, the last place they'd want to spend their time is most "churches."
i remember... when I was planning to get marry, my mom's pastor called me and told me not to room with my husband before marriage or else I will go to hell. My own mother was mad at him as well lol.. I am just sitting here like um k , why would I, an adult women who lived on my own since 18, let a stranger man tell me what I should or not do? Btw it is also because I lived with my first bf I learned he had anger issues and physically attacked me 2 years into living together. If I never lived with him, we would have gotten married and I would have filed divorce. No one goes to church and just sit there for some stranger direct their lives, that is not why people go to church. Who the heck are you , that think you can make judgement for God himself? LUUL I am not stupid. I left church because how judgmental most people are at churches , some are just straight out bullying. Some churches never help others all they do is tell you what to do with your lives and oh donate
Why? Because evangelical and every day ‘Christian’ Trump sycophants love and worship _that_ almighty self/supporter made king rather than _the_ king they once proclaimed to serve. We’ve watched you tear apart those you considered to be sinful (Bill Clinton for example, for years and still now) but we _don’t_ see you do this with Trump. Quite the opposite. The damage that has been done and the full on complicity allowing him to do these things “in God’s name“ (like slavery and segregation) has also damaged your cause for decades to come, if not permanently. And we can’t even hypocrisy shame you anymore because there’s no shame. People either love, worship and fall in line with the leader or they are ostracized by their Christian friends and family. The saddest thing is that you either don’t see it, or you do and you don’t care.
Why? Because it's not conducive at all. I love all these people saying that the reason America is suffering so horribly right now is because we abandoned God and to make things right again we need to go back to Him. Really??? Explain that to the millions of African and South American Christians who suffer horribly every day of their lives.
The suggested solutions are good and apply to everyone. Fine. But the phony identification of the problem, blaming parents for not living a Christianity that "costs" is so hypocritical to border of instant parody. I know millennials, I am one. Here are bunch of hipsters straight out of some donor-sponsored church internship program blaming their parents, who took them to church, provided for them, raised them etc. for not giving enough. The black guy straight up lies and claims millennials have only left the church not the faith. False. Look at the stats. Millennials are denying the existence of God in increasing numbers. They leave church not because it is too comfortable but because it makes them uncomfortable, kind of like how it's uncomfortable for these millennials to admit their peers are flat out refecting God to live their own selfish lives. People, we need honesty. We need to take responsibility. We all need to look at the logs in our eyes before others' specks.
It's not Christians, it's their beliefs I reject. Christians deny this because they can't stand that anyone could have a problem their precious beliefs so they blame themselves, parents, the church, etc... anything except the actual reason.
When pastors teach prosperity for their own gain instead of the scriptures objectively, book by book, instead focus on their own imaginations then yeah it's time to leave.
this is so true. One of the reasons I decided to stay planted at my church is because of going through the Bible in terms of Expositional preaching. I think its easy to compromise truth for convenience, when if we leave churches and go to one where the Bible isn't taught deeply, that hinders our walk with God as well. Being in a Church where one hears the Bible is one of the most important reasons to stay in a Church, otherwise people will leave and go elsewhere to seek that out.
To me I honestly believe based on listening to this video that we lives in a generation where most millennials who have been in the church they want to be coddled and they want people to have church their way. But in reality the real reason why most Millennials are leaving the church is because they have a lot of questions that are not being answered about God. Truth be told they've been being taught that God is just this Genie In The Sky that gives them whatever they want then when they get home and realize that there are certain things that still gives them doubts and those doubts are not being answered it gets to a point to where the Millennials get frustrated. A lot of Millennials are getting tired of hearing how much God is going to bless them and how much this and that it's going to happen but they're not really getting fed who God is and if he's real. The Millennials are looking to see if the things that has been preached for years is real
And that’s why the prosperity gospel is so dangerous. The church needs to talk about repentance and why Christ died.... a lot of pastors only want to talk about what God can do for YOU because that’s what people want to hear. Very few people want to hear what they must do for God, because we’re all sinners in need of a saviour.
Millennials are skeptical about the existence of god, miracles and the supernatural. In other words they reject Christian claims at their very core. This got completely ignored by the panel.
Former pastor here. I love Jesus and I love His church. But I think there's a lack of authenticity. People need to experience both the love and power of God. Too many churches have become seeker friendly for the sake of being relatable and trendy and they compromise the power of God that changes lives. We also look more postmodern then theistic. Churches need to preach the whole word. Utilize the five fold ministry model rather than placing an over emphasis on the pastor. Release people into their true callings instead of plugging them into the current needs of the church. Don't water down the power of the holy spirit. People need to connect to a real God but we continue to give them a sanitized presentation of our faith and deny the power of God.
Millennials are skeptical about the existence of god, miracles and the supernatural. In other words they reject Christian claims at their very core. This got completely ignored by the panel.
I guarantee you that if you said to a millennial or gen-z “come back to the church, this is what I’m doing to fix it” and you listed the reasons you posted above they’ll either laugh or look at you like you’re speaking another language. That isn’t why they’re leaving and that won’t bring them back. Ask them why they’re leaving, they’ll tell you. Trust me.
These people often use politics as an excuse for their own rebellion. There is no substitute for the love and power of God...as you have said...too many people sit in the pews but do not seem to have actually experienced either. Thank God there are still some faithful preachers and teachers of the word of God!
@@markanthony3275 Please look up the root definition of the word politics. Maye then you'll understand the meaning of the word rebellion, which you've chosen to conclude your sentence. Then, look up the word Sanhedrin.
i dont want to go to church because of transportation costs, need to dress nicely (suit&tie, dress shoes for guys, while women have to wear expensive dresses and dress shoes too. that stuff costs..) and a lot of millennials have a 2nd job/side hustle
@@yoleeisbored well it's about priorities enit. Will = way. I mean I know it's harder than that, but how far up it is on priority list greatly affects the weight of the decisions God bless
As an atheist that left the church not out of hate or spite but for my own personal philosophical reasons, this is the most self serving and disconnect conversation about this topic I have found thus far. This might be surprising but as an atheist I do see value in the church as an Institute and a good. It creates communion and purpose, it does a far job(when done correctly) raising children around good roll models. As we slowly lose more churches and church communities I feel that we will see/are seeing a decline in local communities break down and fall apart. As an atheist there is little in the form of a actual community outside of Internet groups or occasional meetups for something like a convention. I don’t know what the answer is? I still go to church with my mom occasionally or by myself because I have friends and family that still attend. And in some ways it’s nostalgia and enjoyable to be apart of the community again at those times. But something is clearly wrong and if these kind of serious conversation happened these are the kind of people that will drive you down the road to disaster and inevitable extinction. But what do I know? I’m just an atheist.
1:42 Yes, we are leaving god and the church. Statistics of "Nones" are way up, don't be dishonest. You all sit up on stage and do so much Church-speak and pat each other on the back for the creative fluff you come up with. Good job.
IKR, like, "we want to live in obedience and have a greater walk with God, and the reason why we aren't is someone else's fault"..... Oh please! And baby boomers were leaving the church long before millennials have been.
It’s just REALLY frustrating to me you know? I’ve ACTUALLY been talking to kids/adults who have left the church for years. I’ve been obsessed with why this is happening since my own falling away. I wanted to understand it. Not one reason they listed in the video is something I’ve heard from someone in my years of talking to people about this. The transparency thing comes up very rarely but that’s it. The really frustrating thing is that most people who have left would LOVE to talk about why and give their reasons.
There's no genuine connection at church from people my age and the older people. Plus I was bullied and ostracized by older bitter women for being a pageant queen and getting ordained before them SMH. To much hate and control issues. Pass
I'm sorry, but there's no sympathy here. Unless rape was involved, being an unwed mother deserves to bring shame. And yes, go find the guy and shame him, too.
Thanks for posting this. I’ve been talking to other ppl who have left for years since my own falling away. I’m sorry they were so awful to you. That’s actually the most common reason I hear when I talk to people : fellow millennials or gen-z hear “Christianity” and they can’t help but immediately think “hateful”, “cruel”, “selfish”, “anti-science”, and the big one “hypocritical”. I really think the big falling away and divide is because Christianity has a REALLY bad image problem with millennials/ gen-z. These are the most diverse generations in American history. They have Muslim friends, Jewish friends, gay friends, atheist friends, and trans friends. Inequality and injustice are anathema to our generation. A church that shames single-mothers, or fights tooth and nail to deny rights to LGBTQ people, or believes women shouldn’t hold leadership roles and should be subservient to men is a church most millennials & gen-z will want nothing to do with. It’s become a cultural thing. The church and the younger generation believe and want radically different things at this point. Anyway, thanks for your post. I hope you’re in a better place and doing ok.
I love conversations like this. Even though I'm not a millennial but I totally understand struggles grasping the single-hood of their generation. Most traditional churches become one-sided about the non-christian world lifestyles where it's looked at being there are too many judgemental christians within the church. These churches out here need to stop raising divided cults of leadership and focus on preaching more to young people and developments of lively hood to reach God's love for all of us not just christians.
I feel like alot of Us Millenials don't want to be bothered with the church because its a total condridiction to what religion is supposed to be about which is being a good person and loving everyone no matter how different they may be than ourselves, yet we find some of the most judgemental groups of people on this earth to be those who practice religion they'll say god loves everybody equal because he created them then in the same sentence say your going to hell because your gay, bi, or don't follow the norms of everyone else and it makes absolutely no sense what so ever and causes more harm than good for those who are different than the norm like its a bunch of B.S half the time. So yeah alot of us are over it and instead practice spirituality which doesn't judge others it accepts ALL good people. They took that bible and made it into a book that causes unnecessary fear in alot of people who just want to be themselves and enjoy life the way it resonates with them because none of us are the same and we were NEVER meant to be the same when we came here to begin with.
BINGO! Thank you! It’s so frustrating. I can tell this panel’s heart is in the right place but it’s really frustrating that not one of their reasons is something I’ve come across talking to people who are currently leaving or have left. Most millennials or gen z hear “Christian” and they think “evangelical “, particularly white evangelical. And after millenials and gen-z hear the word “Christianity” they almost all (80% in my experience) immediately think: “hypocritical”, “closed-minded”, “homophobic”, “greedy”, “stubborn”, “hateful”, “anti-science”, “anti-trans”, “conservative”, “climate-denier, etc . More than anything though it boils down to the fact that Millennials and gen z are probably the most diverse generation in American history. ANY kind of bigotry or prejudice is anathema and the worst crime imaginable to most millennials or gen-z (and that should be seen as a good thing!). Full disclosure I am a millennial and a lot of us grew up with Jewish friends, Muslim friends, Latino friends, African American friends, gay friends, trans friends, and so on. They don’t want to be affiliated with what they (rightly or wrongly) see as an exclusionary institution that doesn’t think their lgbtq friends deserve the right to marry. They don’t want to listen to a priest if the institution he serves covered up the sexual abuse of children. They don’t want to participate in a faith that thinks women shouldn’t be in leadership roles or need to be subservient to men. They don’t want to donate to a church that has a private jet but not a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Call it “virtue signaling” or w/e you want but if a millennial or gen-z hears from a pastor “Jesus is love” he better walk the walk and treat EVERYONE with love. They can also talk to others who are questioning or doubting and not feel alone in their skepticism. They can read about and find a faith more in line with their own personal moral code and run with that. Most don’t even feel like they need religion to want to be a good person they use their empathy to guide them. More than anything it’s truly become more a cultural difference and I don’t see this changing any time soon. The Christian culture and gen-z/millennial culture believe and want VERY different things. Most denominations aren’t going to change and millennials and gen z aren’t going to either. I think this decline is here to stay and will continue. Thank you for your post! It’s refreshing to read something that I’ve been hearing for YEARS from kids/adults who’ve actually left.
@WTF Again? There is no evidence that Neoliberalism is good for the economy ( Argentina, Brazil and Chile prove it) but it is the mainstream economy vision.
@@saintlugia not sure what the OP was implying, but I’d say the elephant in the room that no one mentioned was that millennials are increasingly coming to the conclusion that god doesn’t exist.
My old pastor pulled the “let’s go to lunch” move on me and I got free food and a chance to rant about how the abrahamic god is the villain of his own stories.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 New King James Version 2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of [a]Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of [b]sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
I left because my church treated me like a leper when I came out as gay. I went from being their brother to a dirty sinner. I'm not sad I left church, my live has been better =)
I’ve been obsessed with why my generation (millennials) and gen-z are leaving Christianity for years. I’ve spoken to people my age and younger all over the country and stories like yours are heartbreakingly common. I’m really sorry they were so awful to you. I hope you’re doing ok and in a better place.
@@adamwalker2377 Do you ever wonder why so many youth people are leaving the church? it's because of people like you, I can't wait for organized religion to die out.
I don't disagree with their statements; they just sound like 20 somethings who haven't weathered the storms of previous generations yet. Generation X said the same thinhs. I know, I was there.
I left because I discovered that the Bible is Not the word of God, and that Jesus Christ never existed! I actually believe if the church would truly teach us the truth instead of fairytales and bs people would stick around!
The framing is all wrong here. Nobody adheres to Christianity because it fits his preferences. Quite often it does not. A person adheres to Christianity, because he believes it to reflect objective reality. Why would you stay in a faith when you don't believe its truth claims? This isn't like picking a flavor of ice cream. If millennials (and I am one) leave Christianity, because they find the doctrines distasteful, then fine. Don't let the door hit you. The doctrine is the doctrine. The question is not whether you like them. It's not going to change and become progressive. It can't. The question is whether you believe the faith that underlies those doctrines is objectively true. And if you don't believe that Christianity represents objective reality, then why does it bother you to leave?
They are bothered because they are feeling that conviction and it has made them bitter and angry and want to hang those emotions on something or someone to absolve themselves of any accountability or responsibility. I see this is in so many young adults (work, social interactions, online, etc) and they blame everyone and anything, except taking ownership for themselves. Christianity is just the easiest target for them because typically they know that most honest, selfless Christians (and Christianity in general) turn the other cheek therefore they know they will not suffer any negative outcome for their blaming others or a belief system for their bad decisions, behaviors, and emotional turmoil that is taking place in their life. They also claim to have been a Christian at some point, but you don't become a follower of Jesus and then decide to curse Him and betray the only one who saved you from yourself. Hence why so many are here commenting, trying to drown out that convicting voice of the Spirit of God. Very tragic and sad.
For me the hay that broke the camel's back was the total embrace of Trump during his first presidential campaign, then, as if that hadn't been enough, the support from my church, the Evangelicals, during his four years in office to the extreme that some pastors told their congregations that Trump had been chosen by God. I'm in no man's land now. I feel lost, but at least I don't feel like I'm part of a bigger problem, so in that respect a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. By the way, I've always trusted science because I found that subject always so interesting. Nowadays, many Evangelicals are not even considering getting the Covid shot, while some countries in the world are having the highest mortality rates due to Covid. I already got my first shot and I'm looking forward to my second. Oh, and I'll still be wearing a face mask regardless of what Fox News host Tucker Carlson's followers have told me when I'm wearing my face mask in public in certain parts of Texas.
Yuuuuup. Now when young people hear “Christian” they think “evangelical” and when they think “evangelical “ they think about the people enabling and encouraging trump the last 4 years all while excusing behavior from him they NEVER would’ve accepted from anyone else. They’re saying they’re the moral majority while denying LGBTQ rights, demonizing people of other faiths, fear mongering about refugees, enabling white supremacy, and shouting “law and order” while storming the Capitol with a trump flag over a Christian one. They have a real image problem and they seem hell bent on doubling down. I’ve spoken to people all over about why they left and when they describe the church now the words that always always always come up are “hateful”, “bigoted”, “anti-science”, anti-gay”, and the big one “hypocritical”.
AND--the beauty part--they're LONGING to fall over dead from Covid-19 (they HATE the Earth) in large numbers as a sign of their martyrdom and "Rapture." They view Covid-19 as their one-way ticket to Heaven. I wish I were joking. Obesity, as well as bone stupidity, runs through their population.
This is tone deaf. We have been telling you over and over and over again why we laughed and you guys simply refuse to listen. Instead of asking actual people who have left you ask yourselves. Tone deafness is one of countless reasons why we left.
In my experience, i couldnt stand the fake illusion of "he/she goes to church so their a good person". My family are from a small island in the caribbean, christianity is big there. It brings me great discomfort being judged and having hands pray for me in church when these people could be wishing death upon me. Theres a hundred other reason's, but i prefer to discuss in person.
I can’t tell you how common your experience is. I also fell away (years ago now) and finding out why so many in my generation are leaving has become an obsession to me. I’m sorry your experience was so awful and painful and I hope you’re in a better place now.
if believers would know this Jesus "behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world". People would shout in the streets in a sense of guilt and churches would no longer be enough..so first give yourself completely Lamb of God, then you wouldn't even have to have such funny conversations ... "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John 12:32 KJV
There seems to be some truth here, but if I was going to follow any of this I would need a translator first to help me understand what is meant by most of the words in this segment.
Some have only the time to be a regular member every day to make AA meetings on time. You even get your turn to speak how you feel today to the other caring members with wildly different viewpoints, about a journey of THEIRS out of the grip of alcohol addiction. I could say how I became an anti theist to live a more honest lifestyle to kick the booze finally. Prayers don't fix of figure out anything that keeps on breaking.
I just found there's no difference between any faith god,Yahweh,Buddha, alah they all teach the same thing people get so caught up in the messager that they don't realize the message is what's important help those that need it be a light in someones life treat people with respect understand that life is hard and unfair and do your best
Actually the "messages" of Yahweh and the Buddha are VERY different, and in marked opposition to each other. Western and Eastern religious traditions don't even speak the same theological language.
When I was in college, I met a lot of the above. None of them were likable or even kind. They were, to an individual, hostile, suspicious ,judgmental, and had come from "small towns" of which they were apparently the best and the brightest. Their self-ordained preachers were even worse--"the Lord our God is a jealous God" sort of blather. And they would NOT compromise. Walking definitions of what it means to be a BORE.
Actually those of us who have left the brick and mortar church didn't go because we left our faith...but because the "church" as it has become, is too weak and soft. I would venture that no Christian left it for the reason you gave. Once you know HIM you don't walk away. If any walk away for that reason...didn't know Him in the first place.
@@Clairsach I other words churches today are not hyper-extreme fundie fanatic enough for you. Well that is what I and other millennials despise about Christianity. I reject not just the church but the whole Christian belief system... blood cult to it's very core while becoming an atheist.
Then churches also leave our communities and don't plant strong roots. In my own small neighborhood existed 2 churches within blocks of eachother. They weren't vested in community and the challenges we're facing.
This video oozes dishonesty. If you genuinely wanted to investigate why millenials are leaving the church then you would ask millennial who have left the church. Obviously. This is a video of make-belief reasons why people are not accepting your make-belief god.
Simply put, religion creates hope. If you notice religion is far more strong in poorer areas or areas that struggle than it is in prosperous ones. The best time of religion were the worst times in humanity. Basically, people cling to religion in hard times. That said, as a "Millennial" I left religion not ebcause I don't feel it's true or don't like it, rather because I feel as humans we never get it. We either are extremist who do things even at a sacrifice or we change the rules to fit our propaganda. Just look at the Christian churches who now welcome gay marriage with open arms, something they didn't change till the masses started to rebel. Not saying religion isn't true, just clearly humanity has no idea what that is; let alone why it is.
When Jesus spoke in front of a crowd, there were many unbelievers. The lessons he spoke were more general and broad. When Jesus spoke to his disciples, they were believers. The lessons were specific to their faith and the strategic mission of Christ. If I’m honest, Preacher bob isn’t helping the Church when we now have the ability to learn from the best speakers and theologians on our phones. I don’t need information given to me because I have access to a lot of it. I need discussion and relationship with my congregation. Unity. I need to praise God through song and I need to practice the discipline of prayer with my congregation. This would encourage one another and bring others to Christ through discipleship. Together, We need to develop strategies on how to reach people, unite denominations and love people around us. Life needs to be taken more seriously. Generally speaking, congregations take the Christian walk is to casual.
@@socksumi I see what you mean. Not seeing anything miraculous happen with a supernatural faith is ridiculously frustrating. I mean, I heard stories for years but it was not until recently in my life that I had seen stuff really happen. And not just the"this could literally been left up to chance or coincidence", but really instances of Faith in God working. It can take time sometimes, but Christ is definitely real.
I think younger generations are leaving because its becoming harder for parents to keep thier children in the dark and programed in this age of information accessibility. If you hold claims based on a fantasy novel held to the logic and reason of science it becomes very clear which is more ridiculous. Plus the failer of the Christian church to hold solid moral beliefs and secular movments are the ones leading society to a kinder world that people want to be a part of.
Nah... I go to church. The SYSTEMS are a turn off. Other ppls walk with God has nothing to do with yours. The white guy with the glasses was talking REAL
The millenials, you ask why they are leaving. The answer is simple, too much world in the Church. Instead of giving this group the rock solid truth if GOD's HOLY Word, instead you bring the world and it's traditions inside the Church. All play no real seriousness about the Word of GOD. Speaking life into someone comes from teaching the true WORD of our Holy GOD. Wisdom is only from GOD and GOD alone. So much practical foolishness I even see going on in the Church. When those young people see more true worshippers to GOD, maybe then and only then will the world come to love, seek, serve, and trust HIM, but there must be consistency, persistent in learning and living the real truth!
It does cost something..... The apostles were crucified....lady.....they died for Jesus. Of you don't want to connect and be with God's people....here on earth....why hope to be with them in heaven....
If you want to know why they are leaving the "church", ask those who left, not those who didn't yet.
YES YES YES
Exactly.
This entire talk was nothing but an echo chamber.
🗣🗣Say it louder for the people in the back🗣🗣
Perfect 👌
Great point.
The title was *clickbait* because it implied that the people who _left_ the church would be giving their opinions on why they left.
Instead ... you got the people who _remained,_ putting words in the mouths of those who left. That's pointless if you want to actually learn something.
This video was just a useless echo chamber. Nobody learned a thing here.
Exactly my thoughts
Here we are a year later.
Didn’t work, guys......they’re still leaving.
How about wives submit and "I don't permit a woman to teach." Why would a woman be a part of a group like that?
Like a Jew begging for admission into a Nazi concentration camp.
Do you believe people select a religion based on preference?
@@adamwalker2377 Most people don't select a religion at all, they're simply raised to believe in one.
Because the Bible says women are to submit to their husbands and women aren’t allowed to be Pastors.
I left because of how Christians treated me.
Why are people leaving the Church? Because they're seeing the Truth, and the truth really IS setting them free!
Politics play a huge role in why young people are turned off by Christianity. Why would young people want to align themselves with a bunch of wackos that hate everyone?..
@@richchickintexas It's more than just politics, but that is a large part of it. Millennials can also look up a pastor's statements on their smartphones and see that the pastor is lying through his teeth, something that previous generations couldn't do prior to the Internet. If someone is going to lie about gays molesting children, for example, how can you trust that person to tell you the truth about anything else?
@Duke E Short answer: three--male, female, other (with a line after "other" to get more specific)
Long answer: Well, you know how the 1960s had the Sexual Revolution? Now it's the Gender Revolution and people are discovering that there's more than just "blue for boy, pink for girl" and all the stereotypes that come along with being a man or a woman. Right now, we have male, female, trans (M2F or F2M), intersexed, genderfluid/genderqueer/mixed gender, genderless/neuter/neutrois/whatever. Once all the dust clears, I suspect it'll either be six genders (M, F, T[rans], G[enderqueer], I[ntersexed], and N[one]), five (combining Intersexed with Genderqueer) or four (M, F, O[ther], N[eutral]).
One word answer, homophobia.
That’s such a big one. The nakedly rabid and hateful anti-LGBTQ stuff is never going to work for a generation as diverse and tolerant as millennials and gen-z. It’s make or break for a lot of people.
@@stefanfilipovits21 a lot of homophobia is from so called "diversity". Blacks, hispanics, Muslims, modern man-hating feminists, non-binary trans-trenders along with plenty millenials and Gen-zers harbor homophobic bigotry. Diversity doesn't equal non-homophobic look at who voted for Prop8 in California.
It is the result of the increasing secularization of modern society. Young people are constantly being exposed to a diversity of ideas. The simplistic ideas of organized religion cannot stand up against that for very long.
Did you actually watch the video? It nothing to do with "the secularization of society," and "being exposed to a diversity of ideas." I think your comment speaks to another aspect of the problem though. For too long, the church has sought a scapegoat, rather than considering the role it plays in the problem. Until the church learns to listen to the voices of those who are leaving, the problem will remain a problem. In the meantime, millennials are seeking to restore what it means to BE the Church.
Obedience to Christ JESUS is not legalism.
@@lancerx1001 The very fact that you use the word "obedience" to Jesus is telling. The word obedience implies that there is a law or rule to be obeyed. How is that not legalism, lol?
@@TwoTrakMind I did watch the video. These millennials are saying in a nutshell that the answer to all the church's problems is to be more hardcore like the early church and have more authenticity and discipleship. Except they're wrong. And to use your words, "Until the church learns to listen to the voices of those who are leaving, the problem will remain a problem." Yes and you aren't listening to me. I am a person who has the left church. And I am telling you that the answers the church and Christianity provide aren't sufficient for dealing with the complexities of modern life. And this is the main reason why I believe people are leaving the church. Young people are being exposed to many different points of view due to the Internet and other sources. This allows them to critique their religious beliefs in an objective way that they wouldn't be able to do otherwise. And they find their religious beliefs lacking. The very fact these millennials in the video are having a discussion about why the church isn't working for them, illustrates this point. If they hadn't been exposed to outside secular critiques about the church, they probably wouldn't even have been aware there was anything wrong with Christian church. Because valid criticism of the Christian church rarely comes from inside the church in my experience.
Its not a rule or law to be obeyed. Its Christ Jesus Whom you must obey. For He is Lord God.
I left church because I prayed to God and he told me he doesn't exist and that it's a waste of time.
Then your statement is meaningless because it contradicts itself. Really the only reason people should leave the church is because they want to openly live a totally evil life , and the moral standards of God condemn them. That's the reason to embrace scientific atheism...because if you can restrict all of reality to simply it's material portion, then you can say I didn't see any evidence of the transcendent God when I use the tests that are designed to measure the material world only. If you can get rid of creation...then you can get rid of a creator...then his moral standards don't condemn you. Of course , you will have to live a depressing meaningless existence devoid of any real hope , while knowing that God really does exist despite your efforts to convince yourself otherwise...but then that can be used to justify anger, violence, addiction and suicide .
@@markanthony3275 First My statement was a joke. But if you want a serious answer, I left the church because I realized there were no good evidence for a God. It had nothing to do with wanting to live an evil life. In fact, I believe I do more good acts now as an atheist.
Athiesm doesn't necessary restrict everything to material portions. But if there is something transcendent or beyond the material world, it needs to be proven. There is no known way to do that in a way that can be verified. So it's possible we're stuck with the material. But to believe in something simply through faith is not a good and reliable path to truth.
There might be no cosmic meaning to life as an atheist, but it doesn't mean we can't create our own meaning and not appreciate life. I know the statistical improbability of existing is next to 0, so I'm thankful for life. And when you believe life and existence is limited, I believe you end up appreciating it more and respecting other people more. I'm not sure why you think atheists in general live depressing lives.
Good people will naturally do good things. Bad people will naturally do bad things regardless of their religion and beliefs. But something like religion can make good people do bad things.
@@PositivelyBrainwashed None of your reasons hold up...when a person says they were hooked on crack cocaine, turned their life over to Jesus Christ, and now have a wife, children and a well paying job because God took away his addiction...all of that is VERIFIABLE and therefore counts as evidence . And there are many many accounts of people like that...too many to say it was an exception of some kind. You say you are a good person and you do good things?...so did Hitler. But because your only standard of morality is located in YOURSELF...you must respect that Hitler's morality was also located in HIMSELF...so on what basis can you condemn him? "Oh...but he did HARMFUL things to people and I don't". But that doesn't solve the problem because he could argue (if he was alive) that your definition of harm is wrong...and YOU are the one doing harm...to what authority can you appeal your case ? None exists...except GOD'S moral standard...but you reject that. If there is no OBJECTIVE standard of morality then NO morality is possible...and objective morality only comes from God and necessarily the God of the Bible. "Good people will naturally do good things"? That's a joke right? Hitler thought he was a good person (subjective morality like yourself) and he thought that by eliminating the Jews, he was doing a good thing, because Hitler was a pagan nature worshipper who believed that the Jews were an aberration of nature...so eliminating them was "helping nature out". I could argue extensively against all of your positions...but your problem isn't one of believing argument or evidence, if it was , you'd be a Christian. No...the Bible tells me that you have a condition called spiritual blindness...blinded and seduced by the god of this world..and like the devil, you are in rebellion against he truth. You can repent...you don't want to because you do want to live an evil life...because evil often feels good.
No!!😢😢😢😢
You guys, and I’m not trying to be a prick here, should listen to people who’ve left and learn the real reasons. I guarantee not one of the reasons you guys mentioned comes up. The transparency thing might but the rest? I think you missed the point.
Whenever I listen to these panel discussions I never hear them ask anyone who's left.
Fundamentalist Christian programs rarely if ever let atheists and unbelievers come on to speak on their own behalf. They prefer a rigged game.
marla79 because they’re scared that the people who left will expose something about the religion they’d rather not deal with
Nope. We’re leaving because we don’t believe Christianity is true anymore.
Next time, ask the ACTUAL people; not a projection of what other Christians want to hear and find a way to turn into a sermon. Sheesh.
Also: we know that “let’s go to lunch” is a trap.
If you knew the truth please tell us. Its okay if people agree or not
Okay...enlighten us with the truth then. you seem to know where we come from and you seem to know of our morality. are you God?? if so... SPEAK UP and Enlighten us....
@@KingJonathanThe1st Hi, Jonathan. I can see that your defenses are up. I understand it’s incredibly uncomfortable when someone challenges your worldview. Please know that I don’t mean to demean you. It’s frustrating to see yourself being misrepresented on a platform like this, which is why I posted.
Firstly, rejecting Christianity doesn’t mean that I now magically have all the answers. In fact, one of the biggest realizations I’ve had since deconverting is being comfortable admitting that I don’t have all the answers. I don’t believe Christianity knows all the answers like it claims either. The only thing I am putting worth here is that I no longer believe in the core propositions of a Christianity and so I no longer call myself a Christian. As far as cosmology, human evolution, morality, etc. those things I am learning about now. It’s a fascinating and exciting journey!
I am glad for you if you find peace, comfort and meaning within a faith tradition. I want others to know that it’s ok to reassess your beliefs and follow the evidence wherever it leads.
@@Erin__D My peace isn’t a temporal one, it’s one that’s deeply rooted in the heart. In other words. I have real peace, not a false one. My faith isn’t a tradition. It’s a spiritual one. Ones faith comes from believing and then seeing what that faith has done to the person spiritually and how that person becomes a whole new person on the outside. You don’t find that by seeing with your own eyes which is what you’re basing your logic in. If you were to see everything on your journey and found that truth that you seem to seek, how would seeing it change you from the inside? Can we both agree here that we are living souls? We are not wild animals or monkeys. We are very aware of morality. We go through the seasons of sadness, seasons of suffering, we hurt others in such ways and then have deep internal regret for it. It sounds to me here that everyones choosing their OWN kind of morality and ignore everything else. We never grow spiritually that way.
Good luck on your journey to SEEING what you’re looking for.
@@KingJonathanThe1st thanks Jonathan. I understand where you are coming from. As far as living souls, no I cannot agree with you on that one. I think the idea of substance dualism is unsubstantiated. But I agree that we are very emotional beings, even if that came about through some sort of evolution. We need connection and purpose, and I think that those things are found in the here and now.
All I ask is that when you hear someone representing the “other side” please so to the source rather than listening to your side’s interpretation. That was a formula for creating misunderstanding and prejudice and ultimately it’s just existing in an echo chamber.
Hope you have a pleasant day.
I'm 17 and I used to go at a evangelical church. I have a choice to go or not to go, which if everything goes back to normal, I'm not returning. Every one and my mother would expect me to be the perfect girl in church. I would take classes for kids of my age where we read the bible, learn the verses, sing, and pray. I was look down upon every one when I couldn't learn my verses or dressed differently. They would criticize my sister and I and they where the "innocent" and would not scold them just because their parents where either teachers, or someone who works there. The church had me feel like the black sheep even if I tried to get along with everyone. In the day I got baptized, the women's would argue that they wanted that the priest would baptize them which made me feel uncomfortable because I started to realize that they would almost worship him more than God. The security was low where a little girl got rape by the family's visitor in the restrooms. It's not safe to go alone anymore even with someone else. I was ignored and pushed away after I came to church with my usual clothes that are black. Black t-shirts that has images of invader zim or the nightmare before christmas, just because there was no time for me to change after school. No one even took a glance at me and lost my opportunity for helping on illustrating a book for the church. I would feel guilty for the things I love in which lead to a deep depression where I would isolate myself from every one, I wouldn't get up to do my chores, go to school, do my homework, go to church, or even get up from my bed. The only times I do was to use the restroom and I would bearly eat. I wouldn't sleep do to nightmares and that led me to the hospital after I had an huge pain in the chest. After not going to that place, my relationship with my mom got better and started to do things I like without the church to pushed me around. Also my mom is okay with me being goth or what my mom would say, "rockera," as long as I dont stray away from God I'm okay. I feel more safe now that I left. There's still one person who was nice to me in church and it was my mom's friend, who her kindness was genuine.
I’m sorry things were so tough and that you had such a awful and painful time. I really hope you (and ur mom) are happy, healthy, and in a better place now. I’m 32 and fell away from the church years ago. I say I’m agnostic but I want to believe in god and I do pray if I’m honest. I’m a millennial with gen-z brothers and I’ve been talking to others who left their church or became atheists for years. I’m always curious to hear how and why others left. Especially because its become so common and seems to be a massive generational trend. Anyway, Thanks for posting your story and again: I’m glad you’re doing better and I hope it stays that way. If what you’re doing makes you a better person who is happier and healthier then you’re definitely doing the right thing.
PS: I’ve never heard the term “rockera” and I kinda love it lol
You, your sister and your mom are better. Your family is worth of respect and interest. Don’t waste you precious time on this planet talking to the void. You can live a richer, nicer and with more meaning without the superstition and lyes of religion.
@@stefanfilipovits21 rockera is a spanish work for rock based in the music genre of rock which really popular in mexico than here in the U.S.
I left my home church because of peer abuse. Came back after going to healthier, stronger churches in order to admonish and try to heal the issue by showing the error of their way which led in paving the way to repentance.
I come back to this video a lot when I’m reading about and researching this topic and I’ve been trying to figure out why. I think the reason I keep coming back to this video is because it kind of amazes me that people could miss the mark so hard. I know it’s not on purpose, they’re trying to help or think they’re listening. They have a very difficult job in addressing this issue and I don’t envy you the work it’ll take to fix it.
BUT:
If you want to know why millennials and gen-z are leaving YOU SHOULD ASK THEM. Ask the people who are leaving or have left. I’m sorry but people still in the church aren’t gonna get it. I AM a millennial with gen-z brothers. For years Ive read, researched, and actually talked to people my age and younger about why they left.
Most leave because frankly, religion and religious people have a reeeeeeal image problem with the aforementioned generations. In America when people especially millennials or gen z hear “Christian” they think “evangelical “, particularly white evangelical. Then when you read the research and see the terms millenials and gen z use to describe Christianity the words “hypocritical”, “closed-minded”, “homophobic”, “greedy”, “stubborn”, “hateful”, and “anti-science”, almost always come up. My generation and gen z grew up in a VERY diverse environment where bigotry and prejudice are the biggest injustice imaginable. We grew up with Jewish friends, Muslim friends, Latino friends, African American friends, gay friends, trans friends, and so on. This is probably the most diverse generation in American history. Most don’t want to be affiliated with what they (rightly or wrongly) see as an exclusionary institution that doesn’t think their lgbtq friends deserve the right to marry. They don’t want to listen to a priest if the institution he serves covered up the sexual abuse of children. They don’t want to participate in a faith that thinks women shouldn’t be in leadership roles or need to be subservient to men. They don’t want to donate to a church that has a private jet but not a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. We also live in a world where the sum of all human knowledge is a click away. People can look up the age of the earth with evidence to back it up. They can read historical records that contradict the Bible. They can talk to others who are questioning or doubting and not feel alone in their skepticism. They can read about and find a faith more in line with their own personal moral code and run with that. Most people don’t even feel like they need religion to want to be a good person they use their empathy to guide them. It’s honestly more a cultural difference and I don’t see this changing any time soon. The Christian culture and gen-z/millennial culture believe and want VERY different things. Most denominations aren’t going to change and millennials and gen z aren’t going to either. I think this decline is here to stay and will continue. Loading up kids on apologetics ain’t gonna cut it. I keep hoping you guys read this and start to listen. This sounds more accusatory and angry than I mean it to because you guys are trying, I can tell you’re trying and you really want to know why this is happening and what can be done. And that’s GREAT! Truly. It’s a good first step. But the next step should be listening to those that aren’t in the bubble, those that are leaving/gone. They’d love to talk to you, I’m sure of it. But PLEASE listen.
Great post and spot on. After watching many similar videos, I am getting the impression that they’re afraid to ask people who have left the faith for their reasons, because Christians are scared that the taint of apostasy will get on them somehow.
Besides, the Bible teaches them to distrust the stated beliefs and motivations of non-Christians; it teaches that such people are rebellious, depraved liars in denial of the truth. Yeah, I don’t see either side budging. It will just come down to generational replacement.
Wow, that was really beautifully articulated. I don't know why Christians think that the departure of Millenials and Gen z's is such a mystery. Why would a young woman who enjoys independence and equality in every area of her life want to belong to a Church that relegates her to second class status? Why would lgbtq people want to belong to a Church that actively campaigns against their rights and their acceptance into mainstream society? There's no mystery here.
Thanks for the post Stefan. There's a lot more cultural influence on our youth today than ever before. As you alluded to, we can all go into our own little world via social media and find a group that matches our beliefs and desires. Many youth today have grown up in a world that has replaced the 10 Commandments with 1 Commandment - do not judge. My question (and I'm not asking for a response) is how long can such a philosophy maintain itself? I think we already see what happens when people on the left encounter people on the right - cancel culture, block Chick-fil-A from opening a store, occupy Wall Street, burn down police stations. This isn't empathy, nor is it trying to understand somebody else's point of view. I'm not saying this to argue with you Stefan. I'm simply saying that if you are correct about today's youth then the church needs to prepare itself for doing what Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44) and what St. Paul said, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse" (Romans 12:14).
Our generations (Millenials and Gen Z) are also the ones with the most depression, anxiety, suicide, and drug abuse, in others words we are killing ourselves from lack of meaning in life and lack of Love that comes from knowing God. I guess our generations will just have to die out until people realize that WE are the ones that need God. God made the World and He decided what is right and wrong. Our “culture “ has taught us to accept everything and God does NOT accept everything. May our Lord have mercy on us and pour His Spirit so the blind will see.
Stefan, you don't want church, you want affirmation. You are saying you want a church that conforms to your worldview. If you want exactly what you described I highly recommend you attend one of these protestant churches: Episcopalian, Presbyterian (PCUSA), most United Methodist, Disciples of Christ, Universalist Unitarian, many Lutheran, and pretty much any mainline denomination out there. You will be affirmed but you will leave with nothing. Yes, your view represents the post-modern culture, but it has nothing to do with Christianity. You may be better off skipping the church scene if you want to be affirmed. If you want your thinking challenged, consider a conservative evangelical church.
Lovely. Christian millennials talking about why OTHER millennials are leaving Christianity (and in some cases, Islam) behind.
For me, it started with the betrayal of trust from one church. Then I begin to take notice that churches have gone from telling stories (with a bit of moral teaching) and preaching to suddenly making up and enforcing rules ("you can't listen to rock music as it's a sign from Satan and I know this because the Bible says so", "You have to go to church every Sunday and Wednesday in order to save your soul from eternal damnation" and so on). What's even worse is how when you talk about how you have issues with someone, in my case it was with my late biological father that I've been going at it with all the way till his death (long story and I don't care that he's gone), it's automatically "you have to go and forgive that person right away or else you're condemned to Hell" as well as quoting useless verses like "Honor thy father and mother" (to which I say it should go both ways where the children honors their father and mother and the father and mother should honor their children as well). Forcing someone and demanding said someone to forgive another person is NOT the way to do it as well as forcing someone to go to church is not very Christian-like. Also, don't go preaching about helping the less fortunate if you're not going to bother doing that yourself. Personally, I'm done with churches. I'm not giving up my faith, but I'm giving up the churches.
Church is irrelevant, style is obsolete, doesn't follow the Bible, tones of false teachings that must be fact checked, lies, greed, pride, ok with adultery, gossip rather than help, and judge the poor and needy. They use hypnosis for getting members vulnerable to profit off donations.
You are not allowed to help or participate but only give more and more donations and be condemned. Never disagree with the authorities or they attack and make your life hell. Thanks to restrictions for making the church rethink these things.
@@deannang455 yeah. pretty much they want us to be mindless zombies.
If you don't mind, can I share the reason why I'm atheist too?
@@raincandy1653 go for it. Let's hear your story
@@warriorsorb1111 the reason I became atheist was different reasons. It kind of started when I was 9. At the time, I was feeling suicidal though I still don't know why. I had told my mom about my suicidal thoughts and believed that she'd help with that.
Instead, she told me that if I killed myself, I'd go to Hell and just prayed over me. I believed that I was "cured" and long story short, I have sudden bouts of extreme suicidal thoughts where I almost kill myself but then get a hold of myself.
That kind of gave me a hatred of sorts towards the religion. But funnily enough, the reason I decided to become atheist was because of an argument I had with my aunt about reincarnation and Heaven.
As a former Christian I can tell you why I and many others my age left.
1. I studied history. The facts did not align with the faith.
2. I studied science. The facts did not align with the faith.
3. I studied other religions. Their faith seemed just as strong yet also had no basis in reality.
4. I saw what those in positions of religious power were saying and compared it to the faith. Both were full of lies.
5. If I had been born anywhere else, in any other time, to any other family I would have been born into a different faith.
Expanding on number 4 Religious Trauma Syndrome:
An entire generation of Evangelical kids were indoctrinated into a purity culture that was based on ideas by a 20 year old homeschooled kid that didn't know crap (Josh Harris). They were threatened with hellfire and given purity rings. They were taught a purity prosperity gospel. They got older and learned it was all a lie. That's why EVERY person I know that left the church did so. BC eventually we woke up and saw the BS for what it is and nothing will hold on to you when you have been so spiritually abused and you see the truth and know that there is no hell and no heaven and this world is what you make of it. That's the answer that none of them even realise. They will eventually.
How do you know that the history and science you studied were true??? You are just accepting that what you learned is true...because you wanted to believe it was true. You accepted it all by faith ...the same faith you could have had in Jesus Christ . Except there are actually many more reasons to believe in Jesus Christ. What's the real reason you walked away ? You are rebelling against God and you needed an excuse to justify rebelling against what you know is true. Like older generations, you make a plausible sounding excuse...but under examination...it doesn't hold up.
I agree 100%
@@markanthony3275 I think you're forgetting one small detail, science and history are predictable and useful. Don't really need faith for that.
@@markanthony3275 Your point is the same as what Jesus was saying in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man wanted to leave Hades and warn his brothers, but he was told "If they won't listen to Moses and the Prophets, they won't listen to someone who rises from the dead." Facts often substantiate what we currently believe, they do not necessarily cause people to assess them objectively.
The church has done nothing for any of the communities that they dwell in. Think about the location of every Church you see.
it's in a dilapidated neighborhood isn't it? Unless it's a mega church.
And I've noticed more and more people trying to open up churches why because their tax-exempt that's the only reason why they want a church. Too many pastors don't even live in the community in which they preach.
You got people in your congregation praying for a car and then the preacher just bought your wife a Lambo. get out I don't need that in my life.
And when you have to work 40 plus hours a week when you finally get a weekend you ain't getting up early to go to no church on Sunday. Work is more important cuz I got bills.
Jesus rode a Lambo ....into Jerusalem
Nailed it! I left the church and Christianity for a lot of reasons but one of the main reasons was because I wanted to help people...
I think there is some merit to what you said. Many leaders of the church have failed the generation. I am sorry that the prosperity preaching ever became a thing that you had to endure.
Please though, don’t paint the entire faith with that brush. There are many churches that practice what they preach out there. I hope that you can find one and learn about the love of Jesus in action. Such places are out there my friends.
In my neighborhood, the Churches are on Summit Avenue, a beautiful and exclusive part of my city. I even feel safe walking to them.
In a nutshell, this Millennial is tired of going to church to get candy and bubble gum when she really needs steak and potatoes.
Bob Many churches nowadays are teaching purely prosperity gospel so they don’t tread on anyone’s toes. Many churches never talk about repentance and WHY Jesus died for us. He died for our sins, but so many pastors aren’t even teaching about sin anymore because they’re afraid of making people feel convicted. It’s all sugar coated preaching.
@@sweeteststar3882 Amen that and being a young man I want to teach the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes I want to teach about the grace, mercy, and love of Christ but I also want to teach on what it means to live for Jesus in obedience, Holiness, righteousness, and also having a heart, mind and spirit to really live for Him and love Him with all that's in us. Also talk about what continuous sinning will lead to without Repentance which is eternal separation from God and torment in hell in the end but God offers us a way out so that we could spend eternity with Him and that is through Repenting (changing) from our wicked and ungodly ways and submitting fully to Jesus as our savior and be sure we have the Holy Ghost dwelling on the inside of us.
@WTF Again? All I can say to that is the Lord loves you and if you only knew it then you'll know why I serve Him the way that i do. Many only try to understand Jesus with the mind instead of with the heart.
@@mauriceglass2854 that's lordship salvation your teaching it's a works based salvation and no lordship salvationst is saved we are saved by faith alone not works the worst sinners who belive in Chrsit is saved osas you are unsaved and hell bound trusting in your works and holy living.
@T South Funny, your reply is during the pandemic with a shortage of meat and many pastors aren't receiving salaries.
Why would anyone with actual values want to participate in a community that says one set of things but lives in a completely different way?
If someone actually believed Christian teachings, the last place they'd want to spend their time is most "churches."
I’m Gen Z (1997) and I believe in Jesus Christ! He is my Lord and Savior!❤
i remember... when I was planning to get marry, my mom's pastor called me and told me not to room with my husband before marriage or else I will go to hell. My own mother was mad at him as well lol.. I am just sitting here like um k , why would I, an adult women who lived on my own since 18, let a stranger man tell me what I should or not do? Btw it is also because I lived with my first bf I learned he had anger issues and physically attacked me 2 years into living together. If I never lived with him, we would have gotten married and I would have filed divorce. No one goes to church and just sit there for some stranger direct their lives, that is not why people go to church. Who the heck are you , that think you can make judgement for God himself? LUUL I am not stupid. I left church because how judgmental most people are at churches , some are just straight out bullying. Some churches never help others all they do is tell you what to do with your lives and oh donate
Why? Because evangelical and every day ‘Christian’ Trump sycophants love and worship _that_ almighty self/supporter made king rather than _the_ king they once proclaimed to serve. We’ve watched you tear apart those you considered to be sinful (Bill Clinton for example, for years and still now) but we _don’t_ see you do this with Trump. Quite the opposite. The damage that has been done and the full on complicity allowing him to do these things “in God’s name“ (like slavery and segregation) has also damaged your cause for decades to come, if not permanently. And we can’t even hypocrisy shame you anymore because there’s no shame. People either love, worship and fall in line with the leader or they are ostracized by their Christian friends and family. The saddest thing is that you either don’t see it, or you do and you don’t care.
Why? Because it's not conducive at all. I love all these people saying that the reason America is suffering so horribly right now is because we abandoned God and to make things right again we need to go back to Him. Really??? Explain that to the millions of African and South American Christians who suffer horribly every day of their lives.
The suggested solutions are good and apply to everyone. Fine. But the phony identification of the problem, blaming parents for not living a Christianity that "costs" is so hypocritical to border of instant parody. I know millennials, I am one. Here are bunch of hipsters straight out of some donor-sponsored church internship program blaming their parents, who took them to church, provided for them, raised them etc. for not giving enough.
The black guy straight up lies and claims millennials have only left the church not the faith. False. Look at the stats. Millennials are denying the existence of God in increasing numbers. They leave church not because it is too comfortable but because it makes them uncomfortable, kind of like how it's uncomfortable for these millennials to admit their peers are flat out refecting God to live their own selfish lives. People, we need honesty. We need to take responsibility. We all need to look at the logs in our eyes before others' specks.
Man! You see the whole vid?? Thats crazy!
It's not Christians, it's their beliefs I reject. Christians deny this because they can't stand that anyone could have a problem their precious beliefs so they blame themselves, parents, the church, etc... anything except the actual reason.
When pastors teach prosperity for their own gain instead of the scriptures objectively, book by book, instead focus on their own imaginations then yeah it's time to leave.
this is so true. One of the reasons I decided to stay planted at my church is because of going through the Bible in terms of Expositional preaching. I think its easy to compromise truth for convenience, when if we leave churches and go to one where the Bible isn't taught deeply, that hinders our walk with God as well. Being in a Church where one hears the Bible is one of the most important reasons to stay in a Church, otherwise people will leave and go elsewhere to seek that out.
Yea completely agree: leave that church, not the church. There are great churches out there; you just have to look for them with an open mind.
Do you want to tell us where is the truth?
To me I honestly believe based on listening to this video that we lives in a generation where most millennials who have been in the church they want to be coddled and they want people to have church their way. But in reality the real reason why most Millennials are leaving the church is because they have a lot of questions that are not being answered about God. Truth be told they've been being taught that God is just this Genie In The Sky that gives them whatever they want then when they get home and realize that there are certain things that still gives them doubts and those doubts are not being answered it gets to a point to where the Millennials get frustrated. A lot of Millennials are getting tired of hearing how much God is going to bless them and how much this and that it's going to happen but they're not really getting fed who God is and if he's real. The Millennials are looking to see if the things that has been preached for years is real
And this Millennial says AMEN!
You hit the nail right on the head. I will use your comment to explain this to another person
And that’s why the prosperity gospel is so dangerous. The church needs to talk about repentance and why Christ died.... a lot of pastors only want to talk about what God can do for YOU because that’s what people want to hear. Very few people want to hear what they must do for God, because we’re all sinners in need of a saviour.
AMÉN!!!
Millennials are skeptical about the existence of god, miracles and the supernatural. In other words they reject Christian claims at their very core. This got completely ignored by the panel.
Former pastor here. I love Jesus and I love His church. But I think there's a lack of authenticity. People need to experience both the love and power of God. Too many churches have become seeker friendly for the sake of being relatable and trendy and they compromise the power of God that changes lives. We also look more postmodern then theistic.
Churches need to preach the whole word. Utilize the five fold ministry model rather than placing an over emphasis on the pastor. Release people into their true callings instead of plugging them into the current needs of the church. Don't water down the power of the holy spirit. People need to connect to a real God but we continue to give them a sanitized presentation of our faith and deny the power of God.
Millennials are skeptical about the existence of god, miracles and the supernatural. In other words they reject Christian claims at their very core. This got completely ignored by the panel.
I guarantee you that if you said to a millennial or gen-z “come back to the church, this is what I’m doing to fix it” and you listed the reasons you posted above they’ll either laugh or look at you like you’re speaking another language. That isn’t why they’re leaving and that won’t bring them back. Ask them why they’re leaving, they’ll tell you. Trust me.
These people often use politics as an excuse for their own rebellion. There is no substitute for the love and power of God...as you have said...too many people sit in the pews but do not seem to have actually experienced either. Thank God there are still some faithful preachers and teachers of the word of God!
@@markanthony3275 Please look up the root definition of the word politics. Maye then you'll understand the meaning of the word rebellion, which you've chosen to conclude your sentence. Then, look up the word Sanhedrin.
I dont go to church cause its boring and most of the time i got a huge hangover on sunday mornings
Thanks for being honest bro! Come Drunk!
I'm a Theologian n I get bored listening to sermons that are boring AF.
i dont want to go to church because of transportation costs, need to dress nicely (suit&tie, dress shoes for guys, while women have to wear expensive dresses and dress shoes too. that stuff costs..) and a lot of millennials have a 2nd job/side hustle
@@azaelia2000 how abouť another church with a different pastor? Just because some preachers can be boring does it mean that all are.
@@yoleeisbored well it's about priorities enit. Will = way. I mean I know it's harder than that, but how far up it is on priority list greatly affects the weight of the decisions
God bless
maybe its bc we think its all bullshit
Self-examination isn't, and never has been, the church's long suit. I didn't leave the church. It left me
As an atheist that left the church not out of hate or spite but for my own personal philosophical reasons, this is the most self serving and disconnect conversation about this topic I have found thus far.
This might be surprising but as an atheist I do see value in the church as an Institute and a good.
It creates communion and purpose, it does a far job(when done correctly) raising children around good roll models.
As we slowly lose more churches and church communities I feel that we will see/are seeing a decline in local communities break down and fall apart.
As an atheist there is little in the form of a actual community outside of Internet groups or occasional meetups for something like a convention.
I don’t know what the answer is?
I still go to church with my mom occasionally or by myself because I have friends and family that still attend.
And in some ways it’s nostalgia and enjoyable to be apart of the community again at those times.
But something is clearly wrong and if these kind of serious conversation happened these are the kind of people that will drive you down the road to disaster and inevitable extinction.
But what do I know?
I’m just an atheist.
1:42 Yes, we are leaving god and the church. Statistics of "Nones" are way up, don't be dishonest. You all sit up on stage and do so much Church-speak and pat each other on the back for the creative fluff you come up with. Good job.
Just bring an atheist millennial on stage and you'll get far more honest and correct answers.
IKR, like, "we want to live in obedience and have a greater walk with God, and the reason why we aren't is someone else's fault"..... Oh please! And baby boomers were leaving the church long before millennials have been.
It’s just REALLY frustrating to me you know? I’ve ACTUALLY been talking to kids/adults who have left the church for years. I’ve been obsessed with why this is happening since my own falling away. I wanted to understand it.
Not one reason they listed in the video is something I’ve heard from someone in my years of talking to people about this. The transparency thing comes up very rarely but that’s it. The really frustrating thing is that most people who have left would LOVE to talk about why and give their reasons.
When preachers stop asking for private jets.
Thanks Grant, good perspective.
There's no genuine connection at church from people my age and the older people. Plus I was bullied and ostracized by older bitter women for being a pageant queen and getting ordained before them SMH. To much hate and control issues. Pass
I'm sorry, but there's no sympathy here. Unless rape was involved, being an unwed mother deserves to bring shame.
And yes, go find the guy and shame him, too.
@@adamwalker2377 who commented about being a single mother? What are you talking about?
@@AmaLoveGoddessTV did you watch the video?
@@Capricornbeats let me guess...you're probably ok with abortion, aren't you?
Thanks for posting this. I’ve been talking to other ppl who have left for years since my own falling away. I’m sorry they were so awful to you. That’s actually the most common reason I hear when I talk to people : fellow millennials or gen-z hear “Christianity” and they can’t help but immediately think “hateful”, “cruel”, “selfish”, “anti-science”, and the big one “hypocritical”.
I really think the big falling away and divide is because Christianity has a REALLY bad image problem with millennials/ gen-z. These are the most diverse generations in American history. They have Muslim friends, Jewish friends, gay friends, atheist friends, and trans friends. Inequality and injustice are anathema to our generation. A church that shames single-mothers, or fights tooth and nail to deny rights to LGBTQ people, or believes women shouldn’t hold leadership roles and should be subservient to men is a church most millennials & gen-z will want nothing to do with. It’s become a cultural thing. The church and the younger generation believe and want radically different things at this point.
Anyway, thanks for your post. I hope you’re in a better place and doing ok.
I love conversations like this. Even though I'm not a millennial but I totally understand struggles grasping the single-hood of their generation. Most traditional churches become one-sided about the non-christian world lifestyles where it's looked at being there are too many judgemental christians within the church. These churches out here need to stop raising divided cults of leadership and focus on preaching more to young people and developments of lively hood to reach God's love for all of us not just christians.
Because god aint real. It made my choice easy. Despite 25 years of being a believing and hardcore Christian.
I feel like alot of Us Millenials don't want to be bothered with the church because its a total condridiction to what religion is supposed to be about which is being a good person and loving everyone no matter how different they may be than ourselves, yet we find some of the most judgemental groups of people on this earth to be those who practice religion they'll say god loves everybody equal because he created them then in the same sentence say your going to hell because your gay, bi, or don't follow the norms of everyone else and it makes absolutely no sense what so ever and causes more harm than good for those who are different than the norm like its a bunch of B.S half the time. So yeah alot of us are over it and instead practice spirituality which doesn't judge others it accepts ALL good people. They took that bible and made it into a book that causes unnecessary fear in alot of people who just want to be themselves and enjoy life the way it resonates with them because none of us are the same and we were NEVER meant to be the same when we came here to begin with.
BINGO! Thank you! It’s so frustrating. I can tell this panel’s heart is in the right place but it’s really frustrating that not one of their reasons is something I’ve come across talking to people who are currently leaving or have left. Most millennials or gen z hear “Christian” and they think “evangelical “, particularly white evangelical. And after millenials and gen-z hear the word “Christianity” they almost all (80% in my experience) immediately think: “hypocritical”, “closed-minded”, “homophobic”, “greedy”, “stubborn”, “hateful”, “anti-science”, “anti-trans”, “conservative”, “climate-denier, etc . More than anything though it boils down to the fact that Millennials and gen z are probably the most diverse generation in American history. ANY kind of bigotry or prejudice is anathema and the worst crime imaginable to most millennials or gen-z (and that should be seen as a good thing!). Full disclosure I am a millennial and a lot of us grew up with Jewish friends, Muslim friends, Latino friends, African American friends, gay friends, trans friends, and so on. They don’t want to be affiliated with what they (rightly or wrongly) see as an exclusionary institution that doesn’t think their lgbtq friends deserve the right to marry. They don’t want to listen to a priest if the institution he serves covered up the sexual abuse of children. They don’t want to participate in a faith that thinks women shouldn’t be in leadership roles or need to be subservient to men. They don’t want to donate to a church that has a private jet but not a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Call it “virtue signaling” or w/e you want but if a millennial or gen-z hears from a pastor “Jesus is love” he better walk the walk and treat EVERYONE with love. They can also talk to others who are questioning or doubting and not feel alone in their skepticism. They can read about and find a faith more in line with their own personal moral code and run with that. Most don’t even feel like they need religion to want to be a good person they use their empathy to guide them.
More than anything it’s truly become more a cultural difference and I don’t see this changing any time soon. The Christian culture and gen-z/millennial culture believe and want VERY different things. Most denominations aren’t going to change and millennials and gen z aren’t going to either. I think this decline is here to stay and will continue.
Thank you for your post! It’s refreshing to read something that I’ve been hearing for YEARS from kids/adults who’ve actually left.
All I hear is a bunch of excuses
Just awful. This should be called “Millennial and Gen Z Christians smugly imagine character flaws in the non-Christian peers.”
no one named the elephant in the room
What's the elephant in the room?
@WTF Again? There is no evidence that Neoliberalism is good for the economy ( Argentina, Brazil and Chile prove it) but it is the mainstream economy vision.
@@saintlugia not sure what the OP was implying, but I’d say the elephant in the room that no one mentioned was that millennials are increasingly coming to the conclusion that god doesn’t exist.
@@aldenwelsch6354 That's perfectly fine. They are free to have their opinion.
Yes! Be open, real and transparent. Make disciples!
My old pastor pulled the “let’s go to lunch” move on me and I got free food and a chance to rant about how the abrahamic god is the villain of his own stories.
Too much Christianity gets in the way of their critical theory religion.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3
New King James Version
2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of [a]Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of [b]sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
I left because my church treated me like a leper when I came out as gay. I went from being their brother to a dirty sinner. I'm not sad I left church, my live has been better =)
I’ve been obsessed with why my generation (millennials) and gen-z are leaving Christianity for years. I’ve spoken to people my age and younger all over the country and stories like yours are heartbreakingly common. I’m really sorry they were so awful to you. I hope you’re doing ok and in a better place.
Well, if you're going to flagrantly violate Christian sexual ethics, why would you expect the organization to endorse your lifestyle?
@@adamwalker2377 Do you ever wonder why so many youth people are leaving the church? it's because of people like you, I can't wait for organized religion to die out.
@@adamwalker2377 P.S. I'm happier now than I ever was with your precious god. If anything I'm on team Satan now =D
@@Barry-rc5nf why did you ever waste your time in the first place?
The answers these young adults are giving are part of the reason why people have left the church. Why would you ask the problem for the solution?
Us baby boomers are struggling with this as well
I don't think Christianity will be around much longer
Thank you, this is very helpful
“Call the gold out of them”. I Love that sentence!!
Ignorance is bliss until the day of judgement, this panel is extremely ignorant of scripture obviously 😉
The other thing is about going to church is its hard to make friends
I don't disagree with their statements; they just sound like 20 somethings who haven't weathered the storms of previous generations yet. Generation X said the same thinhs. I know, I was there.
Because education and logical thinking are becoming more mainstream.
Because it doesn't make sense. It's that simple.
Yep! Excellent summary! 👍
I left because I discovered that the Bible is Not the word of God, and that Jesus Christ never existed! I actually believe if the church would truly teach us the truth instead of fairytales and bs people would stick around!
The framing is all wrong here.
Nobody adheres to Christianity because it fits his preferences. Quite often it does not. A person adheres to Christianity, because he believes it to reflect objective reality.
Why would you stay in a faith when you don't believe its truth claims? This isn't like picking a flavor of ice cream.
If millennials (and I am one) leave Christianity, because they find the doctrines distasteful, then fine. Don't let the door hit you. The doctrine is the doctrine. The question is not whether you like them. It's not going to change and become progressive. It can't.
The question is whether you believe the faith that underlies those doctrines is objectively true.
And if you don't believe that Christianity represents objective reality, then why does it bother you to leave?
They are bothered because they are feeling that conviction and it has made them bitter and angry and want to hang those emotions on something or someone to absolve themselves of any accountability or responsibility. I see this is in so many young adults (work, social interactions, online, etc) and they blame everyone and anything, except taking ownership for themselves.
Christianity is just the easiest target for them because typically they know that most honest, selfless Christians (and Christianity in general) turn the other cheek therefore they know they will not suffer any negative outcome for their blaming others or a belief system for their bad decisions, behaviors, and emotional turmoil that is taking place in their life.
They also claim to have been a Christian at some point, but you don't become a follower of Jesus and then decide to curse Him and betray the only one who saved you from yourself. Hence why so many are here commenting, trying to drown out that convicting voice of the Spirit of God. Very tragic and sad.
For me the hay that broke the camel's back was the total embrace of Trump during his first presidential campaign, then, as if that hadn't been enough, the support from my church, the Evangelicals, during his four years in office to the extreme that some pastors told their congregations that Trump had been chosen by God. I'm in no man's land now. I feel lost, but at least I don't feel like I'm part of a bigger problem, so in that respect a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
By the way, I've always trusted science because I found that subject always so interesting. Nowadays, many Evangelicals are not even considering getting the Covid shot, while some countries in the world are having the highest mortality rates due to Covid. I already got my first shot and I'm looking forward to my second.
Oh, and I'll still be wearing a face mask regardless of what Fox News host Tucker Carlson's followers have told me when I'm wearing my face mask in public in certain parts of Texas.
Yuuuuup. Now when young people hear “Christian” they think “evangelical” and when they think “evangelical “ they think about the people enabling and encouraging trump the last 4 years all while excusing behavior from him they NEVER would’ve accepted from anyone else. They’re saying they’re the moral majority while denying LGBTQ rights, demonizing people of other faiths, fear mongering about refugees, enabling white supremacy, and shouting “law and order” while storming the Capitol with a trump flag over a Christian one. They have a real image problem and they seem hell bent on doubling down.
I’ve spoken to people all over about why they left and when they describe the church now the words that always always always come up are “hateful”, “bigoted”, “anti-science”, anti-gay”, and the big one “hypocritical”.
AND--the beauty part--they're LONGING to fall over dead from Covid-19 (they HATE the Earth) in large numbers as a sign of their martyrdom and "Rapture." They view Covid-19 as their one-way ticket to Heaven. I wish I were joking. Obesity, as well as bone stupidity, runs through their population.
This is tone deaf. We have been telling you over and over and over again why we laughed and you guys simply refuse to listen. Instead of asking actual people who have left you ask yourselves. Tone deafness is one of countless reasons why we left.
True! 😄
They are asking wrong sample, that become so useless and silly. So off the mark.
In my experience, i couldnt stand the fake illusion of "he/she goes to church so their a good person".
My family are from a small island in the caribbean, christianity is big there.
It brings me great discomfort being judged and having hands pray for me in church when these people could be wishing death upon me.
Theres a hundred other reason's, but i prefer to discuss in person.
true
I left the church when I realized that god wasn’t real.
Not all pastors are that way
What's with this obsession millennials have with vulnerability?
What's the obsession of old and about to die about perfection?
Because they try to take advantage of me and form clicks and make me feel left out and that I can’t express myself freely
I can’t tell you how common your experience is. I also fell away (years ago now) and finding out why so many in my generation are leaving has become an obsession to me. I’m sorry your experience was so awful and painful and I hope you’re in a better place now.
Church focuses on marriages and singles are left behind which I left church 3 times in the past 5 years
Define growing up in a church🤔
We're leaving the church because of the hypocrisy and frothing hatred
Christian video using click bait. How holy...
if believers would know this Jesus "behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world". People would shout in the streets in a sense of guilt and churches would no longer be enough..so first give yourself completely Lamb of God, then you wouldn't even have to have such funny conversations ...
"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world"
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."
John 12:32 KJV
Coooool
Thanks for sharing new friend. Like 💐
there unlike the early church
There seems to be some truth here, but if I was going to follow any of this I would need a translator first to help me understand what is meant by most of the words in this segment.
Honestly I see church on TV if feel like it
Some have only the time to be a regular member every day to make AA meetings on time. You even get your turn to speak how you feel today to the other caring members with wildly different viewpoints, about a journey of THEIRS out of the grip of alcohol addiction. I could say how I became an anti theist to live a more honest lifestyle to kick the booze finally.
Prayers don't fix of figure out anything that keeps on breaking.
I just found there's no difference between any faith god,Yahweh,Buddha, alah they all teach the same thing people get so caught up in the messager that they don't realize the message is what's important help those that need it be a light in someones life treat people with respect understand that life is hard and unfair and do your best
Well said
Actually the "messages" of Yahweh and the Buddha are VERY different, and in marked opposition to each other. Western and Eastern religious traditions don't even speak the same theological language.
When I was in college, I met a lot of the above. None of them were likable or even kind. They were, to an individual, hostile, suspicious ,judgmental, and had come from "small towns" of which they were apparently the best and the brightest. Their self-ordained preachers were even worse--"the Lord our God is a jealous God" sort of blather. And they would NOT compromise. Walking definitions of what it means to be a BORE.
Today, more people are leaving Christianity due to lack of evidence for God.
Actually those of us who have left the brick and mortar church didn't go because we left our faith...but because the "church" as it has become, is too weak and soft. I would venture that no Christian left it for the reason you gave. Once you know HIM you don't walk away. If any walk away for that reason...didn't know Him in the first place.
@@Clairsach I other words churches today are not hyper-extreme fundie fanatic enough for you. Well that is what I and other millennials despise about Christianity.
I reject not just the church but the whole Christian belief system... blood cult to it's very core while becoming an atheist.
Sad 😞
Un-inspirational teachings.
Then churches also leave our communities and don't plant strong roots. In my own small neighborhood existed 2 churches within blocks of eachother. They weren't vested in community and the challenges we're facing.
This video oozes dishonesty. If you genuinely wanted to investigate why millenials are leaving the church then you would ask millennial who have left the church. Obviously.
This is a video of make-belief reasons why people are not accepting your make-belief god.
Go and search for the right chuch if you don't you gotta change indeed
Simply put, religion creates hope. If you notice religion is far more strong in poorer areas or areas that struggle than it is in prosperous ones. The best time of religion were the worst times in humanity. Basically, people cling to religion in hard times.
That said, as a "Millennial" I left religion not ebcause I don't feel it's true or don't like it, rather because I feel as humans we never get it. We either are extremist who do things even at a sacrifice or we change the rules to fit our propaganda. Just look at the Christian churches who now welcome gay marriage with open arms, something they didn't change till the masses started to rebel.
Not saying religion isn't true, just clearly humanity has no idea what that is; let alone why it is.
religion is not true, it is a superstition
@@khanoh8141 Agreed. It's why I say Religion is a failing person's imaginary life vest. Some people don't have meaning without it.
millennials: the know it all's but have NO substance
When Jesus spoke in front of a crowd, there were many unbelievers. The lessons he spoke were more general and broad. When Jesus spoke to his disciples, they were believers. The lessons were specific to their faith and the strategic mission of Christ.
If I’m honest, Preacher bob isn’t helping the Church when we now have the ability to learn from the best speakers and theologians on our phones. I don’t need information given to me because I have access to a lot of it. I need discussion and relationship with my congregation. Unity. I need to praise God through song and I need to practice the discipline of prayer with my congregation. This would encourage one another and bring others to Christ through discipleship. Together, We need to develop strategies on how to reach people, unite denominations and love people around us. Life needs to be taken more seriously. Generally speaking, congregations take the Christian walk is to casual.
This group is kinda corny
People leave the church because they don't realize it's them and God.
Because it's fake
No one quoted scripture and no one quoted from the great reformers (ie: Spurgeon, Finney, etc.)
It's about experiencing something that's real.That hits you in the gut (all due respect to the greats).
@@azaelia2000 I have yet to experience anything real in church, just extraordinary claims that defy reason and believability.
@@socksumi I see what you mean. Not seeing anything miraculous happen with a supernatural faith is ridiculously frustrating. I mean, I heard stories for years but it was not until recently in my life that I had seen stuff really happen. And not just the"this could literally been left up to chance or coincidence", but really instances of Faith in God working. It can take time sometimes, but Christ is definitely real.
No reply or Christian apologetics? Its worst than I thought lol.
I think younger generations are leaving because its becoming harder for parents to keep thier children in the dark and programed in this age of information accessibility.
If you hold claims based on a fantasy novel held to the logic and reason of science it becomes very clear which is more ridiculous.
Plus the failer of the Christian church to hold solid moral beliefs and secular movments are the ones leading society to a kinder world that people want to be a part of.
Nah... I go to church. The SYSTEMS are a turn off. Other ppls walk with God has nothing to do with yours. The white guy with the glasses was talking REAL
cause there's so much info out there that people realize God does not exist
The millenials, you ask why they are leaving. The answer is simple, too much world in the Church. Instead of giving this group the rock solid truth if GOD's HOLY Word, instead you bring the world and it's traditions inside the Church. All play no real seriousness about the Word of GOD. Speaking life into someone comes from teaching the true WORD of our Holy GOD. Wisdom is only from GOD and GOD alone. So much practical foolishness I even see going on in the Church. When those young people see more true worshippers to GOD, maybe then and only then will the world come to love, seek, serve, and trust HIM, but there must be consistency, persistent in learning and living the real truth!
Psalm 119:9
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
...the word, the way, the truth 🙏
It does cost something.....
The apostles were crucified....lady.....they died for Jesus.
Of you don't want to connect and be with God's people....here on earth....why hope to be with them in heaven....