43% of millennials ‘don’t know, don’t care, don’t believe’ God exists: study

Michie

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Handmaid for Jesus

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Makes you wonder what we believers are failing to do or doing to cause these depressing statistics. But then again, politics and ideologies have become the new religion.

43% of millennials 'don’t know, don’t care, don’t believe' God exists: study
IMHO the problem began when they took prayer out of public school.I was saved at a young age. We had a period in school called devotion. It was the start of our day. We learned to pray, learned hymns and patriotic songs, and we learned Bible verses.We learned that Jesus died for our sins. Of course these thing were also taught at home and at Sunday school. Believers need to repent and return to these practices.
 
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honestal

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Makes you wonder what we believers are failing to do or doing to cause these depressing statistics.

"It is one thing to treat the Bible as a book of good moral instruction, to be heeded so far as is consistent with the spirit of the times and our position in the world; it is another thing to regard it as it really is—the word of the living God, the word that is our life, the word that is to mold our actions, our words, and our thoughts. To hold God's word as anything less than this is to reject it. AND THIS REJECTION BY THOSE WHO PROFESS TO BELIEVE IT, IS FOREMOST AMONG THE CAUSES OF SKEPTICISM AND INFIDELITY IN THE YOUTH." {Education 260}
 
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Pioneer3mm

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Makes you wonder what we believers are failing to do or doing to cause these depressing statistics. But then again, politics and ideologies have become the new religion.

43% of millennials 'don’t know, don’t care, don’t believe' God exists: study
Good post/article..
----
I was at the Men's Breakfast meeting..a few years ago.
A young fellow gave a presentation..
- He said, " we have modern convenience, advanced technology...but my generation is lost."
- He asked for help/advice.. he was the youngest one at the meeting!
 
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Handmaid for Jesus

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"It is one thing to treat the Bible as a book of good moral instruction, to be heeded so far as is consistent with the spirit of the times and our position in the world; it is another thing to regard it as it really is—the word of the living God, the word that is our life, the word that is to mold our actions, our words, and our thoughts. To hold God's word as anything less than this is to reject it. AND THIS REJECTION BY THOSE WHO PROFESS TO BELIEVE IT, IS FOREMOST AMONG THE CAUSES OF SKEPTICISM AND INFIDELITY IN THE YOUTH." {Education 260}
I agree with your opinion here.A lot of people even some Christians do not believe the Bible and the instructions of God in it.Why? The Bible tells us why.
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
 
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iluvatar5150

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Makes you wonder what we believers are failing to do or doing to cause these depressing statistics. But then again, politics and ideologies have become the new religion.

43% of millennials 'don’t know, don’t care, don’t believe' God exists: study

Does it make you wonder? Because I'm sure many of these folks would be more than happy to tell you why they don't care and why they find your religion entirely unappealing. Heck, I have a laundry list of reasons and I still attend church every week.

IMHO the problem began when they took prayer out of public school.I was saved at a young age. We had a period in school called devotion. It was the start of our day. We learned to pray, learned hymns and patriotic songs, and we learned Bible verses.We learned that Jesus died for our sins. Of course these thing were also taught at home and at Sunday school. Believers need to repent and return to these practices.

Your opinion is wrong. Prayer was never taken out of schools - and the sort of obliviousness that perpetuates the attitude you've espoused is one of the factors in your religion being perceived as irrelevant.

In short, modern American evangelicalism is a wasteland of thoughtlessness, self-serving politics, narcissistic celebrity worship, and blatant hypocrisy. More and more Americans are savvy enough to be able to see through the facade and affluent enough to not be so desperate as to be looking for a savior from their circumstances. Lots of people are spiritual; lots of people are of a generous, giving mindset. But the church hasn't positioned itself as a worthwhile outlet for people to explore and express those sentiments. The church has been too busy cozying up to politicians and making money soliciting donations from radio listeners.
 
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Ignatius the Kiwi

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I'm not surprised. We live in a culture where religion is put on the margins and not allowed to interfere with public life in an ostentatious manner. Our stories are thoroughly secular, education is devoid of the sort of classical notions of anything hinting to the divine and what's more we live in a society of endless and unending consumption; in food, media, inappropriate contentography and any other material good.

These are not the ingredients for a devout society, which requires rules and safeguards that the decadent can and will never abide by.
 
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atpollard

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I disagree that the problem lies outside of the church.

My Eyes are Dry
(by Kieth Green)

[Verse]
My eyes are dry
My faith is old
My heart is hard
My prayers are cold
And I know how
I ought to be
Alive to You
And dead to me

[Chorus]
Oh, what can be done
For an old heart like mine?
Soften it up
With oil and wine
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love
Please wash me anew
In the wine of Your blood​
 
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atpollard

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When has the world ever been other than the world and do you really believe that it is harder to reach people with the truth now than it was in AD 200 when becoming a Christian carried the risk of death?

We have abandoned discipleship because our words say we care about the lost, but our actions say that our words are a lie. Statistically most churches have not led even one unsaved person to Christ in the last 12 months. That is not a lack of “school prayer” or “worldly secularism”. That is either a dead God or a dead church.

I know which one I believe needs a resurrection.
 
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Ignatius the Kiwi

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When has the world ever been other than the world and do you really believe that it is harder to reach people with the truth now than it was in AD 200 when becoming a Christian carried the risk of death?

We have abandoned discipleship because our words say we care about the lost, but our actions say that our words are a lie. Statistically most churches have not led even one unsaved person to Christ in the last 12 months. That is not a lack of “school prayer” or “worldly secularism”. That is either a dead God or a dead church.

I know which one I believe needs a resurrection.

So it's the Church's fault that at the time of Constantine they constituted a minority? Nevermind overwhelming governmental factors of societal influences of classical Greece, Roman Paganism and the like?

The idea that we can blame a failure of evangelization on the Christian at all times, because they were not devout enough, belies to me a temptation to view oneself as God. Sometimes people reject the Gospel, sometimes Christians find themselves in situations in which effective ministering is impossible or unlikely.

Would you say Charlemagne had no impact on Christianity in Germany? Or were the Copts somehow less devout and that's the only reason why they didn't convert the Muslims who conquered them? Was it the Russian Orthodox Church's fault that it suffered persecution under the Communists?

Your solution is too simple and ignores far too many factors in Western society. It places too much burden on Christians. We have always been sinners, but it didn't prevent those before us from effectively ministering.
 
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atpollard

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So it's the Church's fault that at the time of Constantine they constituted a minority? Nevermind overwhelming governmental factors of societal influences of classical Greece, Roman Paganism and the like?
Sorry, but right out of the gate you have completely misunderstood everything that I wrote.

Either you are just looking for a fight, or we are talking past each other.

Either way, there is no communication to be had between you and I on this topic.

Good Night and Goodbye.
 
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Ignatius the Kiwi

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Sorry, but right out of the gate you have completely misunderstood everything that I wrote.

Either you are just looking for a fight, or we are talking past each other.

Either way, there is no communication to be had between you and I on this topic.

Good Night and Goodbye.
Maybe we are misunderstanding each other. I always think there's room for improvement in each Christian's life. But why should we think that the current age we live in is one wherein the culture at large would be receptive to Christianity, if we just did... what exactly?
 
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AACJ

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IMHO the problem began when they took prayer out of public school.I was saved at a young age. We had a period in school called devotion. It was the start of our day. We learned to pray, learned hymns and patriotic songs, and we learned Bible verses.We learned that Jesus died for our sins. Of course these thing were also taught at home and at Sunday school. Believers need to repent and return to these practices.

Yes, the stark contrast between the old and new system and content of education is great and terrible. There is no such thing as a worldview-netural system of education.
 
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"It is one thing to treat the Bible as a book of good moral instruction, to be heeded so far as is consistent with the spirit of the times and our position in the world; it is another thing to regard it as it really is—the word of the living God, the word that is our life, the word that is to mold our actions, our words, and our thoughts. To hold God's word as anything less than this is to reject it. AND THIS REJECTION BY THOSE WHO PROFESS TO BELIEVE IT, IS FOREMOST AMONG THE CAUSES OF SKEPTICISM AND INFIDELITY IN THE YOUTH." {Education 260}
The Word of God is foundational, of course. So get to it Christians. We must keep it some somewhere near the top of our prayer list, praying that the Lord will cause His Word to go forth and to penetrate the minds and hearts of people at all levels of society. Great Revivals in the past have started with relatively few people. Pray for more Christians to pray this prayer. A wall of prayer with a multitude of prayer warriors. Christ took prayer seriously, so must His Church.
 
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AACJ

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Maybe we are misunderstanding each other. I always think there's room for improvement in each Christian's life. But why should we think that the current age we live in is one wherein the culture at large would be receptive to Christianity, if we just did... what exactly?

God wants true good to come forth in society. I believe that it is generally true that true good will not come forth in society unless God brings it forth through His people, primarily by means of prayer and preaching/teaching God's Word. (Matthew 9:38; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; Jeremiah 29:7; Psalms 119:130;107). Consequently, I believe that the Church has the duty and responsibility to effect positive change in society by such means. If such good does not come forth, then much of the responsibility for such lies at the feet of the Church. Such positive change encompasses the outcome of the US and other national elections.
Therefore, I believe that the Church of God has the duty and responsibility, as Salt and Light, to be politically active and to pray for our leaders, future elections, ballot measures, referendums, etc.

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men (Mat. 5:13).

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid (Mat. 5:14).

“Ye are the salt of the earth...” (Mat 5:13)

Salt certainly preserves.
Salt certainly make something more desirable.
Salt certainly is a vital nutrient and thus nourishes.
Salt certainly affects the entirety of that to which it is applied.

Christians have been charged with not only representing the Truth but also to affect the whole earth. Salt affects the entirety of that to which it is applied.
 
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AACJ

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So it's the Church's fault that at the time of Constantine they constituted a minority? Nevermind overwhelming governmental factors of societal influences of classical Greece, Roman Paganism and the like?...

Hi,

I believe that your Roman comparison does not help your argument, in fact, just the opposite, due largely to the fact that the Roman example is actually an example that, if anything, shows the triumph of Christianity in history. Within what, 2 or 3 centuries Christians went from being a small, persecuted class to the the only sanctioned religion in the empire. There are other prime examples in history, such as the positive moral changes that occurred in England under John Wesley and some of his contemporaries, and most importantly, the formation and establishment of the only nation in the history of the world that came any where close to having a social, political, and religious system conducive to true peace, liberty, and prosperity----in which Biblical principles literally saturated every level of society; that is, early America.

Yes, yes, there are those who perpetuate lies about early America, claiming that it was inundated with various evils. But they are just exaggerations and/or lies perpetuated by the ignorant, the delusional, and/or liars.
 
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Ignatius the Kiwi

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Hi,

I believe that your Roman comparison does not help your argument, in fact, just the opposite, due largely to the fact that the Roman example is actually an example that, if anything, shows the Triumph of Christianity in history. Within what, 2 or 3 centuries Christians went from being a small, persecuted class to the the only sanctioned religion in the empire. There are other prime examples of the same, such as the positive moral changes that occurred in England under John Wesley and some of his contemporaries, and most importantly, the formation and establishment of the only nation in the history of the world that came any where close to having a social, political, and religious system conducive to true peace, liberty, and prosperity----in which Biblical principles literally saturated every level of society; that is, early America.

Yes, yes, there are those who perpetuate lies about early America, claiming that it was inundated with various evils. But they are just exaggerations and/or lies perpetuated by the ignorant, the delusional, and/or the wicked.
I have a different view about Christianity under the Roman yoke than most do. Most Christians seem to favour the persecution narrative, that the Church struggled valiantly against an overwhelmingly more powerful foe and through peaceful resistance and willing martyrdom managed to convert the empire.

It seems to me the reality is more complex. Christians were not satisfied to die meaninglessly, only when they had to. Where Christians could excercise influence, they did. They became teachers, philosophers and impacted the public discussion. This would have been impossible had the Romans been out to utterly destroy Christians. At times they tried and ultimately failed but it was not a persistent and relentless persecution throughout all that time. There were times of peace and it was those times of relative peace Christians were able to expand their influence despite their unfavoured position.

The climax of this expansion of influence happened when Constantine became Emperor. The Empire was not fully Christian, but it was his decisive influence and favouritism of the Church and CHristianity as opposed to other cults that helped the Church cement it's position and finally usurp Pagan authority.

Had Constantine not been around, had the Pagans been harsher to the Church, it would have been like the Japanese Christians who were slaughtered for resisting the Shogun.
 
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I have a different view about Christianity under the Roman yoke than most do. Most Christians seem to favour the persecution narrative, that the Church struggled valiantly against an overwhelmingly more powerful foe and through peaceful resistance and willing martyrdom managed to convert the empire.

It seems to me the reality is more complex. Christians were not satisfied to die meaninglessly, only when they had to. Where Christians could excercise influence, they did. They became teachers, philosophers and impacted the public discussion. This would have been impossible had the Romans been out to utterly destroy Christians. At times they tried and ultimately failed but it was not a persistent and relentless persecution throughout all that time. There were times of peace and it was those times of relative peace Christians were able to expand their influence despite their unfavoured position.

The climax of this expansion of influence happened when Constantine became Emperor. The Empire was not fully Christian, but it was his decisive influence and favouritism of the Church and CHristianity as opposed to other cults that helped the Church cement it's position and finally usurp Pagan authority.

Had Constantine not been around, had the Pagans been harsher to the Church, it would have been like the Japanese Christians who were slaughtered for resisting the Shogun.

It seems that you are presupposing a natural interpretation for the the positive change in the Roman empire, which presupposes that positive moral change can come forth naturally. That is contrary to what Scripture teaches. How can positive moral/spiritual transformation in a society occur apart from supernatural/ divine intervention, especially in light of the fact that demonic forces must be actively and effectively countered for such change to take place? Satan actively resists those conditions conducive to the spread of the Gospel. Also, it is a basic biblical principle that God has chose to largely work through the Church to effect positive change in society; positive change in Roman society occurred; therefore, such positive change occurred primarily through God working through the work of the Church of God.
 
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