On Monday, The Huffington Post Canada published writer Victoria Stunt's article on how Generation Y is turning away from organized religion and what that means for those faiths.
Stunt's piece got readers on all sides of the debate talking and has been one of the most commented-on pieces in our Asking Y series.
Many readers pointed to organized religion as being out-of-touch and hypocritical.
To all the older readers who would like to blame the media, or video games, or rock and roll for today's youth rejecting organized religion, it is the actions and attitudes and ultimately the hypocrisy of YOUR generation that has turned us off. Conservative Christianity in particular has become so hateful and destructive that it should come as no surprise that young people want nothing to do with it.
Many agreed with him, some more forcefully than others.
Organized religion messes with your head (and heart). I can't think of any more freeing act that I've committed than eliminating it from my life. If some people need it, fine. I just think that you can accomplish whatever good it may do (for you or others) without it, probably better.
User Turkeylurky brought a light-hearted touch to the conversation, suggesting that god and religion could be replaced by a more liquid alternative.
The future of faith in Canada should be quintessentially Canadian - and I nominate BEER.
Rationale:
1. No one will injure or kill you for not drinking beer.
2. Beer doesn't tell you how to have sex.
3. Beer has never caused a major war.
4. They don't force beer on minors who can't think for themselves.
5. When you have beer, you don't knock on people's doors trying to give it away.
6. Nobody's ever been burned at the stake, hanged, or tortured to death over his/her brand of beer.
7. You don't have to wait 2,000+ years for a second beer.
8. There are laws saying that beer labels can't lie to you.
9. You can prove you have a beer.
10. If you have devoted your life to beer, there are groups to help you stop.
Of course, many users defended spirituality and faith as being an important part of life. HuffPost Canada blogger Kevin Elliott brought an interesting point to the conversation:
I actually became less of an atheist with the more education I received. The more and more I studied theology in school, the more I realized that the basic difference between believer and non-believer is too simplistic. I still don't believe in organized religion or God with a capital G, but I've learned the importance of faith.
I think it's important for religion and education to coexist, as they necessarily do, and in some contexts, they are actually one and the same.
Religions must become self-aware and accept the fact that they are beliefs and not the Truth. They could content themselves of being life guidetracks that we choose or not to follow. They must stop imposing rules. They must stop battling science even when science contradict their very existence. In short, religions must start respecting human intelligence and work alongside humanity in it's quest for survival and progress.
See more of the best conversations and comments in the slideshow:
What do you think? Is religion still important in your life? Are you a young person who has turned away from religion? What can organized religion do to get young people back? Tell us in the comments.
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