Ok, I’ve gone there, I’m talking about religion… It’s not something I usually like to write about but the other day I was speaking with a minister from a neighbouring town and he asked me why younger people don’t go to church. I answered, “I don’t know.” He asked me to think on it and this is what I came up with. As always this is just my opinion and you’re welcome to agree or disagree with me, I don’t mean to offend anyone, I just happen to have a medium where I get to voice my thoughts.
I personally haven’t been to church in about a year and a half. Life can get very busy though. The minister and congregation were extremely welcoming and I’ll forever be grateful to everyone at the United Church for the big smiles each Sunday when I first came to Carlyle. It’s tough moving to a new community and they were a bright light in a difficult spot. I didn’t know anyone and they made me feel like I could find a place here.
However, as I’ve found a place in the community, I find myself attending church less because coaching, playing in ladies tournaments, and work often takes up time on Sundays. I should make it more of a priority because I like going, it’s difficult to describe but it makes me feel lighter. I just haven’t made the time.
I’m sure for many people this is the case. They simply don’t make church a priority because they’re living hectic lives and the idea of Sunday being a day of rest is lost on the modern world.
As I sat thinking about why my generation and those younger than me don’t typically go to church, I realized that the ways religion is portrayed today means that many people don’t agree with what they think is being taught.
One of the biggest religion stories currently in the news is about a woman in the States who refused to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples. She then cited scripture and said that she couldn’t issue marriage licences to certain people because it conflicts with God’s word essentially.
Although many people rallied behind her, I saw her actions in a different light. Firstly, at its core the central theme of religion is love. Secondly, if she were worried about the sanctity of marriage, she shouldn’t issue marriage licences to anyone who has ever been divorced. And finally, marriage is no longer just associated with religion. If you can be married by a Justice of the Peace, then marriage today is more about the State and essentially ties two people together for legal purposes. For those that are religious, it still involves God, but to me she has a double standard if she is issuing marriage licences to atheists then and not to same-sex couples. At the end of the day it is a civil job the woman holds and marriage licences go to anyone eligible by law.
In fact, if she’s that intent upon holding up the Bible, one of the Ten Commandments is that we keep Sunday open for a day of worship… so if I were to go to her for a marriage licence she should deny me.
Personally I’m always thankful the United Church is quite progressive; in 2009 they stated they welcome people of all gender identities and in 2010 the first openly transgender minister was ordained. No big deal. Love thy neighbour. If it wasn’t progressive I don’t think I’d welcome religion.
Nobody is perfect and to me church is a reminder of that. We are all struggling in life. Religion simply encourages us to be loving and forgiving, we have no right to judge another person, that’s God’s job.
