Millennials are a group, but they are also individuals. I am a millennial, but I'm certainly not like all the others. Just like any other group, though, we are grouped into one big category with one set of collective values and one set of collective morals without the possibility of exceptions.
Last week, I was at a gathering of Christian college students in Atlanta. The Georgia Dome was filled by 55,000 of us attending Passion. We worshipped the Lord, heard sermons from amazing evangelists, and sang our little hearts out. I'd say that 55,000 of us is enough to combat a stereotype, at least a little bit.
Generalizations take away the individuality of all of the people in that group and individuality is something that today's society holds near and dear to their hearts. Perhaps the majority of millennials are choosing, whether consciously or subconsciously, to remove themselves from Christianity, but all of us are not.
When you say that this generation who are coming into themselves in the world of adulthood is pulling away from Christianity, you are neglecting those who are not. Don't feel bad, though. Culture is doing the same thing to us.
Millennials starting out adult life are, for the first time, realizing that you don't get what you want just because you want it. Culture tells people of all ages that religion and success are two mutually exclusive events. So, those who have chosen to take a stand for the Lord and rejected pop culture's diluted version of success, can be worn down over time.
Repeatedly asserting that people like them, and therefore them, are falling away in droves, it is not a stretch to think that they may get their feelings hurt. Most people don't particularly enjoy getting their feelings hurt and people without life experiences in difficult situations tend to run in the exact opposite direction of the conflict.
What I'm saying is that millennials aren't falling away from Christianity; individuals are. Asserting that an entire group are choosing not to side with God supports and approves a stereotype created by others that I and 54,999 of my new closest friends are trying to retaliate against.
The Bible says that we don't do things that can cause others to stumble. Generalizing about young people can cause them to stumble. So, let's just all agree to stop, ok?
