Faith no more: Why young Australians are rejecting religion

[trotsky]

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/faith-no-more-why-young-australians-are-rejecting-religion

Growing up in Pakistan, Sabeena Mozaffar was raised as a devout Muslim. But from an early age, she had her doubts.

"Just asking: 'If God is responsible for all the positive in the world, is he not also responsible for all the negative?' My parents would often react very aggressively because they were scared I would leave the faith," the 23-year-old told SBS News.

It wasn't until Ms Mozaffar moved to Sydney for her university studies that she felt comfortable openly challenging her faith.

"When I finally realised that yes I am an atheist, I did feel this relief. I also felt this anger because I had wasted 21 years of my life believing a concept that I just realised was false and I never had any say in what I believed," she said.

"My parents would often react very aggressively" - sad to say, I've observed the exact same reaction right here in this DU forum when uncomfortable questions about religious beliefs are asked. I've seen "commandments" being created to dismiss people's opinions based on imagined motivations. I've seen accusations of sock puppetry. I've seen questioners like myself be literally compared to "vermin" and accused of supporting "genocide." Why the supposedly liberal and tolerant current pope is on record as saying you can't insult someone's faith if you don't want to risk violence.

So yeah, that's not surprising. I'm just glad Ms. Mozaffar is free to question those beliefs now.

[MineralMan]

1. In some places on this planet, being an atheist is

a life-threatening condition. It seems very odd that not believing something could be so dangerous and stir up such hatred.

By the way, I'm a bass-baritone with considerable experience in choral group performance. If there is a choir, I'd be interested in joining. I've heard of one such choir here, but nobody has contacted me.

[Major Nikon]

2. There's also places where unaffiliated is the default

Religion in most of western Europe has been delegated to a mostly ceremonial role. People still get married and have funerals in churches, but few take the hocus pocus aspects seriously. Atheists have no problems getting elected to political positions and nobody really cares what belief system you subscribe to and would just as soon you keep it to yourself.

[MineralMan]

3. That's true, too.

[Mariana]

4. Oh my, I remember that.

If you oppose the Catholic Church buying up all of the healthcare facilities in an area, thereby making it extremely difficult or impossible for people in that area to obtain any medications and procedures the Church doesn't like, you're supporting genocide.

[trotsky]

7. Bingo!

Still can't believe that was allowed to sit out there.

[Act_of_Reparation]

5. I love watching the theists twist themselves into knots...

...trying to "explain" why young people are leaving religion. They've come up with all sorts of entertaining excuses, like "liberal Hollywood eroding tradition" and "conservative hate mongers driving kids away from faith".

Not once do they stop to consider the possibility kids are leaving the religion because the religion doesn't make any fucking sense.

[Major Nikon]

6. This generation seems less tolerant of intolerance

[PassingFair]

12. And "phobias". Nt

[guillaumeb]

8. Yawn.

A rerun.

[trotsky]

9. Indeed, it's happening in a lot of places.

Good news.

[guillaumeb]

10. Delusion.

[trotsky]

11. Right, gil.

All these news sources and surveys are delusional in what they are finding and reporting around the world.

They're all delusional. You somehow know the real truth. Got it.

[Lordquinton]

13. So atheists are delusional now?

One of the more awkward script flipping attempts. I'd like to see the reasoning behind it, but I know that will never happen. To some discussion is a monologue.