Why Gen Z is leaving Christianity

Data shows that more and more young people are leaving organized religion year over year. For Gen Z, there’s one specific topic that’s pushing them away: the church’s stance on LGBTQ rights. In this week’s Stay Tuned, we’ll break down the complicated history between the church and the queer community, and ask young people where they’re turning to for guidance.

Stay Tuned is an NBC News brand dedicated to bringing the trusted, accurate, premium journalism to Gen Z News consumers. We think like our audience and highlight the stories that resonate and are relevant to them. Stay Tuned each week for new videos on Mondays.
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[Sid-]

Millennial here. Is it me or is Gen Z just built different? It's like they question everything, and are more empathetic than every previous generation including mine... The world's really gonna look different once youth like these start running businesses and governments with this level of openness and empathy

[SHDBandit]

I have no problem with the religion itself, I have a problem with those who bastardize it to use for their opinions. I grew up in the church, but my parents left because of how much of a business it became

[Anthony_Aú.GreenParty]

'Ain't no point in you comin' to church. The devil already got your soul.'

I was autistic. 😐

[luizappicanco]

I was christian until I read the whole bible and started studying history of religion. The hypocrisy and hate you find in church was also a big turn off.

[miscalotastuff]

Same reason why gen x and millenials started to leave. The sexual abuse, theft of tithe, sexism, and just general hate and racism chased us away. It is the then as it is now.

[BeeBee-wufz]

As an African American person when I moved to two different areas my daughter and I were put out of our neighborhood churches within the first 5min. Up until then I didn't know that white and black people had to attend separate churches even though the type of churches were the same. It was a real eye opener to the real reality of racism and I will never forget the hate in those people's eyes and the mumbling when we walked in. Needless to say that I am no longer christian.

[selah]

Other reasons is because Christianity teaches mostly fear as a means to control. My sister isn't "allowed" to wear slacks, make up and must "obey" her husband.
Christians say to love one another, but mean not "others" which makes them mostly hypocrites.

This was made worse when the Church got involved with politics and politicians using Christianity as a front for ridiculous and hate filled policys, throwing "love thy neighbor as thyself" out the window.

We are all spiritual beings having a human experience so I'm not surprised people have moved more and more towards spirituality. They are better at seeing themselves and others through the eyes of Gods' Unconditional Love.

[lasagnachilidawgs]

I (Gen Z) was raised christian from the day I was born. Sunday school, vacation Bible school, church camps, were stuff I became very used to. I knew pretty much everyone in the church I went to, and was involved in the youth group. I started questioning some of the teachings as early as age 11, but nothing struck me much. When I was 13, I started developing tics. The people at the church and other churches as well started telling me that their satan was causing it and that I needed to turn to their god. I was diagnosed with tourette syndrome by a neurologist about 2 months before I turned 14. For a few years since my diagnosis, the members of these churches continued to tell me that it was my fault, it’s because I’m a sinner, it’s a punishment from god, satan did it, and many other awful things. I turned to self harm for a while. Then went to therapy. After a while I realized I didn’t want to be surrounded by people who were constantly telling me I was being punished for reasons they couldn’t even come up with by having a neurological condition like tourettes. I left the religion and became more spiritual/agnostic not too long before I turned 17. I made more friends with the people that the church would try to demonize (lgbtq folks, people of other religions, atheists) and realized that the same people the church was telling me were terrible people who hated me and the god the church believed in, treated me better than the church ever had.

[heathw]

Left organized religion as soon as I was old enough to vote.

[RobReinhart]

I left the Pentecostal church back in 2014. Ever since I left, my financial status, social status improved a lot and became a lot friendlier, successful.

[thegen_xer]

A Gen-X here. I was groomed to be a evangelical Christian when I was 8 years old, attending a Christian school. I just turned 50 and decided to embrace the questions and faults I found in it. I turned my back on it and never felt happier. Glad the latest generation is seeing it faster than when I grew up.

[robinp.]

I grew up above a baptism church when I was a child in Brooklyn. When there was no church service in winter we froze. The family that lived above us also froze. It was the best education I could ever have on these well dressed hypocrites.

[aznamoon]

I’ve never believed in man made organized religions.
I believe in god, the universe, and love. I’m spiritual.
It just feels right.

[SnoozesYaLoses]

I’m a ‘99 baby and growing up Catholicism was unhealthily shoved down my throat. I never got to form my own beliefs because I was essentially told “This is the only way”, and I hated it. Finally, when I was 17 and 2 months from Confirmation I spoke up and said that I didn’t want to do it anymore. I never even paid attention during mass or bible study. I fought religion for a long period after but now I’ve come to terms that yes I believe in the holy trinity and stories of the Bible, but I refuse to hold such stern, hateful beliefs that contradict what it means to be a decent human being.

[atomicgeisha]

I grew up in a Christian family, but my family and our church were very liberal so it was positive for me. Some Christian churches are horrible, so I don't blame people for not wanting to be a part of that.

[MrMister]

Left Christianity when I found out people were worshipping an evil god who claims to be merciful and omni-benevolent.

[glanda]

That guy hit the nail on the head! People look at Jesus as a great role model. But seeing the church not following through makes them look like hypocrites…

[CoachAshley]

I'm one of the older Millennials in our generation. My youth was heavily influenced by my family's involvement in Christianity, but I chose to leave the church/organized religion in my early 20s. My teenage son is a Gen Z'er & we've had many discussions regarding religion, however, I've always been careful not to influence his thinking with my personal experiences. My son believes in science above all else & that is what he says is the reason he's incapable of having religious beliefs. My generation grew up with science at the heart of everything we learned so I tend to believe as my son does. We have also witnessed family members, who loudly profess their Christian beliefs, yet they say & do things completely antithetical to the teachings within the Bible. My son is also acutely aware of our current political climate & supports the separation of church & state. We live in a very conservative & evangelical community in rural Indiana, so his opinion is not always popular, especially at school. Despite the adversity, he's stuck to his beliefs and I couldn't be more proud of him. We have no problem with religion or anyone's beliefs...we would just like believers to respect us & our right not to believe as they do.

[TrillKump]

Good job Gen Z for being your own brain.

[gringoazucar]

I grew up in a very religious family. My father is 90 yrs old and still reads his bible everyday. I was taught that Jesus loves everyone and that we should love thy neighbor and have forgiveness. Some of my regilious friends show love and forgiveness, however many others fail in these basic human trates.