This course has really made me think deeply about my own ethnicity. Personally, I am more defined by my religion and value system than anything else. Just as Armenians are devout Christians, I myself was raised in a very strong Christian household. I grew up surrounded by many self-proclaimed Christians. However, calling yourself a Christian and actually living life through Christ are two very different things. A disturbing trend in this country is the decline of millennial involvement in Christianity, in addition to a lack of morality in general. .
I experienced 12 years of Catholic schooling in my childhood. My curriculum contained courses teaching me the history of my religion, as well as the principles behind many other prominent religions. This exposure really helped me justify the rationale behind my own beliefs. The problem I think most upcoming Christians have is that they are not educated well enough on their own ideals. It's common for kids to be born into a Christian household without attending religion classes or investing any time to explore other possibilities. I have seen many people call themselves Christians but not even know what that really stands for. Sure they may go to church once in a while and say a prayer every now and then, but they can't tell you what they actually believe in, let alone why. It is not realistic for every Catholic to attend a Catholic school, but I do think parents need to encourage their children to attend catechism or religious education classes offered by most churches. Youth group involvement can also help to solidify Christian ideals in the minds of the youth. .
A bigger problem with millennials and religion is that many are choosing to leave the Church altogether. From personal experience I know that many people view Christianity to be too political, too exclusive, too old-fashioned and too discriminatory of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.