The Answer May be Behind Us

Yesterday I checked into a Hampton Inn somewhere west of St. Louis for a meeting this morning with a new(ish) customer. When I checked in, though late in the afternoon, I asked if they had any USA Todays left. They did not have today's edition but yesterday's. Since I hadn't read it, I took a copy and scanned through it while working on the laptop. I came across an article titled, "Millenials aren't amoral, adrift"

The article rightly points out that older generations tend to view younger generations with an enormous amount of skepticism. Everything they do is wrong and everything we do is right. The term "going to hell in hand basket" was a term used by my parent's generation to describe my group. The older I get, the more I tend to agree with them. But the younger generations do have two areas that diverge strongly from my parent's generation. The rejection of worldly religious/secular/political organizations, and the tolerance for lifestyles that do not easily fit into the conservative framework. My generation seems to be the "missing link" in this argument. Like a hybridization gone terribly wrong, my generation seems to encapsulate all that is wrong with generations on both sides. Alas, I digress.

In the article are various authors of note quoting either one side or the other, but the essence is that the generations behind us have a very different world-view than we do. While rejecting the authority of the organizations, they have a keen interest in social justice. They have discovered all too well that the organizations of the world today are far more interested in the health and vitality of the organization than the individuals who make up that organization. In this I agree with them. Church today is far more about marketing than maturing. Politics is about greed than governing. The common discourse is demonizing anyone who disagrees with your singular and insular point of view.

So what makes those of us over 45 cringe with the younger crowd? They make us uncomfortable with their ability to ignore the church politics while flinging themselves into secular volunteerism. Why? Because they see far less damage by the organization towards those being helped or the volunteers carrying out the mission than they do in "church". They believe in Jesus, pray daily, and find no issue with friends and family who embrace another lifestyle. This last one drives the old folks crazy. As it becomes more culturally acceptable to live an alternate lifestyle, we will have develop a language that will become inclusive, rather than exclusive. By the way, if "all good things come from heaven" how can we condemn a long-term, loving, sacrificial relationship between homosexuals? I have observed one for many years as one partner cared daily for her partner who had a massive stroke, FOR YEARS. I'm just saying that there are a lot of layers to this blanket condemnation we publish, yet our younger travelers seem to accept and love and embrace those with ease.

These younger generations can teach a thing or two about getting to the core essence of being engaged at an organic level, of accepting people for who and where they are, of focusing their energy on finding common ground instead of battle ground. I think I like these young folks a lot. Maybe I can dye my hair, lose a few, and sit on their back row and listen. You never know, I might learn something.

Godspeed to you millenialists, we don't understand you, but we are beginning to trust your instincts.
Don