Religion has always been a hot button issue. From whether there is some sort of higher power, to whether attending a weekly service really does ‘save your soul.’ There have been a variety of viewpoints over the years. As the years have progressed, and religion has been shunned away from public education, it seems the newest generation of young people are having a hard time deciding what to believe in and why they should.

There are some that believe that religion is faltering because there is no longer a sound reason to believe in what is being preached.

“I believe religion is going down in popularity because there isn’t really any hard proof,” said Jaxon Prebble, a sophomore at AHS.

However, there are some that believe now is the time to begin spreading religion to the masses.

“The importance of religion has gone down in the past years and that is a terrible thing. As the future of our world, this generation needs to spread the word of God to as many people as possible and save the lives of many,” said Kaitlyn Johnson.

The final viewpoint was that of students who believe that religion is a thing of the past and should be forgotten.

“I understand religion’s importance in the past, but as a society, I believe we can, and should, move on from it. As we advance, it sets us back,” said Wyatt Blankenship.

When asked in a poll, AHS was split down the middle on the topic of going to a weekly service, as well as some kind of religious education.

However, when it came to the belief of a higher power, an overwhelming majority said that they do, or might, believe. So, while many students don’t attend any type of service, they still believe that there is some type of higher power that may have created the world, or controls what happens on Earth.

Religion will always be an issue that is faced with each generation. No matter what you believe in, there will always be an argument over what exists and what is fiction. Maybe the days of Christianity are numbered and the days of worshipping aliens will change the way the world sees things. That is for this generation to decide.