Why are so many young people looking for God?

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2vYDu7aYAnbsvMPplrXxkQ?si=E_jEcylLS-KiC-QfGtgXXg

lots of spikes towards religion throughout history
My ex getting baptised
Desire for community & guidance
Desire for simplicity (trad wives/ having a clear doctrine from religion to follow vs complexity of trans rights, progressiveness etc.)
Dazed Article (https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/66597/1/young-people-are-looking-for-god-gen-z-religion-church-christianity#:~:text=Maybe%20that's%20the%20real%20appeal,world%20that%20often%20feels%20fractured.)
- “More and more young people are embarking on spiritual journeys. While back in 2019, just 22 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds in the UK said they believed in God, by early 2025 that number had more than doubled to 45 per cent. More young adults are attending church, curious about what Christianity might have to offer them, with new research commissioned by the Bible Society revealing that since 2018 the number of young men attending church has increased from 4 per cent to 21 per cent, while young women’s attendance has risen from 3 per cent to 12 per cent. Dr Rob Barward-Symmons, co-author of the report, believes that “with much of the population struggling with mental health, loneliness and a loss of meaning in life, church appears to be offering an answer.”
- “But it made me realise how universal the church is and how God’s call is genuinely for everyone."
- “It’s worth acknowledging that for some, the appeal of Christianity lies in its moral framework, which chimes with their existing right-leaning politics. Being pro-life, opposing same-sex marriage, and supporting traditional gender roles are all beliefs that resonate with many Christians. Relatedly, some have connected the rising numbers of young men attending church in the US to the continuing spread of conservative values among this demographic. While we don’t have the same long-standing ties between church and any one political party in the UK, similar conversations are now happening. Ahead of the last general election, a guide created by the Christian organisation CARE encouraged Christians to vote in a way that reflects their faith. The guide deemed Nigel Farage’s Reform Party to have the most Christian policies – a deeply ironic conclusion, given the party’s history of racist rhetoric, hostile immigration views, and candidates who’ve made offensive remarks about women.”
- But the Christian faith doesn’t only steer people towards the right. For others, it fuels a strong sense of progressive activism rooted in compassion, justice and solidarity. Ashley, a 20-year-old student, says her faith influences the way she engages with the world. “My faith in Jesus deeply influences and shapes how I see justice and respond to the suffering happening today,” she says. “In Mark 12:31, Jesus speaks on how we should love our neighbours as ourselves, not just the ones who are close, comfortable or easy to love.”
  “It’s important to take the time to educate ourselves about the ongoing genocides and humanitarian crises in places like Palestine, Congo and Sudan – these are just a few of many,” she continues. “In a time where information is literally at our fingertips through social media or even a simple Google search, silence is a choice. To follow Jesus is to stand with the oppressed, to speak truth in love, and to embody compassion even when it might lead to uncomfortable conversations.”
- Jesus’s message is one of radical social justice: he promotes humility, caring for the poor, practising forgiveness, and loving your community – arguably these are values that should cut across all party lines. Maybe that’s the real appeal of religion for young people: a deep sense of purpose and compassion in a world that often feels fractured.