When I was a sophomore in high school, I went to a catholic youth retreat that was held by my local church's youth group. I was and still am openly atheist. So I did my fare share of eye rolling and daydreaming during talks and etc, but it was still a... Well, I'm embarassed, but it was a life changing experience.
The kids my age there were so happy. A kind of pure, non-selfish happiness and joy in caring for each other and listening to others issues and problems that I had never really seen before. It was a stark contrast to the sort of "bad christian" image that my atheist friends and I kept scoffing about privately.
Having gone to that thing really made me think.
Religion gave these people happiness, whether it can be considered "bigoted and false" or not. It allowed these teens to not feel embarrassed or lame about being good people and expressing compassion and understanding towards strangers. That's why I like where religious millennials are taking things- there are less of them , but they're not as gung-ho in their views as for example boomers and are way more laid-back and "you do you, I do me" about it.
I also felt very loved in that retreat. It was kinda sappy and lame at times, but other than my close friends I didn't know people were capable of that kind of goodness. I kinda thought most people were assholes and etc, but this proved me wrong and It made me feel nice.
Of course this doesn't mean there still isnt an outpouring of (especially older) bad religious people, or that religion can't be an easy bigotry enabler. But I am no longer a hateful atheist because sometimes people just have their own ways of finding happiness, ya know? Leave the cool ones be.
Tldr- used to be a fedora-tier atheist, went to a retreat, am now chill atheist and people can do what they want because millennial Christians are also super chill.
