Irreverence is a spiritual gift?!?

An author by the name of Tom Beaudoin wrote a book entitled "Virtual Faith: The Irreverent Spiritual Quest of Generation X." I haven't read the book yet, but from what I've read in the reviews and quotes I've found, it seems he's pinpointed how Gen Xers question the age-old crap we've been fed that pop culture and religion are mutually exclusive. I'm evidentally not the only person out there who feels that it's not a sin to get a tattoo or spend time in a bar or hang around people who aren't "holy."

"Both society and the church teach about religious meaning through media, technology, sciences, and tradition. Young adults, as creators and receivers of that culture, often work outside the traditional box asking questions or making connections that other adults may overlook. Cynicism, irreverence, and attitude may characterize this push."

Those are the negative connotations attached to this attitude. But more open-minded individuals actually view this attitude as a spiritual gift. It's our way of testing what's true and relevant for us, here and now, not holding out for a better day once the world ends (which our elders have posited can't be long off...and they've said that for over 100 years now...maybe longer).

This attitude is a gift, "touched by God's sometimes discomforting spirit, that authentically demands a connection between the world today, the world of young adults, and the ancient tradition of the Christian faith." It is also "a prophetic gift that young adults may bring to both church and culture--exposing hypocrisy, demanding truth, and leading to acts of justice and love."

(Quotes are from Sidney D. Fowler in the Push It! Bible Quest series for young adults.)