Or maybe Older & Wiser

You may have noticed as I did that it is more the older age group who seem to be into God.

Of course there are many exceptions - there are lots of young 'believers'  but I thought it was pretty obvious that young folk haven't really given the matter much thought and that oldies are 'hedging their bets' just in case they do in fact meet their maker when they die.

Many times I have heard the words 'emotional crutch' meaning that the poor old (or young) souls can't cope with all that life throws at them unless they feel there is some ultimate deity caring for them with an eventual reward after death and some sense of purpose to their being alive.

Let me share some observations I made as a youngster...

Short people live longer than tall people!
I had noticed that the average elderly person was much shorter than young ones or those in middle-age. When I noticed them I usually saw them walking with a shopping bag in each hand. Being an intelligent child I reasoned that it wasn't carrying shopping bags that had stunted their growth but just simply an obvious fact that if you were shorter you would have a greater life expectancy. 
At the time of this profound conclusion I hadn't looked for explanation from anyone else, I hadn't looked for any other evidence to prove or disprove my belief. I had no need to because to me it was obvious.
It was to be much later and having acquired more knowledge that I learned about the shrinking of cartilage between vertebrae as part of the ageing process.

Older people don't know as much about life as young people!
Very often when you try to talk to older people they seem to be in a world of their own with little or no knowledge of important things like relationships, sex, fashion, music, entertainment, etc. They don't understand what life is all about like young people do.

It can be a bit of a shock to realise that oldies (especially parents) have experienced and survived much the same dilemmas and problems that young people suffer.
They have had the years of rampant hormones, of not being listened to by oldies, of peer pressures and of seeking pleasures of the moment. They have survived what life has challenged them with and they learned a thing or two along the way.
They may even know a thing or two about sex but hey - that's not likely. Is it?

Writing from personal experience again... It is good that young people will generally accept that oldies are qualified by their trials of life to advise on financial matters, such as investments, credit, or making big purchases like a house or a car.

It is good that young people recognise they can tap into a wealth of information. Oldies may be consulted for their knowledge and expertise in sports and crafts, perhaps too for their knowledge gained through careers or academic studies.

Some oldies are even approachable so that young people will seek advice about relationships and sex.

How sad and frustrating it is that the young often insult the intelligence of the elder by thinking that in this one area of God the oldies have got it all wrong.

In many cultures the oldies are respected for their wisdom, for the fact that they have life experiences, that they have increased knowledge, that they have a greater understanding and that their lives are less cluttered with trivial and superficial things.

Just suppose that the oldies who 'get God' do so not because they are nearer to death but because they do indeed have greater wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

Perhaps they have taken the time to examine the evidence and draw conclusions instead of just jumping to them.
Perhaps they can now see the whole picture and know the truth?

I invite your comments and opinions via email.