Not too long ago, Marty Sampson, one of the songwriters and singers in Hillsong,

Not too long ago, Marty Sampson, one of the songwriters and singers in Hillsong, questioned his faith in a lengthy Instagram post. In fact, some took the post as a renouncement of his faith. Take a few minutes to read the following excerpt of that post:
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Time for some real talk. I’m genuinely losing my faith, and it doesn’t bother me. Like, what bothers me now is nothing. I am so happy now, so at peace with the world. It’s crazy.
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This is a soapbox moment, so here I go…How many preachers fall? Many. No one talks about it. How many miracles happen? Not many. No one talks about it. Why is the Bible full of contradictions? No one talks about it. How can God be love yet send four billion people to a place, all ’coz they don’t believe? No one talks about it. Christians can be the most judgmental people on the planet—they can also be some of the most beautiful and loving people. But it’s not for me.
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I am not in any more. I want genuine truth. Not the “I just believe it” kind of truth. Science keeps piercing the truth of every religion. Lots of things help people change their lives, not just one version of God. Got so much more to say, but for me, I keeping it real. Unfollow if you want, I’ve never been about living my life for others.
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All I know is what’s true to me right now, and Christianity just seems to me like another religion at this point. I could go on, but I won’t. Love and forgive absolutely. Be kind absolutely. Be generous and do good to others absolutely. Some things are good no matter what you believe. Let the rain fall, the sun will come up tomorrow. (Relevant, 2019, para. 5?8)
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This post was made just days after Joshua Harris, who wrote I Kissed Dating Goodbye, announced through Instagram that he was no longer a Christian in the following post:
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My heart is full of gratitude. I wish you could see all the messages people sent me after the announcement of my divorce. They are expressions of love though they are saddened or even strongly disapprove of the decision.
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I am learning that no group has the market cornered on grace. This module I’ve received grace from Christians, atheists, evangelicals, exvangelicals, straight people, LGBTQ people, and everyone in-between. Of course there have also been strong words of rebuke from religious people. While not always pleasant, I know they are seeking to love me. (There have also been spiteful, hateful comments that angered and hurt me.)
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The information that was left out of our announcement is that I have undergone a massive shift in regard to my faith in Jesus. The popular phrase for this is “deconstruction,” the biblical phrase is “falling away.” By all the measurements that I have for defining a Christian, I am not a Christian. Many people tell me that there is a different way to practice faith and I want to remain open to this, but I’m not there now.
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Martin Luther said that the entire life of believers should be repentance. There’s beauty in that sentiment regardless of your view of God. I have lived in repentance for the past several years—repenting of my self-righteousness, my fear-based approach to life, the teaching of my books, my views of women in the church, and my approach to parenting to name a few. But I specifically want to add to this list now: to the LGBTQ+ community, I want to say that I am sorry for the views that I taught in my books and as a pastor regarding sexuality. I regret standing against marriage equality, for not affirming you and your place in the church, and for any ways that my writing and speaking contributed to a culture of exclusion and bigotry. I hope you can forgive me.
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To my Christians friends, I am grateful for your prayers. Don’t take it personally if I don’t immediately return calls. I can’t join in your mourning. I don’t view this moment negatively. I feel very much alive, and awake, and surprisingly hopeful. I believe with my sister Julian that, “All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” (Relevant, 2019, para. 4)
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After completing this module’s readings, with a special focus on cognitive dissonance, take some time to think about what has happened with these two men who for many years were passionate Christians who built their careers on their faith and love for God. From the context of what you have learned about attitudes, behaviors, and cognitive dissonance this module, write a two- to three-page paper covering the following points:
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What role did cognitive dissonance play in the drastic change in beliefs that we see in these two posts?
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What other issues in relation to the connection between attitudes and behaviors do you think were at play here?
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For young adult Christians who are standing on their own faith separate from their parents and other adults they were surrounded by as children or teenagers, how might these statements impact their faith? Will cognitive dissonance play a role in this? If yes, how so?
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Consider the following facts: The Millennial generation (born between 1980 and 2000) are currently the largest generation, at approximately 83 million. They are also the most unchurched generation with a church exodus that is five to six times higher than previous generations. What role do behaviors, attitudes, and cognitive dissonance play in this phenomenon?
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How can we use this understanding to authentically draw this generation back toward a desire to fellowship and draw close to God again?
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This paper should be two to three pages, double-spaced, and written in proper APA format. In addition to the minimum page count (i.e., two pages and one line minimum), you should also include a cover page and a reference page in APA format. Use a minimum of one additional source outside of your textbook to support your points.