Religion, a long with politics are uncomfortable topics to discuss. However, in the aftermath of the Arizona LGBT segregation bill that was vetoed last week, I think Americans should be speaking out about these ‘touchy subjects.’

When I was in catholic grade school (Yes, I went to private school up until high school). Religion at my grade school was the most important subject to study. Every morning we would say the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a pray. When lunch time came we would pray before taking our first bite. At the end of the week we would go to church on Fridays and receive the host. I would do this for 8 years.

Now when I went to high school and started to think for myself, I still had to get to church with my grade, but my Religion classes that I took were not the most important subjects at school. I remember taking a marriage and family class (stay with me), and our teacher told us what to expect when and if we would get married. It was up to us, my class and I, to figure out if getting married was in our future.

Going back to the Arizona vetoed bill, these legislators who created the bill don’t understand free will and choice. Yes Freedom of Religion is one of the five rights in the First Amendment, but the bill was going against human rights. It’s my choice to not go to church on Sundays, it’s a gay individual’s choice to date and/or marry their same-sex partner.

In a Pew Research report on Religion of Public Life, More than one-quarter or 28 percent of adult Americans do not believe in the faith they were grown up into. Americans between the ages of 18-29 say they are not affiliated with any religion. They make-up one out of four adults in the U.S.

Even though Christianity is the largest religion worldwide with more than 2.1. million followers, Catholicism has experienced the most loss in followers in the U.S. One-in-three Americans or 31 percent were raised in this faith, only 24 percent still practice the Religion today.

Young people are not going to church as much now than when they were kids, because they are now thinking for themselves rather than having someone mentor them. Millennials still believe in God, however when compared to the older generations their percentage is the lowest according to Pew Research. Nevertheless, they do believe in God to a certain degree.

Pope Francise said in an interview that he wants the church to support some type of civil union, indicating gay marriage. He wants to retire the church’s teaching that marriage is between a man and a woman. He said, “We have to look at different cases and evaluate them in their variety.”

Pope Francis has been favor over the former pope, Pope Benedict XVI. His overall popularity is almost equal to the late John Paul II. Catholics at the Sacred Heart Church in Elgin, TX say, The pope does his own thing. He’s more normal, down-to-earth person, and he seems connected with the people.” Seven-in-10 U.S. Catholics say Pope Francis represents a major change in direction of the church. They see a change for the better.

Currently, two-thirds of the public including 60 percent of non-catholics favor Francis immediately after he was elected. When Pope Benedict XVI was in office there wasn’t a lot of praise coming from Catholics and non-Catholics. He didn’t approve of gay marriage and covered up sexual assaults that took place in the church. Benedict XVI resigned in 2013.

Now the general public wants Francis to discuss making some changes. About eight-in-10 Americans say the church should allow catholics to use birth control, while about seven-in-10 say the church should allow priest to get married and have women become priest also.

With positive feedback from U.S. citizens, Pope Francis has made a lot of outstanding achievements during his position as the pope. There is no doubt more changes need to be made. But it seems that Catholics and non-Catholics agree with Pope Francis. Maybe there is hope in the future that one day all citizens will return to their Religious beliefs.