I like the word "lively."
I actually feel like the traditionalist religions, because they were not challenged for a long time, were stagnating. I find people challenged to be more thoughtful nowadays, as if you want to believe a faith like that, you really have to think about it and are forced to see it through many eyes.
Definitely. Fundamentalist religions of all sort are dying.. (I don't know why, but I'm immediately thinking of The Wall in Game of Thrones.. Everyone is so concerned about their petty battles, and only Jon Snow seems to remember the bigger enemy at any given point in time. Im not sure how that plays into this, but my mind created it for some reason..) Even my religion, which is fluid to begin with, has a lot of modern touches to it. The quality of items, or items at all, are no longer necessary.. I do not conduct rituals, or speak different tongues, or place faith in objects the way fundamental Wiccans and Pagans seem to do. I find it perfectly acceptable as a ritual to go to a Christian church.
I'm reminded of the story of how Christmas trees and Easter eggs came about.. the shallow petty things were adopted and accepted, rather than fought over, to make an overall harmonious transition. Pagans didn't feel so out of place, and Christians trusted other self-proclaimed Christians more, etc. I think modern life is sort of doing the same thing. Religion is taking a more peaceful route, and accepting things that are very different because their bigger goals are not washed away by those changes.
If Christian rock bands, churches that run at night and weekdays instead of just the Sabbath, and being educated in a way that makes accepting other religious differences in the neighbors around us still gets youth in the doors and celebrating God, it seems like a deal I would take.
.. But there is always something sad about seeing fundamentals leave. I don't want those tiny tribes in the Amazon to cease existing and start using money. I don't want to see Roman Catholic churches stop using Latin. I think youth are quick to forget the roots of things.. and I'm not sure exactly what, but I know there is importance in those things beyond them just being historically what's happened. It is why I still do rituals at all, and still acknowledge Pagan holidays and read Tarot occasionally.