Religion, Current Generation, the young and the Old

Three different  generations,times apart but they have one thing in common.As from my little knowledge on Religion, i think it should be free and not forcefully but when you are a child you have no choice but to go and follow religious background of your parents or guardians choice, you are not even consulted. May this be termed as brain washing?Am just a messenger.What happens between the old and the young generation in terms of religion is ambiguous, some go away from it especially in the urban settings but to the persons who are in rural settings and  are not so economically empowered tend to lean towards religion as their main source of hope and that makes me wonder, dose this mean money makes people less religious?When we are old as they say we become as children, do the old just follow what is offered to them without any choice or what goes on?