My online persona is much more direct than I am in real life, and that's usually only because small talk doesn't really happen on the internet. I try not to talk politics or religion with people in real life. I've had a few conversations with reasonable people but most people aren't reasonable, especially about those subjects.
The only time I mention religion is when someone else does first, and it's usually because they're trying to push it.
I would rather have a genuine friend and real conversations than someone who would look at you funny for asking them something philosophical, I have plenty of those and I just don't connect with them. I'm pretty introverted and I enjoy being alone most of the time, which adds to the difficulty of getting to really know people and have those sorts of conversations, and I've never met a girl who is OK with this while trying to maintain a relationship.
One of the most frustrating aspects of being a part of this generation is, in my experience, the previous generations' attitude towards it. Everyone else before us had it absolutely made by comparison. I'm not saying it was easy, but it was unarguably easier. They act like we should just be able to do what they did when they were my age, but don't seem to understand any of the problems of why we can't.