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Religious ‘Nones’ Now Outnumber All Individual Religious Cohorts, Outpacing Catholics and Evangelicals
The share of American adults who identify as religiously unaffiliated, known as “Nones, is now larger than any individual religious cohort, according to a new study published Wednesday (1/24/24). Over one quarter (28 percent) of American adults now identify as religiously unaffiliated compared to just 16 percent back in 2007, outpacing Catholics (23 percent) and evangelical Protestants (24 percent), according to a Pew Research study released Wednesday.
This is not to say that non-believers are "winning," as shown in details of the "Nones" in this Pew Research study.
Religious ‘Nones’ in America: Who They Are and What They Believe
In our latest data, 17% of “nones” identify as atheist, 20% say they are agnostic and 63% choose “nothing in particular.”
...No, not all “nones” are nonbelievers. They are far less likely than religiously affiliated Americans to say they believe in God “as described in the Bible,” but most do believe in God or some other higher power. Just 29% reject the notion that there is any higher power or spiritual force in the universe.
This conversation usually revolves around key terms and definitions. Sometimes I think it's better just for us to express what we think or believe, and skip the terms because if we do try to use established terms, we almost always have different definitions for those terms. But I do understand the desire and need to use common language because that is how we communicate. It just happens that this is such a touchy subject that it's very difficult to find common ground. Both sides get offended when their positions are defined by the other side.
For example, I view myself as both an atheist and an agnostic. Anyone who's read me sharing my thoughts, here on BookTalk.org, is well aware of that. I'm agnostic because I don't claim to know whether or not a deity exists. And I'm an atheist because I'm without belief in a deity, BECAUSE I am agnostic about the same question. I am without belief, anytime I'm without knowledge. At least that's what I strive for.
Whether or not atheism is growing, I'm pretty happy to see the percentage of people unaffiliated with a major religion increasing. It's pretty easy to find fault in all of the major religions. So the more people have their own unique brand of spirituality, independent from the dogma and doctrines of established religion, the better we are for it. I'd rather people look up to the stars and get goosebumps and envision some sort of a God, than to turn to an ancient book written by nomadic desert dwellers, and accept the nonsense they see there. One form of belief, seems much safer and better for society, than the other.
Looks can be deceiving: By outward appearance and regional positioning it has been assumed that I am both Christian and republican. Oh those poor deluded souls!.
I am neither, I just have the best time in fact when … reveling both my leftist politics and my conclusion that there are no gods.
I find that it shatters illusions of appearance. I appear to be one of them but am in fact one of the others.
They: right winger, religious simpletons, reveal themselves to me inadvertently because of my looks, they blurt their political beliefs and religious beliefs as though they are authorities of truth/fact without any hint at historical facts, relying solely upon their personal beliefs and assumptions about tribal groupings.
They assume that they are speaking to one of their own. They reveal the foolishness that they have fortified faith in.
I have been criticized by some for being too heavy handed in my response to the things that have been said in conversations with both right wingers and the religious faithful.
My response is this.
Don’t blame me for bringing a sledgehammer into the conversation when I’m dealing with a person whose head is full of concrete.
@ Chris: For starters, I'm a middle aged white male, living in an ocean of MAGA.
So...the long and short is yes to both of your conclusions.
Like many "non's" I am prone to use expressions such as "thank God" or "damn you". Just to site two examples.
People assume you are part of the predominant religion, all else being equal. If you're not, you're an outlier and should be worried that a pogrom is coming for you some day.
OpanaPointer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2024 2:20 pm
We're all born "nones". The problems start when the propaganda starts. "My fictional friend is the BEST fictional friend." Unproven.
There's some—maybe a lot of—evidence suggesting humans have natural tendencies to believe in gods and an afterlife. We are wired to believe in a "higher power" and it's this intuition that leads many of us to religion.
OpanaPointer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2024 2:20 pm
We're all born "nones". The problems start when the propaganda starts. "My fictional friend is the BEST fictional friend." Unproven.
There's some—maybe a lot of—evidence suggesting humans have natural tendencies to believe in gods and an afterlife. We are wired to believe in a "higher power" and it's this intuition that leads many of us to religion.
That would not be proof of any god or gods, just the monkey brain fucking with you.
Geo wrote:There's some—maybe a lot of—evidence suggesting humans have natural tendencies to believe in gods and an afterlife. We are wired to believe in a "higher power" and it's this intuition that leads many of us to religion.
OpanaPointer wrote:That would not be proof of any god or gods, just the monkey brain fucking with you.
"We are altar building apes."
- Source unknown (Dawkins or Harris?)
