Pew’s new report—which surveyed 35,071 people in 2014, and encompasses the second half of findings released in May—can be juxtaposed with the group’s similarly sized 2007 study on the same topic. Americans who are “absolutely certain” in God’s existence have decreased by eight percentage points in the intervening time. Religiously unaffiliated people now make up 23% of the adult population, compared to 16%; even among the pious, regular service attendance is faltering.
When sorted by generation, the contrasts get even starker. Younger Americans, by some measures, are almost twice as likely to be uninterested in religion as their parents and grandparents. For instance: only 27% of millennials attend weekly religious services, versus 51% of adults in the Silent Generation (those aged 70 to 87). Emphasis on the importance of religion is also lagging.
The wide difference in generational religious interest is explained in part by people’s tendency to care more about religion as they age—a caveat Pew has carefully noted. But even so, the research group finds that younger people nowadays aren’t showing the same increase in religious fervor when they get older as past generations did.
“As older cohorts of adults … pass away, they are being replaced by a new cohort of young adults who display far lower levels of attachment to organized religion than their parents’ and grandparents’ generations did when they were the same age,” wrote the authors of the report.
As I have mentioned before, I have been here all along, unshackled by fear, prejudice, and superstition, just waiting for everybody else to finally join me.
And increasingly they have been doing exactly that.
We're still lagging behind Europe and Japan and, based on these numbers, only about level with the Middle East (in a recent survey of Arab countries, 22% identified as "non-religious"). And it's disappointing that this nonsense has continued so far into modern times at all. Still, give it another generation or two and it will be reduced to a minority no longer able to exert such a pernicious influence on society.
ReplyDeleteName one religious person in public life who could be a role model? Pat Roberston? Franklin "I own my own private jet" Graham? Joel "Look at my horse teeth" Osteen? They are all on a par with carnival barkers. Look at the clowns in office like Louis Gomert and his ilk, spewing hate in the name of religion. Disgusting people. How can they be surprised that younger people are turned off by their blatant grifting? Look at Nancy French, claiming a paycheck to pretend to be Bristol Palin, even knowing what a tramp she is. Seems to me that these so-called religious people will sell their souls for the almighty dollar. I have not attended church services in many, many years. I knit hats and scarves for low income school kids, which is not a lot, but more than some people I know who constantly say "Bless you". Some of the worst hypocrites I have known in my lifetime have been Catholic women who show up for work on Ash Wednesday, with the mark on their foreheads. They would rush out at noon, to head for the tavern, then the ladies room smelled like beer the rest of the day. Screwed up priorities abound in religious organizations.
ReplyDeleteA more interesting question is why are people becoming less religious?
ReplyDeleteInternet: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2014/04/09/is-the-internet-killing-religion/
DeleteSpeaking of the so-called religious, Bristol has posted more pics of the two retarded boys on her insta.
ReplyDeleteI decided long ago that my life was better lived in awe of questions than spent in the worship of some else's "answers".
ReplyDeleteI would also like to be "unshackled" from the club mentality where if you don't belong to a "religious club" you are treated as an outsider and denied jobs, housing, etc. Those of us who are religiously "unaffiliated" usually don't want to have to belong to someone else's club. Here in MS, we can't even hold public office, which is unconstitutional but hasn't been challenged and probably never will be challenged. Maybe the "unaffiliated" will form their own club one day. Naaaaaa
ReplyDeleteAre you saying that's the law? Or a declared unaffiliated would never be elected?
DeleteBoth.
DeleteMany studies have shown that religious people lie about how often they attend services, so the percentages shown by Pew are exaggerated. Does this surprise anyone?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/06/religious-children-less-altruistic-secular-kids-study?CMP=fb_gu
ReplyDeleteThirty years ago, I was in a Bible Study group that was going through The Bible Prophesies in Revelation. One of the few things that I never forgot was the one that even you will find pleasing.
ReplyDeleteThe Bible says that Babylon the Great will fall. Babylon represents all of the false religions in the World, and that includes the "Christians" who have fallen from the true teachings of the Word. The United Nations will be given the power to end religion worldwide, and "peace and security" will be declared.
I laughed at that idea because back then; and even now, religion controls the governments. I thought that There was NO way that would ever happen.
Now, with all of the hate, greed, selfishness coming from so called Christians, and more, and more killings done in the name of "god", I can see how governments will tire of the conflicts, and how this prophecy could come true.
You have something to look forward to.
You actually think that religion controls governments?
DeleteThat has to be one of the dumbest things I have ever read. Some of you IMers never cease to amaze me.
I'm sure the decline has a lot to do with the parents of today's "unaffiliated". Speaking for myself, my grandmother was Pentecostal (Holy Roller), my mother was disenchanted and encouraged us to follow our own path (but went to church for weddings), and I explored Christianity, Buddhism and Pagan beliefs before just rejecting the entire megillah. So much simpler, and no tithes!
ReplyDeleteCheer up, Gryph--there's more of us every day!
Decreases in religious upbringing, college education, and the Internet have all apparently contributed to reduced religious affiliation. But has anyone ever looked into the fact that going to church is INCREDIBLY BORING? I was always a skeptic, having clear thoughts of "Does anyone in this room actually believe this crazy talk?", when I was only five years old. But seriously, the absolute worst for me was being forced to sit for several hours every week listening to some old white guy droning on and on.................
ReplyDeleteToday's kids are used to being highly entertained at a high rate of speed. I'm thinking that a good old fashioned Protestant Sermon might actually be so dismally unstimulating for them that it could actually kill the brain cells of a modern child. It could literally be the instinct for self preservation that keeps the new generation away. Especially to those that have heard of "critical thinking"................