Religion

True Dough

(17,314 posts) Sat Apr 6, 2019, 01:40 PM Apr 2019

The godless are growing rapidly. 266% rise in people reporting no religious affiliation

in less than three decades. Surely it's time for God to reach into "his/her" bag of tricks and flood the Earth or something?

The number of Americans who identify as having no religion has risen 266 percent since 1991, to now tie statistically with the number of Catholics and Evangelicals, according to a new survey.

People with no religion – known as 'nones' among statisticians – account for 23.1 percent of the U.S. population, while Catholics make up 23 percent and Evangelicals account for 22.5 percent, according to the General Social Survey.

Those three groups now represent the largest the religious groups in America.

The survey has tracked a broad swath of American trends since 1972, offering comprehensive insight into the evolving face of religion over more than four decades.

Ryan Burge, a political science professor at Eastern Illinois University who analyzed the data, said that experts have several theories about why the number of 'nones' has risen so dramatically in recent decades.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6886705/Is-America-Godless-number-people-no-religion-rose-266-three-decades.html

5 replies

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The godless are growing rapidly. 266% rise in people reporting no religious affiliation (Original Post) True Dough Apr 2019 OP

Baptized, Confirmed, and Married in the Catholic Church...... ProudMNDemocrat Apr 2019 #1

I wouldn't say that they are godless. Being unaffiliated simply means just that. LuvLoogie Apr 2019 #2

Yours is an important distinction True Dough Apr 2019 #3

Thank God. Downtown Hound Apr 2019 #4

Good! Mickju Apr 2019 #5

ProudMNDemocrat

(16,786 posts)

1. Baptized, Confirmed, and Married in the Catholic Church......

Reply to True Dough (Original post)

Sat Apr 6, 2019, 01:48 PM

Apr 2019

I identify less with the Catholic Church. As do my adult children.

I consider myself more Spiritual than Religious. My relationship to God is pretty good.

LuvLoogie

(7,021 posts)

2. I wouldn't say that they are godless. Being unaffiliated simply means just that.

Reply to True Dough (Original post)

Sat Apr 6, 2019, 01:53 PM

Apr 2019

Being of a religion requires a traditional indoctrination and example. People are losing their religion in America much like people are losing the ability to write cursively.

The quest for spiritual solace is ever a part of the human condition. Certain religions are anachronistic, and much cause and effect moves and has moved from the mystic realm into the world of scientific scrutiny as fact or fiction.

Part of religiosity is dedication, discipline. And how people use their religion as a guide varies, from wacked-out fundies to chilled-out love bubbles. Maybe people losing their religion means that God is more present in more peoples lives, that they are more connected to God and no longer need the interpretive filter of doctrine.

Lack of piety is not lack of spirituality.