In U.S., Increasing Number Have No Religious Identity

[anthroguy101]

Source: Gallup

PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans have become increasingly less tied to formal religion in recent decades, with the percentage saying they do not have a specific religious identity growing from near zero in the 1950s to 16% this year and last.

1948-2010 Trend: Percentage of Americans With No Religious Identity

This upward trend in the percentage having no religious identity has been evident for a number of years in Gallup and other surveys.

Gallup began systematically tracking religion using this measure in 1948, asking Americans to name the major religion with which they personally identified. At that point, 2% of Americans volunteered "no religion" and another 3% had an otherwise undesignated religious identity. In 1949 and in the 1950s and 1960s, these percentages stayed low. The number of Americans with no formal religious identity began to increase in the 1970s, reaching 11% by 1990. After some fluctuations over the last two decades, 16% of Americans now say they have no religious identity or have an otherwise undesignated response.

Read more: http://www.gallup.com/poll/128276/Increasing-Number-No-Religious-Identity.aspx

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This is exactly what the Teabagging Texan terrorists would like to avoid. They want to try and reverse this trend. However, the fact remains:

"Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prevent the free excersize thereof,"

These xenophobic school board members are afraid of this, but I don't think changing a few words in a book is going to change what has been happening for decades. Kids will be able to learn the truth as they hear it on TV and read it on the Internet, sources that most children trust more.

[Ed Barrow]

1. That's me. (nt)

[SoapBox]

18. Me too...

[CountAllVotes]

2. imagine that ...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

John Lennon RIP

:kick:

[jaded_old_cynic]

63. Can you believe

Can you believe that's he's been gone for 30 years now?

Where does the time go?

Peace.

[Kerrytravelers]

3. Proud member of the 16%.

And stunts like the one the Texas School Board is attempting won't bring me "back into the fold", that's for damn sure. :eyes:

[JuniperLea]

4. Gosh, I wonder why?

:shrug:

Could it be we don't want to be associated with a mean, spiteful, and hypocritical God? Because that's how these idiots make God look.

Woe to those who are truly following... for they will be confused with these asshats.

[Demeter]

20. I Just Don't Want to Associate With Morons

and that's how the overtly religious present themselves.

[Joe Bacon]

60. I've seen what Christianity has done to my family

It's turned all of them from liberal Democrats to hard core conservative Republicans who slobber at the feet of Palin, watch Fox News and listen to Rush. Every one of them bullshits about their personal relationship with Jesus, but their real love is Ayn Rand and her cult of selfishness. And everyone of them is wrapped in the cocoon of materialism, the more Jesus loves them, the more possessions they have. Yes, it's sickening to hear them pray for that new car, even a new TV or a new refrigerator. Then they follow the advice of their pulpit pimps, engage in "sacrificial giving" so the pulpit pimp can buy another Rolls Royce and wow, they find that second hand refrigerator on eBay. Praise Jesus, or should I say "Je$u$". And of course they act just like their beloved pulpit pimps, with the mistresses on the side. And when they get caught, there's that confession in church, begging for forgiveness. Then they go right on back being full time phonies.

On Sundays, I'd rather sleep in a comfy bed and shut off the alarm clock instead of wasting time in a church pew sleeping while a hate filled gasbag spits out the latest GOP talking points. Amazing to see how the Republic Party has totally corrupted the churches. I can still remember as a kid hearing kids sing Jesus Loves Me. Now all I hear from these fucking sleazy gasbags is how much Jesus hates gays, lesbians, people of color and how Obama is the antichrist. Then these bullshitters spit out the pie in the sky shit about Jesus coming in a few weeks to rapture his Republican pals, leaving the godless Democrats behind while the Antichrist in the White House installs the New World Order.

Pulpit Pimps promise you pie in the sky when you die as long as you swallow the GOP talking points they give you every Sunday.

American Christians are the phoniest people on Earth. They talk the Jesus talk, but they walk the Ayn Rand walk.

[glinda]

5. So they want to ram it down everyone's throat.

[krabigirl]

38. which will have the opposite effect.

[crim son]

6. There's a difference between religious identity and "formal" religious identity.

I have my own set of beliefs and I live by them. I believe in a Deity but can not and will not quantify/qualify It. I'm just as happy not to be lumped in with the rest of the Christians, Muslims or what have you, TYVM.

[Webster Green]

7. Only 16%?

That's depressing.

[Iowa]

43. If you include those who don't believe, but say they do, the number would be higher...

That would be my guess. There are lots of people who pretend, for various reasons. I was reading awhile back about a study having to do with active clergy who don't believe.

I'm also seeing anecdotal evidence (via people I know) that things are changing fast. People are beginning to come out of the closet due to the Catholic church's ongoing fiasco, the loony-right's usurpation of most religions, the works of Dawkins/Hitchens/Harris, the explosion of information available via the internet, and many other factors. Once that begins to snowball, the 16% number will explode, IMO.

I'm also seeing evidence that many of those who continue to cling to religion do so with far less certainty than before. Most of the major religions have jumped the rails to the point where it is becoming almost impossible to rationalize. So while some answering a survey might claim a religion, in reality they have one foot in and the other out. Many of those will have both feet out given a little more time.

[havocmom]

8. It's dogma over spiritual sustenance that is making organized religion irrelevant

Fundamentalists, both Christian, Islamic, and probably others, are hastening the process with their insistence on adherence to strict doctrine base on what they say is God's words.

The louder and harsher they are, the less impact they actually have.

Ever REALLY watch two-year-olds? They are just coming to understand that they are not the whole of the universe, but they still think YOU are not aware of that fact. It they scream and throw tantrums, they just might distract you from finding out they are not in control of things. That is how they attempt to be in control of things.

Same with religious control freaks.

[bluestateguy]

9. Good news for Democrats

We know how non-religious folks vote... :bounce:

[Christa]

10. I think the number may be much higher

Family and friends often keep people from telling the truth.

[Old Codger]

14. really

I would bet on that, there are a lot of people who will not admit to anyone that they are non-believers, just a larger percentage willing to admit it now compared to the fifties

[Cha]

11. I was way ahead of the curve

on that one.

[efhmc]

12. Good, bad or whatever, this is the direct result of the

religious right and the bush* administration. They made a mockery out of the real love and acceptance of the teachings of Christ.

[Ian David]

17. Christ who? n/t

[Bert]

30. It's been going on for longer than that

our founders were actually deists, which would make them more or less atheists by today's standards, at least my favorite founders were. Of course they had first hand knowledge of christian religious wars, I can only hope this kind of thing goes viral in the middle east and then the world will truly be a better place.

[ThomThom]

41. Deists believe in God but support no organized religion

atheists don't believe there is a god, big difference.

[Bert]

55. Not as much as you would believe

For instance deists do not believe that god gets involved, being more of a watchmaker who started things. As an atheist I cannot deny the possiblility that such is possible, just not as likely as random chance in my opinion. In short, practically a deist and an atheist will always look on an act of nature as just that and do not blame everything that happens on some angry god. In my view a god who doesen't get involved is a god who doesent really matter in the grand scheme of things. Basically the practical result is that an athestic view and a deist view are almost identical except in the question of did someone start the big bang.

Also, didn't Jefferson have his own views on the bible and what he though believable and what he thought was not? He didn't believe in divine intervention or the ressurection, which is enough to make him an honorary atheist in my book. And if you dont like it, tell your god to strike me down with a thunderbolt.

[msanthrope]

34. I'm sorry, is there a person called christ who wrote 'teachings?' n/t

[krabigirl]

36. Yes, imo it is partly the fault of the religious people themselves.

[rocktivity]

51. DING DING DING! Efhmc, your our grand prize winner!

The religious right and the bush* administration...made a mockery out...the teachings of Christ.

And if you need proof, look at how the rate DOUBLED between 2004 and 2008!

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Bert]

56. Who are you to say

The thing about being a christian is it is really undefinable. For all you know Torquemada was the only real christian. When you say he is not a real christian what you really mean is he is not what you would consider to be a christian, but since you dont have godlike knowledge you really cant know. I will agree that it is unlikely that bush has a conduit to god, but I dont believe in any deity that would care about us more than any micro-organism. It is just as likely to me that he is the 'real' christian as someone who I would admire.

Christian has to mean something more than 'someone who I admire' for it to be a religious definition. Therefore it could be possible that the mormons are the real christians, who knows? Personally I sidestep the argument and avoid all of the voodoo and witchcraft outright and let rationality be my determining factor.

[paparush]

13. Thank God! :-)

[jxnmsdemguy65]

15. Generally I find this a positive development....

Religion (churches, esp. mega, televangelists, etc) is indeed the opiate of the people. Marx had it right. OTOH, I think Americans could use a lot more spirituality in their lives. The poverty of that in segments of the culture is truly appalling.

[daleo]

16. I rarely feel religious, when I am in a church

I count the tiles on the roof, examine the wood grain of the pews, estimate the height of the ceiling, whatever. To me, churches seem like somewhere you go to get away from God.

A dark starry night by the seashore, a walk through a forest, or reading a math book, those are different.

[Psephos]

21. well said n/t

[LarryNM]

23. A Beautiful Truth n/t

[Blue_Tires]

24. +1000

[krabigirl]

37. Same here! +5000

[Delphinus]

46. +1,000 n/t

[cyr330]

19. Good.

We have too goddamned many religious zealots in this country.

[AtheistCrusader]

22. What a great trend.

And growing.

Someday.. Someday.
Tell you what, I'm blue eyed and white as they come, but I too know what it means to be a minority. Sure, it's an ideal I could pretend or lie about in certain company, and don't wear it in my skin, but since I'm averse to lying it's always there for people to see.

[Decoy of Fenris]

25. Norse Paganist here.

The logical part of me just can't believe that the universe happened essentially through a series of well-timed and convenient coincidences.

That said, I can understand (and in some way, encourage) the growth of atheism. It seems that the more people a religion loses in numbers, the louder it's supporters screech and attempt to convert "nonbelievers". When a religion attempts governmental policy change, said religion needs to be scaled back or toned down so that it cannot impose it's views upon a larger body of folk.

[D23MIURG23]

27. The universe itself didn't happen through any coincidences - it just happened.

Life did occur as the result of a series of coincidences, as very specific requirements exist for the emergence of life, and the development of a solar system capable of sustaining it. These make most sense when viewed in a statistical context that invokes the vastness of the universe as a motivating force. The universe is estimated to contain roughly 80 billion galaxies, and our own galaxy alone is thought to contain 400 billion stars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observable_universe , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way) . Even if we consider the emergence of life in a solar system to be hopelessly unlikely - for instance a rate of 1 life bearing solar system in every 1 trillion stars, that would still imply 1 life bearing planet would occur in every 2 or so galaxies the size of ours, and billions would be present in the universe.

I hope that was in some way useful. Dawkins explores this idea more thoroughly in the God Delusion if you are interested in reading more. Thor be with you (or Odin if you prefer).

[Decoy of Fenris]

40. I've never facepalmed at myself so hard...

I meant that I can't believe that -we- came about due to a series of convenient circumstances. Obviously, the universe did... Can't believe I typo'd such a critical point. That's what I get for posting after a long night of coffee and philosophical debate.

EDIT: Keeping in line with the thread, I'll take a look at those links once I get back from painting the house and another long night of coffee, cancer, and Magic: The Gathering. (Guilty pleasure, that.)

[ZombieHorde]

53. I had a long night of Magic: The Gathering last night.

I did not get to bed until 5am.

For those who don't know, Magic: The Gathering is a fantasy based card game of fun and frustration.

[DatManFromNawlins]

58. Why not?

You're making the assumption that intelligent life is somehow special. There are approximately 10^24 stars in the universe. The earth is comprised of approximately 1x10^50 atoms.

Suppose that only one in a trillion stars has a solar system which has a planet which has life on it (this is orders of magnitude smaller than actual). Now of the trillion worlds (yes, trillion) which has life on it, find ONE that has life that has evolved to the point of intelligence. Still seem that far fetched?

If you accept evolution and the big bang, then the rise of intelligent life in the universe is not only not special, it's a given.

[PassingFair]

32. We are the result of what DID happen.

When you stop thinking so egocentrically, you
will see that we have evolved to fit our environment.

There are no "coincidences" that made the universe perfect
for us.

We are the PRODUCT of what has been and what is.

[anthroguy101]

26. We may not be Estonia,

but this is significant progress IMO. Hopefully Texas doesn't change this trend. I'd rather have people not be in a religion than become some zealot who twists the word of God to his/her advantage. The evangenitals clearly ignore Matthew 5:44 and never focus on it.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

29. Actually, Texas is reacting to the growing trend.

They fear that their rule by religious intimidation is coming to an end. Once that happens people will start making choices rationally. Their whole religion-industrial complex will fall apart.

[footinmouth]

28. I'm included

Whenever I get a survey, under the Religion question, I always answer "none".

Standing up for proud heathens everywhere.

[Snarkoleptic]

31. Here's a handy chart to help you determine which course to take.

[Bert]

42. love it

I'll do a print screen off of that

[Hamlette]

47. love this!

[OnionPatch]

33. That's me.

I used to consider myself a Christian but stopped saying so in the polls. I've come to believe that the most credible spiritual teachers, Jesus among them, were/are all trying to teach the same thing...love one another. And atheists can understand this without having to believe in a deity. I've come to the conclusion that most organized religions are more a means to control and manipulate people politically than a place to provide spiritual nurturing so I don't feel an obligation to belong to an organized religion anymore or even label my beliefs. Nearly everything that Jesus taught contradicts the idea that he would have had a "my way or the highway" attitude. The other stuff was probably mistranslated on purpose. I'm glad more people are moving beyond the rigid, counterproductive constrictions of organized religion, so I welcome a trend toward a more secular society.

[krabigirl]

35. And it will continue. People are waking up and ro

also the more the crazier fundamentalists try to force everyone to be like them, the more people will rebel.

Not saying that all will be atheists, but maybe just reject religion and dogma.

[Zhade]

44. Uh, that's all we atheists are -- those without religion.

NT!

[sakabatou]

39. I'm part of the 16% too

[DesertDiamond]

45. Their behavior seems unlikely to encourage anyone to join their religion.

[Hamlette]

48. I think it is higher than 16%

I've known ppl who told me they belonged to one religion/church or another. But as I got to know them better they admitted they didn't go to church and really didn't believe in god but said they were "Catholic" or Protestant or Jewish or whatever for a variety of reasons.

There is a great passage in a book called the Corner of the Veil (?) which takes place in France. A character is contemplating the polls that show 25% of French men and women don't believe in god. The character comments it is prolly double that because ppl are afraid to say they don't believe in god because "what would grandma say if I said that" or some other reason.

Maybe I just hang with my kind but I don't many ppl who believe in god. Once you scratch the surface its something like "god is love" "God is life's force" blah blah. Not the supernatural god Texas wants us to fear.

[Alcibiades]

49. And remember, be sure to give your kids your belief system

All sorts of zealots are allowed to teach their kids all kinds of crazy things that are only possible to believe because these things are learned when they are children. I am not teaching my kids that there is no god, though I am teaching them that Republicans make bad choices and want to destroy America. I teach my kids about all the gods, without claiming any special status for any of them. In the meantime, I have taught him that daddy believes only in things for which there are evidence.

Today, I had a moment of pride when my five year old boy told me, during a thunderstorm, that he thinks you can meet Thor in heaven. I told him that some people think that, but they call it Asgard. Either he'll come to the logical conclusion that all this stuff cannot be true, so none of it is, or he'll be some sort self-taught pantheist.

[NICO9000]

50. Good!

Raised Catholic, but bailed once I wasn't forced to go to church anymore at 18. I had a Jewish girlfriend in college and explored Reform Judaism a bit, but realized I just couldn't swallow religion in any guise. I remember when your religion was a private thing, not something to trot out to show how superior you are to the heathens. That went out the window by the 80s and we've never recovered since, sadly.

[Thor_MN]

52. rational agnostic, unless you are talking to my mother. Then, I'm Lutheran.

[DatManFromNawlins]

59. Heh. Catholic to my family. Baptist to my dad. Atheist in real life.

Sometimes, religious bullshit is just more trouble than its worth. Completely fucked up my adolescent years.

[ProudDad]

54. Non-theist - religion is irrelevent...(n/t)

[DatManFromNawlins]

57. Bullshit. It's called Television

Americans huddle around those things and allow it to tell them their history, their politics, their culture, and what they should believe. Just because it isn't a creepy dude in the sky doesn't mean they aren't worshipping something.

[Odin2005]

61. I'm in that 16%

More and more people are waking up to the SHAM that is organized religion.

[snooper2]

62. Maybe the nation is getting smarter...

Hopefully in the next 20-25 years the rest of the racist fuckers born in the 40's and 50's will die off...

The future may be brighter :)

[kestrel91316]

64. I consider myself a neopagan ecofeminist with Anabaptist leanings.

I have no use for church or organized religion, and am so devout, lol, I never "practice" any religion at all. I just have mental musings about spiritual matters.

I was raised nominally Presbyterian but we all quit going to church when I was 8. Now I only go (sometimes Methodist, sometimes Episcopal for a change) to church on the rare Christmas (for the music and decorations) and Easter (for the decorations).

[and-justice-for-all]

65. Outstanding!!! nt

[Scout]

66. that's a good thing. n/t

[maddogesq]

67. I attend the Shrine of the Sleeping Musician...every Sunday. :) NT

teeheeheehee

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

68. If I brake on an icy road, I pray. Otherwise, church is WF only

Weddings, Funerals.

:hi:

Someone smarter than me wrote the words "lapsed unitarian". If I qualified for any religion ...