The percentage of people who call themselves in some way Christian has dropped more than 11% in a generation. The faithful have scattered out of their traditional bases: The Bible Belt is less Baptist. The Rust Belt is less Catholic. And everywhere, more people are exploring spiritual frontiers — or falling off the faith map completely.
These dramatic shifts in just 18 years are detailed in the new American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS), to be released today. It finds that, despite growth and immigration that has added nearly 50 million adults to the U.S. population, almost all religious denominations have lost ground since the first ARIS survey in 1990.
“More than ever before, people are just making up their own stories of who they are. They say, ‘I’m everything. I’m nothing. I believe in myself,’ ” says Barry Kosmin, survey co-author.
Among the key findings in the 2008 survey:
• So many Americans claim no religion at all (15%, up from 8% in 1990), that this category now outranks every other major U.S. religious group except Catholics and Baptists. In a nation that has long been mostly Christian, “the challenge to Christianity … does not come from other religions but from a rejection of all forms of organized religion,” the report concludes.
[…]
Meabh Fitzpatrick, 49, of Rutland, Vt., says she is upfront about becoming an atheist 10 years ago because “it’s important for us to be counted. I’m a taxpayer and a law-abiding citizen and an ethical person, and I don’t think people assume this about atheists.”
Overdue. The rate of decline is simply beginning to catch up to other educated nations.
(sarcasm ON)
lets see,
HOW can this be..
the SCAMS,
the THEFT of money,
the PEDOPHILES,
READIng the bible and finding what is SAID ISNT what is being preached?
KNOWING that there IS’ a difference between the OLD and NEW testament?
that the OLD testament is parts of the Koran?
that our Bible history is FROM the Hebrew faith? And they keep trying to make it sound NICER THEN IT WAS??
that the OLD dudes that preached on TV, LONG AGO..are almost ALL DEAD?
that the POPE is full of POOP?
Can you say BIRTH CONTROL?
CONDOM??
and that MOST of the church is OUT of context with the times?
that 90% of those that attend CHURCH, dont PRACTICE what is preached? “JUST BE NICE TO EACH OTHER”
That when you go to OTHER churches, its ALMOST ALL the same, no matter the NAME..Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, …
that there is PROBABLY groups out there TRYING TO FORCE the end of the world, and think it will WIPE the slate clean? ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN..dont mean much to them. known as LETS make this a BETTER PLACE..
That even CHRIST said that ANYPLACE is as good as church, to worship GOD?
God/Christ, the person you Bitch, moan, groan, complain, praise, thank and YELL AT, when things dont go right..
Its true. In the last 18 years I went from atheist to anti-theist. Is there any more room for growth?
Thank God 🙂
Organized religion’s efforts to fight the downward spiral is by infiltrating government. They managed to get Bush in but voters decided enough is enough.
An effective religious recruitment stimulus package must include tolerance, inclusion and individual privacy. Your potential customers have spoken.
If this is true then it certainly isn’t something to celebrate.
Christianity brings a stabilizing influence to society. When this moral fabric is removed a vacuum forms allowing all types of depravity to emerge then take over. In time, you revert to a society in which few will find peace or safety.
Is that really what you want?
I wonder if this is the precursor to a Nihilism movement in the US?
God always allows choice. Jesus died for everyone, it is your choice to study, believe, and obey. Eternity is a long time.
@ #6
You make a good point.
That said what I don’t want is religion entwined in any way government.
Any philosophy/religion/depravity brings stability to a society PROVIDED enough of the people buy into it.
I predict future society will be stabilized by most people spending their days as wage slaves and their spare time mindlessly blogging.
Another unintended benefit of the internet.
(#4–Ripper==I did answer your post about Kropotnik. Great Man. Not a LIE – LIEBERTARIAN at all.)
If the individuals in a group BELIEVE in the basics, of truth, justice and kindness, even without religion..They bring those with them, into the jobs that they have..
SO WHAT HAPPENED TO BUSH?? if he was so religious. I dont think he was.
#9 freddybobs68k
>>what I don’t want is religion entwined in any way government.
Agreed. Government corrupts everything it comes in contact with.
Now, try telling that to the fundamental Muslims and Jews. When will they get on board the big train out of organized religion?
Never. The Jews and Arabs have been fighting over the same piece of worthless desert for 3,000 years, all in the name of organized religion. Good luck.
Amen!
#14 hah hah, look out for the leprechauns on St. Patrick’s day. Don’t hit a unicorn driving home today.
Um, bobbo, it’s your turn. You are welcome to respond to #14. Science doesn’t stand a chance, but you always seem to try. Good luck, I’m rooting for ya’!
And the pendulum swings. IMO the connection between conservatism and Republicanism is playing a role, along with a generational shift.
BTW, this is an interesting article by a conservative about Rush. He’ll be apologizing in a few days, no doubt. But in the meantime, he makes good points that are peripherally related to this discussion.
http://newsweek.com/id/188279
@Alfred1
Are you off your meds?
Hey Alfred, you’re proselytizing, and that’s one reason why you get mocked. If you do it on purpose, you’re trolling.
Besides, using scripture to debate the relevance of religion is circular logic…you lose before you even start.
It’s ridiculous to say that people can’t be good or moral without god. The rule of law provides stability, not christianity or any other dogmatic belief system. Religion provides a manufactured basis for hatred. “MY invisible man is the only true dog!” “NO HE’S NOT!” “YES HE IS!” Bang, you’re dead.
Perhaps government corrupts religion but that is a good thing. Religion corrupts reason and without reason there is chaos.
Wake up and realize there is no tooth fairy either.
@ # 12 contempt said
If anything it works both ways. Arguably there’s more corruption from religion as it is untestable/unmeasurable.
@ # 12 contempt
If anything it works both ways. Arguably there’s more corruption from religion as it is untestable/unmeasurable.
#16–Bubba==I was gonna let it pass. Too much like arguing for reason with Boss Linbaugh. But with an invitation from the Master of the Dip Dork Award, would I be risking that award being placed on myself????
I used to think that “Science” would indeed, as an offshot, become a new religion==people worshipping it, full of ritual and dogma, without really understanding it or acknowledging its contradictions, IE==a real religion. But if science had that appeal, I think it would already be established, and its not. Science as religion may come later, but its a non-starter right now by empirical experience. Thats a devotional conclusion from science as science, not science as religion.
The key to a “world wide religion” is that the naturally occuring variations cannot pit one group against another. That is the appeal of science–disagreement is a benefit. I see only two possible world wide religions==secular humanism, and mother earth. Like religion, that is a faith based statement. I assume war won’t break out on the issue of whether or not to save the rainforest and all the other issues, although conflict between true believers certainly will continue.
Gee, just even verbalizing shows that Science as Religion is the only was to go as “the conflicts” are part of its catechism. All thats needed is another messiah.
I am a conservative, tending toward Libertarian. I am currently re reading Origin of Species on my Kindle. It amazes me how anyone could believe in this religious crap.
@24 Alfred1
Hmmm. I think you’re a troll. If not you are quite mad.
‘If you were a critical thinker, you would know this.’
Obviously…. Yep – troll or mad or both.
Religion by it’s very nature is confusion. It’s man’s attempt to reach and satisfy God by imposing his own standards. This is why there are so many religions.
Christianity in it’s purest form and uncorrupted by man’s selfish desires is the one and only true relationship with God. At least that’s what the Big Guy says by sending his Son to make the greatest sacrifice of all. You have faith or you don’t – at least there’s a choice.
# 27 Alfred1 said, “In view of quantum physics…its amazing any scientist is not a theist…particles behave a certain way UNLESS someone is watching?”
I’ve yet to see that explained using rules of the physical universe. It is indeed interesting.
#14
So the anti-Christ will be a liberal? Who knew? Where does it say that in the Bible? By the way, wouldn’t Jesus be considered a raving hippie liberal by today’s standards? Wouldn’t the *anti*-Christ be the opposite of that? Or are you saying that the anti-Christ will be an alien from another planet?
#24
Yes, using scripture to prove the existence of God is circular logic. It goes like this, “I state in this post that Purple Leprechauns exist.” Refer to this post for proof that Purple Leprechauns exist.
@29 Contempt
“Christianity in it’s purest form and uncorrupted by man’s selfish desires is the one and only true relationship with God.”
Only if you’re a Christian. And therefore the minority of religious people on this planet.
Why religion keeps causing problems in the world is its often used to be divisive. ‘If you don’t believe what I believe then you are wrong’. Or if your not in my gang you’re evil.
Surely its possible to have a ‘true’ relationship with God, without church, the bible, and christianity. All manifestly the creations of man.
# 32 Thomas said, “By the way, wouldn’t Jesus be considered a raving hippie liberal by today’s standards?”
No, he didn’t believe the theft of others property…
Yep, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is various shown with two or more eyes prominently displayed. Much better adapted to eyeball all those quantum particles.
It shows the appeal of Religion. Even as an anti-theist, I have to admit I believe in noodles.