US Christians numbers 'decline sharply', poll finds

[progressoid]

Has this been posted already? I don't frequent that other forum anymore.

Pew Research Center found that 71% of Americans identified as Christian in 2014 - down from 78% in 2007.

In the same period, Americans identifying as having no religion grew from 16% to 23%.

Fifty-six million Americans do not observe any religion, the second largest community after Evangelicals.

The United States still remains home to more Christians than any other nation, with roughly seven-in-ten continuing to identify with some branch of Christianity.

In 2007 and then again in 2014, Pew conducted the "Religious Landscape Study", interviewing 35,000 people each time.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32710444

[RussBLib]

1. oops....just saw this one

sorry for the dupe

[progressoid]

3. The more, the merrier!

[Arugula Latte]

2. I'll bet the atheist and agnostic numbers are actually slightly higher ...

For one thing, when asked "what religion are you?" many Jewish people will say they're Jewish because they identify with it culturally but don't really believe in the religion part of it. Most of my Jewish friends are atheist or agnostic (although I certainly see a lot of hardcore Hasidics where I live, as well). I would think the same would go for some Buddhists, as you don't need to believe in a god to be Buddhist, at least in some strains of it, as I understand.

I've seen this study posted in LBN and GD, but I haven't checked "that other place."

[F4lconF16]

8. Yes. Most jews I know are all atheists. nt

[onager]

4. I'm sure it's only the "nice" atheists who are increasing their numbers.

That poll can't possibly apply to Asshole/Vermin Atheists like us.

Speaking of that other place...

[PassingFair]

5. Yes, I read in that other place that it's....

just an increase in good people who don't actually go to church any more, but
are still praying and "spiritual".

[Arugula Latte]

9. Well, a creationist "researcher" told Jessa Duggar's husband that atheists don't exist.

The evidence of God is ubiquitous. It’s everywhere. And, in fact, Romans 1 tells us that God has revealed himself to everyone. And what that means is there really is no such thing as an atheist. There are those people who profess to be atheists, but in their heart of hearts, they know that there’s God because God has revealed himself to everyone. He’s hardwired us to know that he exists. And he’s hardwired us in such a way that when we look into the universe, we immediately recognize it’s the handiwork of God. And not just a god, the God. We recognize God. ~ "Dr." Jason Lisle

No atheists because Bible. Now that is airtight logic from a solid source... I guess we'll have to close this place down now. Checkmate on us.

[Lordquinton]

16. God revealed himself to me

that's why I have a restraining order.

[Arugula Latte]

18. Was he wearing a raincoat and flashed you in the park?

Naughty, naughty deity.

[beam me up scottie]

11. Oops, wrong place.

onager!

[Brainstormy]

6. Limbaugh says the decline

is due to gay marriage. http://mediamatters.org/video/2015/05/12/rush-limbaugh-blames-gay-marriage-for-decline-o/203622

[progressoid]

7. Oh noes!1! It looks like teh Gay agenda is working!2!

[Binkie The Clown]

10. My theory is...

the crazy religious extremists have given Christianity a bad name, and more people are waking up to just how crazy it is.

[AlbertCat]

23. the crazy religious extremists have given Christianity a bad name,

That and I think people have noticed religion rarely, if ever, delivers on its promises. The louder it shrieks, the more people notice it's not working.

[beam me up scottie]

12. Lots of pearl clutching and damage control in other rooms.

A theist posts the info and it's "a very good thing".

An atheist posts about it and it's "bad journalism" detracting "from the real point".

Someone blamed the Kardashians.

I get dizzy just watching.

[onager]

14. LOL! The Kartrashians? Why, there's not one scintilla...

You know the rest. WARNING!

Just read the threads about that poll in The Other Place. Very entertaining reading. Some of the loudest atheist-bashers were all over the map. They seemed to change their minds - and arguments - from thread to thread.

I wouldn't blame the Kardashians for a decline in religion. I suspect they may be a species of alien brain-eating organisms cleverly disguised as near-humans, but that's just my theory.

Couple of years ago in Los Angeles, a severed head turned up underneath the HOLLYWOOD sign. Somebody called Harvey Levin at TMZ and asked if he wanted a story about it. Levin said, "Only if it's the head of a Kardashian."

[beam me up scottie]

15. Oh, snarf!

Rush Limpballs isn't the only one having a cow about the poll.

The funniest thing about blaming the Krassdashians is that they're devout christians.

[PassingFair]

17. I know, right? It is to laugh!

[Arugula Latte]

19. They're, like, totally into God and Jesus and stuff?

God and Jesus are, like, epic, and the Kardashians are, like, totally obsessed with them, to the point that it's, like, cray cray? Jesus is, literally like so cool, he's like totally on another level?

[beam me up scottie]

21. NTK fallacy.

[AlbertCat]

24. That's why they dress in white....

.... either that or it's after Easter.

Actually.... I like all these outfits. Tres chic.

[Mariana]

20. The Kardashians?

Wow, I missed that one.

[beam me up scottie]

22. Well they gotta blame someone.

It can't be religion.

[olddots]

13. I'll take all the progress I can get

seems like we have been devolving lately so this is is good news .