"Nones" Are Statistically Tied for the Largest "Religious" Group in the Country

[NeoGreen]

https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/03/22/nones-are-statistically-tied-for-the-largest-religious-group-in-the-country/

“Nones” Are Statistically Tied for the Largest “Religious” Group in the Country
By Hemant Mehta, March 22, 2019

According to just released 2018 data from the General Social Survey, “Nones” are now the largest single “religious” demographic in the country (23.1%), statistically tied with Catholics (23.0%) and just above evangelical Christians (22.5%).

While the single data point may not tell you much, look at those trend lines. “No religion” just keeps getting higher and higher, apparently pulling people from mainline Christian denominations and maybe some evangelicals, too.



According to Professor Ryan P. Burge of Eastern Illinois University, this trend shows no sign of slowing down.

The unaffiliated have had a much more dramatic trajectory, starting at just 1 in 20 of GSS respondents back in 1972. The nones experienced big jumps in 1993 and 1998, and have added, on average, 1-1.5 percentage points every 2 years for the last 10 years.

Their continued growth has been well-documented and at this point, expected. The big finding in 2018 is that those of “no religion” are now as common as evangelicals in the US, both about 23 percent of the population.

The difference between these groups is not statistically significant at this point; but I see no reason to think that the nones will level off anytime soon. If the nones maintain their growth while evangelicals stagnate, it is statistically inevitable that those of no religious faith will be the largest group in America in the next five years.

Given that the two largest religious denominations in the country — Catholics and Southern Baptists — are facing sexual abuse scandals that could go on for years to come, I wouldn’t be surprised if people who still believe in God leave those denominations altogether.

[DetlefK]

1. I would say that "Nones" are an even greater danger for religion than Atheists.

An Atheist at least thinks about religion and has an opinion on it and you can have discussions with him about it.

Nones? Nones care so little about religion they don't even have an opinion on it.

[dewsgirl]

4. I can tell you, those that chose none as far as religion

doesn't mean some don't believe in God. They just don't identify with a specific religion. Or don't care for organized religion.

[defacto7]

11. What makes you think atheists think about religion?

It's not a thing, it's the condition of not believing in a deity. Nones may not even be atheist. They could believe in any deity they wish, they just don't belong to a religion.

[DetlefK]

13. Atheists have a reason for not believing in God. It's a conscious decision.

They have weighed arguments and have decided that the arguments for God are too weak.

On the other hand, there are people who don't believe in God simply because they can't be bothered. Do you think that every single of the hundreds of millions of non-believers on this planet became an atheist because of a philosophical argument?



Also we're mixing up two different concepts here: "religion" as in "belief" and "religion" as in "an organized community of worshippers".

[defacto7]

14. I think we have some differing opinions here.

Atheists have a reason for not believing in God. It's a conscious decision.

Not necessarily. I think we are all born atheist. It's what we learn from home and society that molds our views. Many people decide that those views don't fit their perceptions and they decide to discard their learned systems and choose to be atheist.

there are people who don't believe in God simply because they can't be bothered

This is true and I admire them for not having to carry the baggage. My wife was born and raised in old East Germany where no religion was ever taught or even discussed. When she escaped to the West she was confronted with the concept of god and systems of belief that were so foreign that the concept of god had to be explained. In the explanation no one could define god so she dicarded the idea as insignificant to this day. She's probably the ultimate ignostic atheist. Bliss.

Do you think that every single of the hundreds of millions of non-believers on this planet became an atheist because of a philosophical argument?

No, I think they were atheist from birth. Some learned false information and decided to discard it and others never learned it to begin with. There probably are some who were able to completely expunge the idea of god so well that they really don't care anymore and that is a pretty wonderful condition after being brainwashed as a child.

From what you've written I get the opinion that you do think the statement you asked above is true. ???

Also we're mixing up two different concepts here: "religion" as in "belief" and "religion" as in "an organized community of worshippers".

Are we? I think part of my original point is that the poll is mixing the catagories in a way that the concept is invalid. Nones can mean many things. Belonging to organized communities of worshipers can mean many things, other can mean a lot. The condition of being atheist encompasses all of the catagories or none of them and in reality is not part of the poll at all. It's just ambiguous.

[Ohiogal]

2. Then why

do all the religious zealots get to make so many laws taking away the rights of women and gays? They do not represent the majority!

[Iliyah]

3. Because of the money factor.

They spend tons of money on their religious fanatics. The ones already in office make sure to suppress the votes and downright steal the elections for them. In total red districts, they vote for them because they are condition to and hate any opposition.

[mountain grammy]

6. Thanks. My answer was the same

$$$$$ and control of the people.

[rogue emissary]

7. Because we have zero representation in Congress and they've demonized us.

It's so bad only the term socialist polls lower than atheist/non-believers in the latest PEW poll on presidential preferences.

[progressoid]

8. I wish the evangelical and mainline were swapped.

Would love to see a bigger drop in those evangelical assholes.

[NeoGreen]

9. Agreed, but I see the catholics as being just as bad, if not worse, with their...

...control of health care in many areas and their systematic covering up for child rapists.

[defacto7]

10. add to that their over representation on the SC.

[defacto7]

12. Although at first glance this looked promising.

But it really doesn't represent much. Nones may not even be atheist, they just don't belong to a religion. Being atheist is the state of not believing in a deity but they can belong to a religion. Buddhism is an atheist religion for the most part. I know Catholics, Methodists and Episcopalians who are atheist. Most atheists don't belong to any religion. So there's something wrong with this poll in my opinion because it doesn't tell you much of anything about what nones think.

If the point is simply to measure those who belong to a particular religion compared to those who don't then I guess they have succeeded in something, but that would leave out a lot of people that fit both or neither catagory.

[FiveGoodMen]

15. Yes, but what about the trend?

[defacto7]

16. OK, wide brush trend. I'm not sure what exactly is trending though.

[edhopper]

17. The problem as I see it

is one of those evangelical loonies can run for office and the other believers in this chart have no problem voting for him/her. Even if they are a scientifically illiterate, religious fanatic. But if a none runs, OH NO! can't vote for someone who doesn't BELIEVE!