There is an interesting new Pew poll that shows that the number of Americans without affiliation to any religion is continuing to rise — as is the number of Americans who now classify themselves as atheists or agnostics. The numbers of “nones” has grown to 56 million in recent years, making it the second largest number behind evangelicals. From 2007 to 2014, Americans describing themselves as as atheist, agnostic or of no particular faith grew from 16 percent to nearly 23 percent. This is roughly one out of four Americans. Pew found a rising tide of secularism in the United States. It is an interesting poll since religious groups tend to have far greater political power in the country as shown by various “faith-based” policies.
I have written previously (here) on how both Republicans and Democrats, including President Obama (here), have embraced faith-based politics. Yet, in addition to strong support for separation of church and state, many Americans disclaim any faith-based affiliation.
Notably, the largest group of faith followers (Christians) has shown the greatest decline in numbers. In the latest poll, Christians dropped from about 78 percent to just under 71 percent of the population. Protestants now comprise 46.5 percent the country.
Last year, 31 percent of the “nones” said they were atheist or agnostic as compared to 25 percent in 2007. In addition, the percentage who said religion was important to them has dropped.
The question is how the parties, and particularly the Republican party, will respond to this trend. Notably, people with no religion tend to vote Democratic, while white evangelicals tend to vote Republican. The greatest drops among Christians were seen among more liberal Protestants and Roman Catholics.
Mainline Protestants declined by about 5 million to 36 million between 2007 and 2014. The study put the number of Catholic adults at 51 million, or just over one-fifth of the U.S. population, a drop of about 3 percent over seven years.
While there was an increase in Muslims and Hindus, both groups comprise less than 1 percent of the U.S. population. The number of Jews rose slightly over the period, from 1.7 percent to 1.9 percent of Americans.
It is fascinating to see these demographic shifts as well as the relative political power that is held by various groups in our political system.
With one out of four Americans in the “none” category, it will be interesting to see if the rising secular values in our country will translate to changes in either party — or whether the determinative factor will continue to be the concentrated voting blocks or influence of particular faith-based groups.
Source: PEW Study
Rcocean
1, May 15, 2015 at 12:02 pm
The secular left loves these Catholics Vs. Fundi arguments and tries to stir them up.
I have an odd upbringing when it comes to religion. One parent’s family is quite religious: a minister in the family, others who work in various church-community capacities like youth groups / outreach. My other parent’s family (from the same Midwestern city) is hostile to religion (my parent is agnostic, not hostile, as am I). After moving quite a bit I married a Catholic.
I was in long conversation with one of my family members who went on about how Catholics are mind-controlled by the Pope and similar nonsense. As you can probably guess it wasn’t the religious side that was anti-Catholic, it was the secular far-left side. [I said her ideas were from the 40’s, but to be clear I mean the 1640s.] For comparison my extremely religious grandmother asked once if I was going to convert, and never brought it up again.
So the left saving Catholics from the screaming fundies comes across like the Morlocks telling the Eloi they should be scared of the bogeymen.
For good reason.
Rcocean,
Like ex-smokers, ex-fundi’s are the most rabid.
The secular left loves these Catholics Vs. Fundi arguments and tries to stir them up. And the reason they defend the Catholics and attack the Fundies is because the Fundies vote Republican. That’s why you get the constant attacks on them in the MSM. The Left will beat the Fundies with any club they can get their hands on. With the Left its always politics.
Darren,
My late uncle was a methodists, and he followed the traditions of the older version of methodism. However, there is a difference between the old methodist beliefs and a few modern methodist beliefs. Hence, please feel free to read the following article below. I agree with this article/author’s opinion on this subject matter. You do not have to agree or respond.
http://www.gotquestions.org/Methodists.html
I see you haven’t exorcised your Fundi’ judgmentalism yet. Obviously a work in “progress”. Next, Rick will learn he doesn’t have a natural right to believe differently than you.
I am amused by your willful ignorance, but carry on.
What if it were your wife sitting in that mass with the fundamentalists yelling out anti Catholic sentiments during mass?
Then we would be amused some people have such an odd understanding of reality. Basically the same reaction I have to this:
You obviously have no idea of just how much impact these people can and do have on you and this country’s politics.
You are very naive to think they have no impact on you Rick. What if it were your wife sitting in that mass with the fundamentalists yelling out anti Catholic sentiments during mass? You obviously have no idea of just how much impact these people can and do have on you and this country’s politics. Naive or willfully blind.
The Catholic Church is the ONE TRUE CHURCH…all other churches are false…Jesus started ONE Church, as the Gospel of St. Matthew says…all churches fall away, when one marches chronologically backwards in time…save one…the Catholic Church…One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic…
Hence my first comment in this thread Rick
I. Annie
Interesting that fundamentalists are being more open about their anti Catholic ideas once again.
You’re coming across as obsessive. I’m not religious but my wife and kids are Catholic. These people you’re so concerned about have zero impact on us. I find it beyond strange you’re so outraged supposedly on behalf of people you also malign at every opportunity.
Nick,
Thank you sir. Between work and school I simply didn’t have the time to engage people in these threads. When I read them, I can see I haven’t missed anything. The same sort of topics and the predictable responses from the same people. I got a comment deleted last night so apparently the same whining is having its predictable effect as well; maybe with slightly less tolerance as I’ve seen in the past. Must have been a slow night.
Mike Appleton,
Excellent last post. I concur.
Annie,
One of your articles states: ‘true Christianity offers a far……one of social justice, love, and equality’ This is true. However, what most non-believers, and even many Christains, refuse to acknowledge is the last book of the Bible: The Book of Revelation. In your spare time, I encourage everyone to take the time and read and study the book of revelation. It is the only book in the Bible that states: Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. Rev. 1:3.
As I mentioned earlier, Dr. Robert D. Luginbill’s online volumes of his understanding of the book of Revelation is a great start to comprehend what is going to happen in the coming years (maybe in the coming months). Yeshua the Christ came with love the first time, and look what they did to him. However, when He comes back again…….there will be no love for those who refuse to believe.
Many Christian pastors, and even a few traditional church pastors, refuse to have an honest dialogue about the book of revelation due to the fact that it will frighten away their members………
RWL:
Those who have followed this blog for a few years have some familiarity with my background. I express my opinions openly and without apology. I assure you that I am quite able to debate Catholic doctrine with you, but I will not do so because it would be neither enlightening nor useful for either of us or any of those who read these comments. I harbor no hatred of religion or of religious people, but I refuse to engage idiocy and religious bigotry, both of which are on brilliant display in the citations you posted.
Several years ago, I came home to find that an anonymous person had deposited a slim volume on my front porch. It was entitled “The Secret Terrorists.” The author is identified as Bill Hughes and the publisher is an entity known as “Truth Triumphant” located at a post office box in Tangerine, Florida. The book details the responsibility of the Catholic Church in general, and the Society of Jesus in particular, for both world wars, the sinking of the Titanic, Waco, Oklahoma City, the World Trade Center and assorted other atrocities. I have kept the book, not because of its merits, but as a reminder of the depths to which haters of Roman Catholicism will descend.
The citations you have provided are pathetic examples of the “Bill Hughes” mindset, and just as offensive. That you choose to spew such vicious filth anonymously is quite understandable. However, it is undeserving of respect and does not admit of a rational response. You may well deem such intellectual garbage worthy of discussion, but in my view it is beneath the dignity of this blog to entertain it and I will not do so.
There are undoubtedly many sites that would delight in sharing your ignorant prejudice. I recommend that you search them out. I do not have time for vile stupidity and will engage you no further on any topic.
I suppose we United Methodists are not Christian as well.
http://www.salon.com/2014/12/01/far_right_christian_haters_rage_and_cruelty_from_white_fundamentalist_america/
“Over the past few years, America has been divided by religion. The culture wars have heated up with secularists on one side and God-fearing Americans on the other, and to understate things: They disagree. But does that mean we hate one another? If the animosity is so intense, what kind of outrage goes too far?
Married to Mikey Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), the author has collected and annotated a sampling of the hate mail the foundation has received over the past few years. This hate mail is not trolling or anonymous “Internet comments.” The letters are specific and threatening and most often include a return address or email. The Weinsteins’ home has been vandalized — many times — and the family has had to take serious and expensive security measures. It’s no joke. As I read the book, curled up on my couch, my wife kept asking if I was OK. My face was fixed in an expression of horror and disbelief as I read the rage, hate and cruelty cataloged on every page. Bonnie has uncovered a shocking reality: Self-professed Christians deny the fundamental humanity of other people they don’t even know.
As hard as it was to read in places, it’s important to read and understand. It offers an unflinching examination of a subset of American fundamentalism, created by a segment of our society that is whiter, more conservative and a lot angrier than the rest of America. For some people the future of their faith and of the nation are in danger, threatened by secular forces controlled by Satan himself. This existential threat to Christian supremacy justifies the most offensive, vulgar and cruel letters I’ve ever read. Think I’m overstating it? Read the book.”
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This is only a preview of what we’re going to see and hear after the SC announces their decision on same sex marriage. It’s going to get rough, I suspect.
Olly, I am very happy to have you commenting here again, bringing your intellect, reason, common sense and positive mindset. This place missed you.
To Olly,
“Parishioners asked me last Saturday, what should we do? My response, “smile and wave.” If we are being accused of not being ‘true Christians’, let’s prove them wrong. Let’s turn the other cheek, love ’til it hurts and remember Christ’s words in the Gospel, “Woe to you when all speak well of you. Thus they treated the false prophets in the same way.””
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/kathyschiffer/2014/11/protesters-spew-anti-catholic-hate-outside-d-c-area-parishes/
“A group of protesters has stormed parishes in the Diocese of Washington, chanting anti-Catholic slogans and distributing fundamentalist literature.
In an Oct. 30 e-mail to the archdiocese’s priests, Bishop Barry Knestout — its top administrator — laid out what had happened and what church staff and volunteers should do if the group reappears.
“From what we can piece together from witness accounts, the group is protesting the teachings of the Catholic Church, Church leaders and the Holy Father,” Knestout wrote in the e-mail. “In all instances, they appeared on parish property with bullhorns and began shouting at parishioners who were going into or coming out of Mass and handed out fundamentalist literature. In two instances, the group stormed the inside of the church just before Mass began and were promptly removed by attentive ushers and off-duty law enforcement. . . . Should you encounter such protesters at your parish, please do not hesitate to contact your local police.”
He continued: “Our pastoral response will be that we welcome everyone to the liturgy, but it is disrespectful to use the Mass as a venue for protesting. If possible, please consider having a priest available to speak with the protesters outside of church.””
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Interesting that fundamentalists are being more open about their anti Catholic ideas once again. In 2012 they were pandering to the Catholics and Mormons to get the Republican candidate into the White House. They have their fundamentalist candidates now, so no need to hide their hatred for Catholics and Mormons anymore. Interesting.