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
Churches are only one part of the problem re: tax exemptions
http://www.governing.com/topics/finance/gov-tax-exempt-properties-rise.html
Tax-Exempt Properties Rise as Cities Cope with Shrinking Tax Bases
excerpt:
Johns Hopkins Hospital anchors an expanding network of medical facilities on Baltimore’s east side. To the north, the Johns Hopkins University campus covers some 140 acres. Nearby, the grounds of Loyola University Maryland stretch out over 80 acres. In all directions of the city, a large roster of governments, universities and nonprofits own parcels of land. Yet the one place where most of these plots are noticeably absent is on the city’s property tax rolls.
In all, the value of property owned by governments, nonprofits and other tax-exempt organizations totals $15.1 billion — 30 percent of Baltimore’s entire assessed value. Six years ago, exempt properties accounted for only 25 percent of the total value. But since Baltimore relies on property taxes for half its revenue, the increase is a significant hit to the city’s pocketbook. In 2007, Baltimore’s tax bill for all exempt properties would have totaled $202.4 million if they were taxable at the current rate. This year, the city would have collected $343.2 million. “It’s a long-term issue that we can’t ignore,” says Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. “Doing nothing isn’t an option.”
Baltimore is hardly alone. A pattern of property disappearing from tax rolls has developed across many of the nation’s urban cores as cities grapple with dwindling tax bases. In 16 of the 20 most populous cities with available data, tax-exempt properties today account for a higher share of the total assessed value then they did five years ago, according to a Governing analysis of assessment rolls. Nearly 29 percent of Jacksonville, Fla., property, for instance, was not taxable in 2011, up from 21 percent of the assessed value in 2006. Similarly, the assessed value of exempt Phoenix properties swelled from $2.5 billion in fiscal year 2007 to $3.8 billion in fiscal 2012, even as the city’s total taxable assessed value remained about the same.
And THIS is why young people are leaving churches in droves.
Even Catholisim has fundamentalists. They may be more prevalent in the Protesants though, doesn’t really matter.
Orthodoxy has valid priests, but much of their teaching is wrong and some heretical…Pope Leo declared them heretical…St. Ambrose said, “where you find Peter, you find the Church”…orthodoxy rejects the papacy, it’s primacy and it’s apostolic succession beginning with Pope St. peter to Francis the first. The Orthodox churches are in grave error as are all flavors of protestantism. Jesus said upon this Rock I build My Church. Our Lord never said “chruches”, denominations’ or any other mumbo-jumbo…God is not a God of confusion…one is right, all others are defective…
The Great Stanton wrote: “Jesus said upon this Rock I build My Church. Our Lord never said “chruches”, denominations’ or any other mumbo-jumbo…”
There was no church when Jesus was on the earth. Jesus mentioned church as something he would build in the future. It was Christ’s apostles who saw churches come into existence. The apostles and prophets were the foundation of churches, with Jesus Christ being the cornerstone. If you read the New Testament carefully, you will see that there was never any single priest or pastor ruling over a church. Furthermore, the word church is ALWAYS plural when talking about a region larger than a city. You never read about the church of Judea, or the church of Galilee, or the church of Samaria, or the church of Syria, or the church of Cilicia. No, the apostles spoke of the churches of Judea, and the churches of Galilee, and the churches of Samaria.
Only Orthodox Christian’s except this pseudo-history poppycock…you know it, and I know it…Catholic is a Greek word, it means Universal…. only the catholic Church has followed the command to “go out and teach all nations”…othodoxy is a small confederation of churches, that are based out of eastern europe and Russia…Catholicism is global in scope…how many orthodox missionaries do you find in new Guinea or Greenland?…God said in the book of Genesis…”let us Go Down and make man in OUR image…even in the old testament evidence exists scripturally of the Trinity. Jesus is the second person of the trinity, if you do not except this fact…you cannot be a Christian. Mormonism existed less than 200 years…they are a false, man-made Church, much like all flavors of protestantism, which were created by disgruntled, heretical zealots, only over the past 500 years…the error of orthodoxy erupted in 1054…orthodoxy even allows for 3 marriage and divorces, which flagrantly contradicts the teaching of Our Lord and Holy Mother Church.
Lutherans are heretics? Oh my, that’s certainly not nice.
wrong senor…the Catholic Church rejects mormonism as does “all” mainline protestants…jehovah Witnesses are also non-Trinitarian…ergo they are not Christian. Jesus is the second person of the Trinity…if you do not accept it, you are not Christian. Even heretics like Lutherans believe in the Trinity…
Annie,
Are you next going to tell us Christians should beware the Jews and Muslims because they don’t even think Christians worship a god?
Those fundie street preachers are nothing more than “heretics”…pure and simple…Catholics alone can use the term “heretic”…we invented it to define protestants and all other forms of heresy that existed, prior to the advent of protestantism…which is a “primary heresy”, started by “heresyarch” Martin Luther.
I. Annie
1, May 15, 2015 at 1:25 pm
Nothing more rabid than an ex Catholic, turned fundamentalist. “If you’re a Caholic you’re in trouble!”
So this big schism is that people whose religion is different from yours think you are wrong about religion? Isn’t that pretty much a tautology?
Are you sure that wasn’t Al Caholic?
http://youtu.be/EyvfIk18KmQ
We Americans are much more tolerant to anti Catholic speech by fundamentalists than they are in England.
Catholics are Christians…in fact, we’re the first Christians!
The Great Stanton wrote: “Catholics are Christians…in fact, we’re the first Christians!”
Actually, the Eastern Orthodox churches existed before Roman Catholics. Roman Catholicism began in 1054 AD according to Eastern Orthodoxy.
http://youtu.be/58_k5x2vz4A
Nothing more rabid than an ex Catholic, turned fundamentalist. “If you’re a Caholic you’re in trouble!”
mormonism is a fraud…pure quackery…joseph smith, the bogus tablets and the most laughable yet…the Nephi and the GREAT bronze cvilization here in America, that predates the Indians…an utterly absurd belief system…believing in fairy tales is more reasonable than mormonism!
The Great Stanton wrote: “mormonism is a fraud…”
I agree. Joseph Smith was a con man. However, the still embraced Christianity. The religion he started was based upon following the person and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, same as Roman Catholics and the Protestant religions.
Mormonism DOES not fit the definition of a Christian, my friend….Mormons reject the belief in the Trinity, they believe Jesus and the devil were brothers…and that when “we” die, “we” all get our own planet!…the mormon religion is a CULT!
The Great Stanton wrote: “Mormonism DOES not fit the definition of a Christian…”
I gave you the definition of a Christian religion. Tell me how Mormonism does not fit that definition, or tell me why the definition is wrong and give me a more accurate definition.
One does not have to believe in the Trinity to be Christian. Neither Jesus nor his apostles ever said that one must believe in the Trinity. The teaching of the Trinity did not come about until the Fourth Century. Millions over Christians over the centuries have not believed in the Trinity.
Rick, Keep commenting here, please. Do not get distracted. Keep it positive and avoid the drama and emotion.
http://youtu.be/Z89pIz2KDOI
Evangelical Fundamentalist flees his fundamentalist church and becomes a Catholic.
Rick, Great comment. I love people talking about their background and explaining how it has shaped their world view. Some have a very superficial understanding of from where they came and they are often the haters. They think they know who they are, but they do not. They are emotional cripples, ruled by the emotion of what they cannot, or do not want to process and assess. Therapy can sometimes help these folks, if they find a good shrink, but they are often the last ones to ever consider it. So, they go through life a burden on those around them, particularly their families. Borderline personality disorder. A tough one, up there and similar to attachment disorder.
I should add that it would be perfectly acceptable to say that you belong to a different Christian religion than a Roman Catholic or Mormon, but it is irrational to say that your Christian religion is the only Christian religion. Christianity has many religious sects within it.
http://youtu.be/_CSss0wKLW8
“You need to flee the Roman Catholic Church!”