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
“You have no more right to say that Roman Catholics were first than the Eastern Orthodox do. Probably the oldest churches were those in Jerusalem and Antioch, and these churches were part of the Eastern Orthodox churches, not part of Roman Catholicism. The Roman Catholics split away from the churches in Jerusalem and Antioch in 1054 and sought to establish their own true single church over the whole earth.”
David, he does have a right to say what he believes, “you clearly don’t believe in free speech”. I don’t agree with what Stanton has to say, but he has the right to “rebuke” you.
I. Annie wrote: “David, he does have a right to say what he believes, “you clearly don’t believe in free speech”.”
I was using the word “right” in a different connotation. I wasn’t talking about a legal right to speak, but rather a justification for his argument. I agree with you that he has a legal right to express his viewpoint. Let me reword what I said for you:
“You have no better argument than the Eastern Orthodox to say that Roman Catholics were first. In fact, I think the Eastern Orthodox has the better argument in claiming that they were first.”
“9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
That is all that is necessary to be called a Christian. You can believe that from the comfort of you own home or rotting in a cell in any other part of the world. I am a member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod because I like the fellowship and the intensive study and discussion we have on the Bible. I challenge some within my Church because they denounce other denominations and religions as if being only a Missouri Synod Lutheran is the only way. It’s what’s in the heart that matters and not in all the rituals your particular faith practices. Challenge the heart if you are so inclined but don’t judge the practice.
Inga,
I think you and David are in violent agreement. You agree that people have the right to protest in front of churches. The part about they should not have to deal with protestors outside their church during services is where you think you are in disagreement.
That issue is one of humanity, of what is right in terms of what is goodness and kindness. Those protestors are violating the Golden Rule.
I think that is the ‘right’ that you are referring to when you wrote: “These people also have the right to worship unmolested in their churches.” They do not have a natural right to this, but it is right that they should be able to worship in peace.
Angela Cummings reminds me of a female version of Ian Paisley…the quack protestant minister in Northern Ireland, who purchased his divinity degree off a matchbook cover advertisement (no joke!) and who gave weekly sermons which focused on how much he despised the Pope, Rome and all followers of the Catholic Church. The Seventh gay Adventist’s are also rabidly anti-Catholic, but some of their hateful rhetoric has diminished over the years. One SDA pastor named Doug Batchelor has weekly sermons that basically never change…he continually spews out his hate filled swill to his eager SDA congregants, specifically that the Pope is the anti-christ, the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon, that Catholics are seeking to make the nation have compulsory Sunday worship for all Christians, that the Catholics are basically the reason the world is in turmoil, and that Rome is the mastermind of most worldly problems, on and on…I attempted to debate this charlatan on his program, but he declined the offer…his convictions aren’t as strong as I thought…either that or he is just tired of getting man-handled by Catholic apologists, who are more adroit at discussing the History of the Church, and exposing the SDA religion as just another cult, that has surfaced in the last 150 or so years.
http://youtu.be/i8Gy_NywfSM
Here is Angela Cummings, The Preacher Woman, “rebuking” Catholics on Easter in front of their church. Street “rebuker”.
David, I should have done this in an email. My bad.
And David, I heard you say your’re interested in moving to Costa Rica, should the SC rule in favor of same sex marriage. I bet they wouldn’t take kindly to street “rebuking” in front of Catholic Churches. But don’t let that stop you from moving there, they have government health care, I’m told.
I Annie wrote: “And David, I heard you say your’re interested in moving to Costa Rica, should the SC rule in favor of same sex marriage. I bet they wouldn’t take kindly to street “rebuking” in front of Catholic Churches. But don’t let that stop you from moving there, they have government health care, I’m told.”
I have never done any “street rebuking” in front of a Catholic church. Don’t worry about that. I have a modicum of respect for Roman Catholics. They are one of the few bastions of morality left. They are active on the correct side of the abortion issue, as well as they further the right view of the sanctity of marriage and the immorality of divorce and homosexuality. I think Justice Scalia has one of the best legal minds regarding our Constitution. He is Roman Catholic, and I think that possibly has helped guide him. Justice Scalia greatly increases my respect for the Judiciary and gives me hope that things will get better.
As for Costa Rica, the government health care is a non-issue for me. I don’t use medical care anyway, and the taxes are much lower there, so apparently they do it without the waste and abuse that we have here. I have no problem supporting government health care the way they do it. More importantly, I will not be fined for not buying an insurance product that I do not want. A fine implies that I am a criminal for my views about health insurance. Also, my fine here is higher than what my property taxes would be in Costa Rica. A home costing $350,000 has property taxes of about $300, or if the home is in the mountains, only $150. The three things attractive to me about Costa Rica are 1) it will cost me less to live there because of lower taxes, 2) the legal system is not hoodwinked by the homosexual agenda (which would be a litmus test of their ability to understand real human rights), and 3) the fishing looks pretty good. 🙂
David,
You have aright to be obnoxious on the street corner, yes indeed. These people also have the right to worship unmolested in their churches. Clashing rights, once again. You’ve been arrested, so you’ve said, are you a street “rebuker”? Those little old Catholic ladies surely need “rebuking”, I suppose.
Oh and my name isn’t Ingrid.
Paul C.,
Yep. If a person follows Jesus’ teachings, then they’re a Christian as far as I can tell.
Good grief. Stanton, what does it matter to you who constitutes a “real” Christian? That is between the individual and God. Are you the doorman for the pearly gates? Are you more forgiving than God?
Prairie Rose – I am an agnostic who believes that a Christian is a follower of Christ. Anything else is frou frou.
Nick, If only that translated into being an honorable member of our civil society…
You certainly are a passionate Catholic, Stanton.
one more thing…I’m glad it has not eluded me…defending my Church…the Counter-Reformation was built on that defense…in fact, the Jesuits, which were started by Saint Ignatius of Loyola was started as a religious community for that express purpose nick…as you derive a sense of satisfaction from defending the “law” and our constitution…I also derive a great sense of personal satisfaction defending my “faith”…as it has eternal repercussion’s…irrespective of whether you believe it or not…I’m sure many souls are in hell, who also loved law and the constitution…just as there are souls in hell, who went to Church regularly…but led lives steeped in corruption and evil…the point is this…where do we plan on spending eternity…once in hell, it is eternal and quoting the various amendments of the constitution won’t remove you from that fact…a place of eternal torment, where the worm dieth not…
He’s a (private) Dick.
He’s not an attorney, lol.
that is truly noble nick…the only flaw in your thinking is the “state” of your own soul which you should be concerned with defending…from the wages of sin…like apathy, anger, pride, intemperance, avarice and so on. There are a whole host of spiritually injurious things that can hurt you personally, potentially for eternity, as well as the community around you, in fact, hurt us all…as an attorney, you defended the law, and the rights of others…from evildoers no doubt, a wonderful vocation that…I feel much the same…I defend my faith, as you do “law”…by defending it from those who spread lies about it, and attempt to harm it, by slandering it’s good priests and followers, through detraction and worse! Some have called my Church, “The Whore of Babylon”, that hurts nick, maybe it doesn’t hurt you, but it does me, and many others as well…you should come back to this Church full of hypocrites nick…always room for one more…
And I will defend your right to defend your religion, Stanton. Just don’t try and sell it to me. There’s a big difference between defending your religion and selling it as the “one true” church. That fundamental difference seems to have eluded you.
On the general “What is worth defending?” There are many things I find worth defending. But, I’ll discuss what I have defended in my life. I have sworn to defend the Constitution, and have done that. I have defended rape victims, robbery victims, family members of homicide victims. I have defended people from soulless insurance companies. I have defended children from abuse. I do random acts of kindness defending people from govt. bureaucrats and helping them get the govt. service they deserve. I have defended kids from mindless, worthless union teachers who think a kid that needs attention is a problem, not an opportunity. I could go on, but you get my drift. Religion, in my mind, is doing that stuff. Not going to church and worshipping flawed allegedly holy men. But, I will defend your right to do that. Just don’t try and sell it to me. I ain’t buying. JUST SAYN’.
one more thing…I possess NO truth…I follow the truth as it is taught by the Church…on matters of law i turn to the Constitution…on matters of faith and morals I also turn/appeal to the Ultimate authority …The catholic Church…without it, I wouldn’t no what to believe on matters of religion…why, i could be episcoplaian one day…and baptist the next, unitarian next month…or maybe just a charitable agnostic, who believes in the “brotherhood of man”…this thinking to me is illogical, and unreasonable, and I don’t believe God wants me to sway in the wind like a reed…uncertain of what to believe, and unclear how to save my soul…
Himself only.
I suppose Mother Teresa must be a “radically” rabid Catholic also, as she led a “truly radical, holy “countercultural existence…choosing to followed the call of our Lord, rather than the call of the secular world…what you call “rabid”, I call devotion…but yes, I am willing to defend my Catholic belief’s, as they are worth defending…at least to me…what do you find worth defending nick?