Young Americans Losing Their Religion

[peewee's lovechild]

Young Americans Losing Their Religion

New Research Finds Number Who Claim No Church Has Risen Sharply

By DAN HARRIS
May 6, 2009

New research shows young Americans are dramatically less likely to go to church -- or to participate in any form of organized religion -- than their parents and grandparents.

"It's a huge change," says Harvard University professor Robert Putnam, who conducted the research.

Historically, the percentage of Americans who said they had no religious affiliation (pollsters refer to this group as the "nones") has been very small -- hovering between 5 percent and 10 percent. However, Putnam says the percentage of "nones" has now skyrocketed to between 30 percent and 40 percent among younger Americans.

Putnam calls this a "stunning development." He gave reporters a first glimpse of his data Tuesday at a conference on religion organized by the Pew Forum on Faith in Public Life.

The research will be included in a forthcoming book, called "American Grace."

This trend started in the 1990s and continues through today. It includes people in both Generation X and Y.

While these young "nones" may not belong to a church, they are not necessarily atheists.

"Many of them are people who would otherwise be in church," Putnam said. "They have the same attitidues and values as people who are in church, but they grew up in a period in which being religious meant being politically conservative, especially on social issues."

Putnam says that in the past two decades, many young people began to view organized religion as a source of "intolerance and rigidity and doctrinaire political views," and therefore stopped going to church.

This movement away from organized religion, says Putnam, may have enormous consequences for American culture and politics for years to come.

"That is the future of America," he says. "Their views and their habits religiously are going to persist and have a huge effect on the future."

This data is likely to reinvigorate an already heated debate about whether America is, or will continue to be, a "Christian nation." A recent Newsweek cover article, entitled "The End of Christian America" provoked responses from religious thinkers all over the spectrum.

Putnam, author of the book "Bowling Alone," which tracked the decline in civic and community engagement in America (exemplified by the diminution of bowling leagues), fears the reduction in religiosity could have widespread negative impacts.

His research shows that people who go to church are much more likely to vote, volunteer and give to charity.

However, he says, it's possible that the current spike in young people opting out of organized religion could also prove to be an opportunity for some.

"America historically has been a very inventive and even entrepreneurial place in terms of religion," he says. "We're all the time inventing new religions and reinventing religions that we have. It's partly because we have a free market in religion. That is, we don't have a state church."

Given that today's young "nones" probably would be in church if they didn't associate religion with far-right political views, he says, new faith groups may evolve to serve them.

"Jesus said, 'Be fishers of men,'" says Putnam, "and there's this pool with a lot of fish in it and no fishermen right now."

In the end, he says, this "stunning" trend of young people becoming less religious could lead to America's next great burst of religious innovation.


http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=7513343&page=1

[z0sa]

churches are old, far-right and kooky, while a majority your favorite bands and movie stars are new, middle-left and cool (to generalize). This has been happening for a while now if you ask me.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

pete and repeat go in to a store. pete comes out. who's left?
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[peewee's lovechild]

pete and repeat go in to a store. pete comes out. who's left?
pete and repeat go in to a store. pete comes out. who's left?
pete and repeat go in to a store. pete comes out. who's left?


Fascinating

[Blake]

churches are old, far-right and kooky, while a majority your favorite bands and movie stars are new, middle-left and cool (to generalize). This has been happening for a while now if you ask me.

yeah the Beatles are hip and cool and now that movies have started going with color? forget about it.

[xtremesteven33]

Its pretty difficult to keep any sort of "faith" in this modern age.

You got so many people saying you are some form of moron if you believe in God.:rolleyes

[mexicanjunior]

It's all about science these days...

[Extra Stout]

The United States of America: Europe, just 40 years behind.

[xtremesteven33]

are you sure those atheist corsos are not just saying you are a form of moron, corso?

Atheists are just as stubborn as religious fanatics.

Religion doesnt define people. Neither does atheism.

People are morons in general and make thier religion look moronic.

"Dont hate the game, hate the player"

[BacktoBasics]

"Dont hate the game, hate the player"I hate both

[ashbeeigh]

I've gained a lot more faith in the church and religion in the last 3 and a half years then I had before...but that's just me and the road I am traveling down.

I've been on mission trips, been to church daily, then not been to church for a year, gone back to church prayed daily, not prayed, prayed only when I felt like it was necessary, read books about the emerging church, read about Jesus Being President...read books about the dying church and always come back. That's just how I feel. I'm not going to preach and I'm not going to quote the Bible. I'm just telling y'all how I feel.

[Extra Stout]

Coming up for American religion:

Religious devotion among whites will collapse precipitously, so that within a generation or two, only 2% of whites will be observant Christians; virtually all of these will be elderly. Protestantism will be all but extinguished.

Hispanics and blacks will persist in faith. The Roman Catholic church will grow overall with immigration, but lose fair numbers of Hispanic members to various forms of Pentecostalism. Black faith won't change much.

Islam will grow to 1-2% percent of the population, with a stronghold in the Northeast to join the one in Michigan.

[peewee's lovechild]

Religion doesnt define people.

That's just stupid.

[peewee's lovechild]

I'm not going to quote the Bible.

You better not, Angel will cast hellfire from the heavens if you try to take her schtick from her.

[SpursStalker]

No wonder you all stay pissed at each other and slam other posters, you're forever talking about religion and politics ....

2 of the worst subjects in America!

[Rapper]

Does a person need to have a religon?
Do american young people need to believe in God?

[z0sa]

Religion doesnt define people. Neither does atheism.

:clap

thank you. This is exactly what both sides can be blinded to at times.

[xtremesteven33]

:clap

thank you. This is exactly what both sides can be blinded to at times.

peewee doesnt seem to understand it....


That's just stupid.


People have personality and character apart from their religion.

[peewee's lovechild]

peewee doesnt seem to understand it....




People have personality and character apart from their religion.


You don't seem to understand that religion does indeed define who you are.

[Dr. Gonzo]

You don't seem to understand that religion does indeed define who you are.

No it doesn't.

[jman3000]

End Times Harvest. Book it! :)

[z0sa]

You don't seem to understand that religion does indeed define who you are.

not at all.

[clambake]

End Times Harvest. Book it! :)

:lmao

how creepy was that?

[Melmart1]

End Times Harvest. Book it! :)

I read that when angel posted it originally and it truly made me a little queasy.

[xtremesteven33]

Religion can have an influence on decisions you make in life and on your outlook on life but it cant really change you as a person unless you put your entire mind,soul and body into what you believe.

[peewee's lovechild]

Religion can have an influence on decisions you make in life and on your outlook on life but it cant really change you as a person unless you put your entire mind,soul and body into what you believe.

What's the point in having "faith" if you are not going to "put your entire mind, soul, and body" into said faith?

If you are just half-assing your supposed faith, then you don't have much faith at all.

It's quite convenient to just adopt some aspects of your religion and dump those that you consider as cramping your style.

[j-6]

It's quite convenient to just adopt some aspects of your religion and dump those that you consider as cramping your style.

Didn't Martin Luther do that about 500 years ago?

[xtremesteven33]

What's the point in having "faith" if you are not going to "put your entire mind, soul, and body" into said faith?

If you are just half-assing your supposed faith, then you don't have much faith at all.

It's quite convenient to just adopt some aspects of your religion and dump those that you consider as cramping your style.



I would say over 90% of people who have "Faith" dont practice their faith. Theres a difference in saying you claim a religion as your personal Faith and another thing to actually give up everything you have for your Faith.

The debate is "Does religion make up who you are as a person". No, for the most part and YES if you give up everything you have for it. But anything can change who you are as a person if you give up everything you have for that certain thing.

[peewee's lovechild]

Didn't Martin Luther do that about 500 years ago?

Yes, he did.

[peewee's lovechild]

I would say over 90% of people who have "Faith" dont practice their faith. Theres a difference in saying you claim a religion as your personal Faith and another thing to actually give up everything you have for your Faith.

The debate is "Does religion make up who you are as a person". No, for the most part and YES if you give up everything you have for it. But anything can change who you are as a person if you give up everything you have for that certain thing.

So, religion defines who you are only if you're really into your religion.

It doesn't define you only if you "claim" to be religious, but you're really not.

Got it.

[xtremesteven33]

So, religion defines who you are only if you're really into your religion.

It doesn't define you only if you "claim" to be religious, but you're really not.

Got it.



Exactly.

Its not that hard to understand. Its called being a "Hypocrite" or a phony.

[JoeChalupa]

Its pretty difficult to keep any sort of "faith" in this modern age.

You got so many people saying you are some form of moron if you believe in God.:rolleyes

I've been called worse. I can live with it. God bless another religion thread.

[peewee's lovechild]

Exactly.

Its not that hard to understand. Its called being a "Hypocrite" or a phony.

So, then, most religious people are hypocrites.

Got it.

[xtremesteven33]

So, then, most religious people are hypocrites.

Got it.

:tu

[Blake]

No wonder you all stay pissed at each other and slam other posters, you're forever talking about religion and politics ....

2 of the worst subjects in America!

the mavs just beat the Spurs in the playoffs....

there is no God.

[Blake]

End Times Harvest. Book it! :)

:lmao

[ididnotnothat]

So, then, most religious people are hypocrites.

Got it.

Most non-religious people are hypocrites too.

[peewee's lovechild]

Most non-religious people are hypocrites too.

How so?

They don't claim to be holier than thou and then go fuck little boys in a closet.

[Dr. Gonzo]

How so?

They don't claim to be holier than thou and then go fuck little boys in a closet.

Neither do most religious people.

[peewee's lovechild]

Neither do most religious people.

The Catholic Church approves this post.

[Dr. Gonzo]

The Catholic Church doesn't represent all religious people.

[JoeChalupa]

How so?

They don't claim to be holier than thou and then go fuck little boys in a closet.

:rolleyes Yeah, like no non-believer has ever done that. Damn hypocrites.

[SonOfPicard]

How so?

They don't claim to be holier than thou and then go fuck little boys in a closet.

What do you call what you're doing, and seemingly all you do, on these forums? You post about how stupid religions are and how faith is stupid and anyone who believes in it is an idiot. That isn't 'holier than thou'? Maybe if YOU weren't so stupid you'd realize that this little quest of yours is only wasting peoples time. You aren't going to change anyones mind, all you do is make yourself look like a jackass. I don't believe in god, that's my choice. You make your choice, let everyone else make their choice, and quit trying to cram your atheist view points on everyone else. Just because people aren't like you doesn't make them wrong or stupid or bad. In fact, I for one am convinced it's a damn good thing they aren't like you.

[Strike]

What's the point in having "faith" if you are not going to "put your entire mind, soul, and body" into said faith?

If you are just half-assing your supposed faith, then you don't have much faith at all.

It's quite convenient to just adopt some aspects of your religion and dump those that you consider as cramping your style.

+1. That's why I'm not religious. Too easy to just take the inconvenient virtues and rules and put them back in the box so you don't have to look at them.

[peewee's lovechild]

What do you call what you're doing, and seemingly all you do, on these forums? You post about how stupid religions are and how faith is stupid and anyone who believes in it is an idiot. That isn't 'holier than thou'? Maybe if YOU weren't so stupid you'd realize that this little quest of yours is only wasting peoples time. You aren't going to change anyones mind, all you do is make yourself look like a jackass. I don't believe in god, that's my choice. You make your choice, let everyone else make their choice, and quit trying to cram your atheist view points on everyone else. Just because people aren't like you doesn't make them wrong or stupid or bad. In fact, I for one am convinced it's a damn good thing they aren't like you.

I never called anyone who has faith as being idiots. Therefore, you are the idiot.

I have simply said that it is improbable that this so-called "god" exists. I have also pointed out the inconsistencies of the major religions that dominate this world and the negative impact they often have, as they have for thousands of years.

My whole point is that the world is better off without religion. The purpose of this post is to point out that more people are beginning to see that religiosity is not necessary in their lives.

Now, if you get all ass hurt because you are one of god's soldiers and you feel that you must defend him/her/it at all times, that is very much your problem.

However, it is a fact that religion has done more harm than good in the past couple of thousand years, more so if you include some pagan religions that predated the major religions of today, and that it will more than likely continue having an negative impact until humanity disposes of its need for religiosity.

[j-6]

A hundred years ago, Sunday church was the typically the only time you could speak with people that lived far away from the homestead and still belonged to your community, barring a funeral or an election. Choir practice and youth groups served as ways of getting together during the week. Repeated exposure to religion and peer pressure created faith in people.

Times have drastically changed, and mass communication and travel ease can't be helping the cause. Do you think 1909 has more in common with 1809 or 2009? Aimee Semple MacPherson, Jimmy Swaggert, and Joel Osteen figured out how to stay ahead of the curve during their times of relevance to society. Someone else - and it may very well be Osteen or Rick Warren - will adapt, and use their resources to draw people in. In the meantime, nobody can really be surprised by this, believer or not.

[z0sa]

However, it is a fact that religion has done more harm than good in the past couple of thousand years, more so if you include some pagan religions that predated the major religions of today, and that it will more than likely continue having an negative impact until humanity disposes of its need for religiosity.

Now if that's not revisionist history, I'm not exactly sure what is.

[peewee's lovechild]

A hundred years ago, Sunday church was the typically the only time you could speak with people that lived far away from the homestead and still belonged to your community, barring a funeral or an election. Choir practice and youth groups served as ways of getting together during the week. Repeated exposure to religion and peer pressure created faith in people.

Times have drastically changed, and mass communication and travel ease can't be helping the cause. Do you think 1909 has more in common with 1809 or 2009? Aimee Semple MacPherson, Jimmy Swaggert, and Joel Osteen figured out how to stay ahead of the curve during their times of relevance to society. Someone else - and it may very well be Osteen or Rick Warren - will adapt, and use their resources to draw people in. In the meantime, nobody can really be surprised by this, believer or not.

I agree with the first part of you post, but disagree on the last part.

I think more people, in the near future, will abandon living in fear of offending a god who seems to be extremely unresponsive and begin to live in the now. By abandoning religion, people are free to live their lives in anyway they see fit and live according to what makes them happy.

[SonOfPicard]

You don't have to say "you are an idiot if you think this" to label someone as something derogatory. People, even religious people, can infer meaning based on your viewpoint and arguments. By the way your "therefore, you are an idiot" comment is a logical fallacy, try to argue with me, not just call people names. The point you are supposedly trying to make is completely moot because it's a journey of self discovery, for everyone. The single biggest ally you have in your quest to abolish religion from the world is education, yet you come off as extremely uneducated. If you want to convince someone of something, you need to seek common ground, not berate their life style and way of thinking. Again, I am not religious, and I'm not defending religion, I'm simply pointing out the futility of your argument. You sound like some 16 year old high school student with a chip on his shoulder. Did daddy make you go to sermon on sunday instead of watch the cowboys? Get over it, some people like religion, and you aren't going to change that w/ your weak arguments, name calling, and under handed bashing.

[peewee's lovechild]

Now if that's not revisionist history, I'm not exactly sure what is.

Revisionist???

Revisionist?????

The Crusades never happened? The Inquisition never happened? The Catholic Church never instituted Jesuits to do their dirty work? People who opposed the church were never burned at the stake for being witches? The Holocaust never happened? The Islamic Empire wasn't built with blood? The Sikhs never warred vs. Hindus?

I could go on, and on, and on, and on, and on . . . but you'll probably post some clever response that only a four year old would consider legitimate.

Read a history book before you talk out of your ass.

[BacktoBasics]

Revisionist???

Revisionist?????

The Crusades never happened? The Inquisition never happened? The Catholic Church never instituted Jesuits to do their dirty work? People who opposed the church were never burned at the stake for being witches? The Holocaust never happened? The Islamic Empire wasn't built with blood? The Sikhs never warred vs. Hindus?

I could go on, and on, and on, and on, and on . . . but you'll probably post some clever response that only a four year old would consider legitimate.

Read a history book before you talk out of your ass.You forgot G.I. Joe vs. Cobra?

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Wow, this thread went 50+ posts without a single REM joke. Looks like I just lost a buck...to myself!

[FaithInOne]

As long as they don't replace this void with Government.

As long as they don't look to idiots like Al Gorebage as their thinking scientific figure heads.

[peewee's lovechild]

You don't have to say "you are an idiot if you think this" to label someone as something derogatory. People, even religious people, can infer meaning based on your viewpoint and arguments. By the way your "therefore, you are an idiot" comment is a logical fallacy, try to argue with me, not just call people names. The point you are supposedly trying to make is completely moot because it's a journey of self discovery, for everyone. The single biggest ally you have in your quest to abolish religion from the world is education, yet you come off as extremely uneducated. If you want to convince someone of something, you need to seek common ground, not berate their life style and way of thinking. Again, I am not religious, and I'm not defending religion, I'm simply pointing out the futility of your argument. You sound like some 16 year old high school student with a chip on his shoulder. Did daddy make you go to sermon on sunday instead of watch the cowboys? Get over it, some people like religion, and you aren't going to change that w/ your weak arguments, name calling, and under handed bashing.

You're talking out of your ass.

You're not a "16 year old high school student" just because you make some posts opposing the mainstream view of religiosity. That would make Richard Dawkins a 16 year old high school student, only that he is an extremely intelligent individual that has more Ph.d's than you will ever have if you lived your life 50 times over.

Once again, I never called anyone an idiot for having faith. I called you and idiot because you said I did. And, you surely are an idiot for talking out of your ass.

However, I will admit that I'm a little harsh on some people only because they don't post anything with any merit at all, especially those who only post biblical texts and things that their minister tells them to repeat.

If you want an example of an intelligent post by those who support religion, see posts made by Extra Stout.

Now, if you have nothing credible to say, then keep your mouth shut.

[peewee's lovechild]

You forgot G.I. Joe vs. Cobra?

I was about to get to that.

[peewee's lovechild]

Wow, this thread went 50+ posts without a single REM joke. Looks like I just lost a buck...to myself!

Hahaha.

Michael Stipe for Pope!!

[peewee's lovechild]

As long as they don't replace this void with Government.

As long as they don't look to idiots like Al Gorebage as their thinking scientific figure heads.

There are scientific minds much greater than that of Al Gore.

He isn't much of a scientific mind to begin with, he's just real good at gathering data.

[I Love Me Some Me]

Wow, this thread went 50+ posts without a single REM joke. Looks like I just lost a buck...to myself!
Was that you in the corner?

[peewee's lovechild]

Was that you in the corner?

In the spotlight?

[ALVAREZ6]

Wow, this thread went 50+ posts without a single REM joke. Looks like I just lost a buck...to myself!
lol, it's the first thing I thought of when I read the title...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_XFMCgeI7c

[j-6]

I agree with the first part of you post, but disagree on the last part.

I think more people, in the near future, will abandon living in fear of offending a god who seems to be extremely unresponsive and begin to live in the now. By abandoning religion, people are free to live their lives in anyway they see fit and live according to what makes them happy.

I see things differently. We need organized religion as a society to placate those that do believe. Some people have to believe in something, anything, just to be motivated to function in the society we're all a part of. Additionally, people want to believe in a life after death. You and I may have made our peace with turning the lights out when the party's over, but I bet we're still in the minority. The beauty of all this is that none of us know. Nobody. If faith causes someone to contribute to society instead of having a pity party that their lives are meaningless, I'm all for it.

Secondly, once religion is marginalized, the faithful will act like a cornered wolverine. Who's more likely to be a zealot, a liberal New York atheist or a Alabama Southern Baptist with a houseful of firearms? We still have money with God's name printed on it and our elected officials swear before his name. None of that will change without pissing all of those people off, and they'll make radical Islam look like a Sunday picnic.

[Dr. Gonzo]

You don't have to say "you are an idiot if you think this" to label someone as something derogatory. People, even religious people, can infer meaning based on your viewpoint and arguments. By the way your "therefore, you are an idiot" comment is a logical fallacy, try to argue with me, not just call people names. The point you are supposedly trying to make is completely moot because it's a journey of self discovery, for everyone. The single biggest ally you have in your quest to abolish religion from the world is education, yet you come off as extremely uneducated. If you want to convince someone of something, you need to seek common ground, not berate their life style and way of thinking. Again, I am not religious, and I'm not defending religion, I'm simply pointing out the futility of your argument. You sound like some 16 year old high school student with a chip on his shoulder. Did daddy make you go to sermon on sunday instead of watch the cowboys? Get over it, some people like religion, and you aren't going to change that w/ your weak arguments, name calling, and under handed bashing.

You are pretty much dead on there.

[peewee's lovechild]

I see things differently. We need organized religion as a society to placate those that do believe. Some people have to believe in something, anything, just to be motivated to function in the society we're all a part of. Additionally, people want to believe in a life after death. You and I may have made our peace with turning the lights out when the party's over, but I bet we're still in the minority. The beauty of all this is that none of us know. Nobody. If faith causes someone to contribute to society instead of having a pity party that their lives are meaningless, I'm all for it.

Secondly, once religion is marginalized, the faithful will act like a cornered wolverine. Who's more likely to be a zealot, a liberal New York atheist or a Alabama Southern Baptist with a houseful of firearms? We still have money with God's name printed on it and our elected officials swear before his name. None of that will change without pissing all of those people off, and they'll make radical Islam look like a Sunday picnic.

Fair enough.

I guess I'm just hoping that we can figure out a way to placate those still hanging on.

But, good points.

[Extra Stout]

I agree with the first part of you post, but disagree on the last part.

I think more people, in the near future, will abandon living in fear of offending a god who seems to be extremely unresponsive and begin to live in the now. By abandoning religion, people are free to live their lives in anyway they see fit and live according to what makes them happy.

This seems naive.

In my experience, the majority of people who claim faith just give it lip service, but simply go on doing whatever they see fit and whatever seems to make them happy in the moment. They are functional atheists already. All they will do is drop the pretense. Maybe you had an upbringing where you were supposed to live in mortal terror of offending a wrathful God. I really, really disagree that such an experience is generalizable.

One thing that could change is that people won't try to sanctify doing whatever they want to do anyway as being God's will. People in power like to do that a lot. Without the leverage of religion (cf. Nietzsche), they'll next turn to ideology. We already see that now.

Really, we're just going to relive the European experience of the 20th century. Hopefully we won't go headlong into various totalitarianisms like they did, but I'm not hopeful. The northeastern and northwestern secular liberals seem pretty benign, but take Jesus out of Alabama and that Confederate cross starts growing tails at right angles on each end.

So, after we go through this phase, the American versions of Foucault, Derrida, et al. will look around and say, "Yeah, that didn't work," nobody will understand what they are talking about, and people will get all nihilistic.

[peewee's lovechild]

So, after we go through this phase, the American versions of Foucault, Derrida, et al. will look around and say, "Yeah, that didn't work," nobody will understand what they are talking about, and people will get all nihilistic.

That is a possibility.

[CuckingFunt]

End Times Harvest. Book it! :)


:lmao

how creepy was that?

Very.

[Cane]

Thank the gods for this.

Christianity is one of the worst things about America.