1/3 of Adults Under 30 Claim no Religious Affiliation

Study: One-Third Of Adults Under 30 Have No Religious Affiliation « CBS DC

Reading the comments below the article, I find it amazing how many people think this is going to destroy the country. The idea that without a belief in a higher power everyone will go around raping and stealing and rioting in the streets with no respect for the rule of law. I also find it fascinating that so many Christians assume that if you don't believe in god you are a flaming liberal, sucking at the government teat. When progressive liberalism used the teachings of Christianity as a vehicle to push for those very programs to show compassion to the poor.

 

Surprised the number isnt higher

 

Many religions took the short sighted route in heavily engaging in politics and social conservatism issues like abortion and gay marriage instead of focusing on issues more personal and relevant to their congregations. Once the tide turned on hot button topics like gay people and birth control, neither of which are a big deal to the younger generation, the religious organizations that have made such a big deal about them were likely to lose membership. I remember going with a friend to the Baptist church in Farragut during high school and being shocked by the amount of railing on social and political issues within the sermon. Quite a surprise to my previous experience as a Catholic youth.

In any event, I'm not so sure the study reflects a lowering belief in god (though I think there's a little of this, too), or some type of spirituality, but of organized religion. The younger generations see all the effects of religious influence in the world and are getting turned off.

 

Really question whether there is a social involvement backlash in play here. I think it just isn't as appealing these days and you are seeing people giving up on the religion of their adolescence more rapidly than non-believers are being converted.

 

Yes, but what makes it unappealing? It's not unusual for younger people to leave the church for a period in their late teens-early 20s, but many have typically returned, unlike now, increasingly. You don't think some are turned off due to things like constant harping and involvement in social/political issues, the Catholic abuse scandal or religious fanaticism in the world?

 

Several factors in play, but I think one of the biggest is that it's no longer culturally taboo to not be religious.

Another is that, frankly, there are a lot more options now. If you went to church "just because" before, you have a lot of other places you can now turn to.

 

It's not that a big a deal to quit attending church and I don't feel like there is much, if any, hint of religion in any of our entertainment these days.

 

Most of that 1/3 still believes in a heavenly father, I'd wager. The focus of our society has shifted, and many people are distracted by the noise of culture that now is almost completely secular. They are still predisposed to belief in God, they're just not interacting with that belief.

 

2/3rds said they believe in God; they just are not affiliated with an organized religion. But I see your point, do we really need the 10 commandments to know that stealing is wrong.

 

...finds that many of the country’s 46 million unaffiliated adults are religious or spiritual in some way. Two-thirds of them say they believe in God (68 percent).

 

The golden rule isn't biblical and works pretty well for a lot of things. In the end, we need to be good to one another and responsible for our actions. Whether someone gets that from Jesus or Xenu, I don't care.

 

I figured, without reading it. Spiritual belief is a natural way to rationalize and familiarize big questions.

 

I wonder that % of those who claim a religious affiliation don't actively do anything. i.e. people call themselves baptist because their parents were baptists.

 

They are where the saying "there are no atheists in a fox hole" comes from. When push comes to shove in their life, they'll pray for help. They may not do anything, but deep down they still believe. Prodigal children.

 

Like I said previously, I don't think it generally reflects a drastically lower belief in god, or whatever. A lack of religiosity in our entertainment or acceptance of not going to church aren't exactly new revelations, either. Perhaps those concepts are finally hitting home in this generation, but I still think the overt nature religion is taking in our political and social spheres that are counter to the cultural constructs of the under 30 crowd is taking its toll, too.

Essentially, the church starts talking about a personal relationship with god and individual spirituality and you have a winner for many. You start worrying and proselytizing about gay marriage and the like, you'll get some skeptical glances back at you from that age group. Culture has nearly always driven religion as it is, so I have to imagine that many of the churches requiring a revamping or new "Great Awakening" to redefine their role in society.

 

This isn't a god or religion issue... it is a modernization and urbanization one. This is the natural progression of countries that are increasingly urbanized and more densely populated around cities. Europe started about 30 years before us, but we are pretty well following the trend it seems.

 

That was my main point. The American decline isn't a result in the younger generation moving away from organized religion (or religion in general for some), it's due to we as a nation being stupid.

 

I think I'd rather have atheists in my foxholes. People who believe this is all there is are far more invested in survival than those who believe things will improve when they move on to some wonderful afterlife.

 

I whole-heartedly agree and would apply that to where ever I am. I'd rather be around people who think this is it.

 

In regards to fighting I could see that working right the opposite as well.