I don’t think America is becoming more religious. As a college student who knows many people across this country at institutions of higher education, most of them don’t believe in a god. As these younger generations grow up and make it into political office, religion will decline in civilized areas even more. I guarantee I’ll see the first president of this country who puts agnostic (or hopefully atheist) as their religious belief rather than Christian.
According to a 2007 Pew poll, the number of “non-affiliated” Americans was 16.1%, up from 8% just one decade before. This number is nearly 25% in the under 25 age group. And 55% of those who self-identify as “atheists” are under 35. So yes, the trend is that America is getting less religious and more and more young people in particular are turning away from religion.
http://religions.pewforum.org/reports
Study: Religion May Head Toward ‘Extinction’ in Many Western Countries
One can only hope, so long as they don’t get more liberal.
Yes, definitely. I live in a small town in the “Bible Belt” and they keep closing churches here all the time
The West is becoming more secular.
What’s wrong with a leader to be atheist. Our Prime Minister (Australia) is atheist, some people said that will go against her to admit that but most of us (all my friends anyway) couldn’t care less whether we voted for a Christian or atheist, what has that got to do with politics. She’s not ‘preaching’ anything, she just doesn’t ‘thank God’, ‘praise the Lord’ or any of that other rubbish in her speeches.
I think she’s more of a free thinker than believers and that is probably why youth today are moving away from religion they want to have a choice and they are definitely more strong minded. Good for them.
I think it is. And even those who believe dont seem to be very devout.
If you have the answer then why did you ask a question? There are forums for this sort of thing you know.
Education is up, religion is down. Sounds like a good trend to me.
I’m not seeing that in the South East of the United States all I see is more bat s*** crazy christian making themselves known.
One can only hope. Now I wonder what those stats are in southern states like Texas….
Definitely! I found this article most illuminating:
BRISTOL, Tenn. —
It came gradually, and at different times in different parts of the country, said Joe-d DowlingSoka, pastor at First United Methodist Church on Vance Drive. Now, he said, the trend toward shrinking, graying church membership has reached the Mountain Empire, and he is among those trying to reverse the numbers.
“The curve started, actually, back in the ‘60s and became more pronounced in the ‘70s and then ‘80s, and in the ‘90s it was very pronounced, and then this decade,” DowlingSoka said. “I think it’s probably been very consistent since the ‘60s, but we’re really noticing it now.”
Jimmie Davidson, pastor at Highlands Fellowship in Abingdon, Va., did a survey of church membership in the area before he started Highlands 15 years ago. What he found surprised him: Despite a growing population, membership in eight out of 10 churches he surveyed had plateaued or was in decline, Davidson said.
“Four thousand churches a year are closing in America, 4,000,” Davidson said. “Only 1,000 churches a year are being started. … We have a problem.”
Virtually all mainline denominations have seen declines in membership, according to the National Council of Churches’ 2011 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches. Some have seen growth, but the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s second-largest denomination and one the council considers a reliable generator of church growth, reported a membership decline for the third year in a row, down 0.42 percent to 16.2 million members.
**************************************…
I totally love it! Our country won’t be devoured by religion! Hooray for common sense!
Lady Morgana
Atheist
who has America to lead them anyway, to keep them on the right track and put the prayers back into he schools, so children will learn respect for others and their parents?