U.S. is still overwhelmingly Christian, study finds

[hyphenate]

By K. Connie Kang, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
February 26, 2008

America remains an overwhelmingly Christian country, but the nation's religious life also shows great fluidity, with many adults switching religious affiliations or abandoning ties to organized denominations altogether, according to a new survey released today.

The study also suggests that, in the near future, Protestants may no longer make up a majority of Americans.

Barely 51% of Americans are Protestants, and among people between the ages of 18 and 29, just 43% identify with this branch of Christianity, according to the study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

More than four in 10 adults, or 44%, have switched religious affiliations, moved from being unaffiliated with any faith tradition to affiliated, or abandoned any ties to a specific religion altogether, according to the study. But the study also found that Americans who identify themselves as Christians has remained constant -- nearly 8 in 10.

Today's 148-page study, made public at a teleconference from Washington, D.C., is the first report of the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, a project in the works for more than a year. The interviews were conducted from May 8 to Aug. 13 in 2007. The study was based on interviews in English and Spanish with a representative sample of more than 35,000 adults.

The study is available at www.pewforum.org.

rest:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-religion26feb26,0,4582086.story

[Ano Genitus]

1. Dee Yew Aitch!

You can't hardly get away from it.

[stellanoir]

self delete

dunno what the dupe thingy is about right now

[stellanoir]

2. Younger folks are looking for something new

Like a true spirituality

Like this

http://www.global-mindshift.org/memes/wombat.swf

Or this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIBfNsPDw1I&feature=related

anything is better than fear based antiquated dogma IMHO

[Donald Ian Rankin]

8. A true spirituality is a contradiction in terms.

Most young people who turn away from Christianity do so not to New Agism but to atheism or agnosticism, thankfully.

There aren't that many who do, though, sadly.

[kestrel91316]

3. Most Americans calling themselves Christians, IMHO,

aren't Christians. They're "christians". WITH quotation marks and lots of bible thumping, but very little Jesus.

And they ARE Protestant, contrary to what the author says, lol. They're just NONDENOMINATIONAL Protestant. They sure as hell ain't Catholic, and they follow Luther's insistence on individuals reading the bible on their own instead of having it selectively read to them by priests.

[endarkenment]

4. The third largest category: unaffiliated, my peeps!

Unaffiliated: 16.1%
Atheist 1.6
Agnostic 2.4
Nothing 12.1
secular nothing 6.3
religious nothing 5.8

http://religions.pewforum.org/reports

Consider this: mormons (1.7) barely outnumber avowed atheists (1.6) and are vastly outnumbered by agnostics (2.4).

[dmallind]

9. And thus we see the power of negative loading

What the bejesus is "secular nothing" or even "nothing" as it relates to religious belief but an absence of theism - a lack of god belief? And what is that but atheism? There are probably at least 10-15% of the population depending on which survey you use who volunteer that they have no belief in any god, and yet only about a tenth of them are willing to use the word that actually means "lacking a belief in gods" because it has been drummed into their heads by decades indeed centuries of abuse of both language and reason (and people) that atheist = immoral or satanist or untrustworthy or some such garbage.

[endarkenment]

11. I'm using "secular nothing" from now on.

I love it.

"What religion are you?"

"I'm a secular nothing."

[dmallind]

12. I'm just a secular nobody ;) nt

[frebrd]

5. Overwhelmingly and oppressively Xian!

[SecularNATION]

6. So what

Yes, the largest religious affiliation in the United States is Christian. That doesn't mean all who describe themselves as Christian even go to church. This has always been the case and will remain so in to the foreseeable future. The thing to look at is, the number of people who describe themselves as 'Unaffiliated' or 'Nonbeliever'. That number is growing. When the stigma of unbelief recedes, a great number of so called Christians will reveal themselves as nonbelievers. Most people are cowards, who
will only tell the truth, when they think it's safe. Looking forward to that day. Far too much religion in this country.

[jody]

7. Real question is how many claim to be Christian but rarely attend church or donate? n/t

[dmallind]

10. Not a challenge but a question

Why would that determine their Christianity?

Trust me it's the same on "the other side" and I am continually disappointed by how easy it is to marginalize and deomonize atheists because a) they won't actually call themsleves that - a reflection of how successful the marginalization and demonization has been b)they won't join any groups which work against unconstitutional religious preference and establish c) they won't even donate to such groups who are trying to gain a visible political presence for nonbelievers. That said though, I still think these folks are atheists whetehr they join or donate or not.

[jody]

13. I'm amazed at the number of people I know who claim to be Christian and espouse very fundamentalist

beliefs but never attend church or do any of the things that are basic to Christianity. :shrug:

[dmallind]

14. But again - why does that make them less Christian

I mean heck Matthew 18:20, red letter no less, would seem to not suggest we all have to go to large congregations. Now donations etc are far more solid scriptural requirements, but surely the faith itself is what matters more than charity?

[jody]

15. Whether they are Christian is an issue they may face after they die. In my area, society judges

whether one is a Christian by their support of a church.

Have a good day. :hi:

[heidler1]

16. This judging of other people is a popular way to "shoot yourself in the foot."

The holier than thou attitude will drive most fair minded people away from religion IMO. This attempted oppression is not compatible with our Constitutions freedom of speech, but it works wonders for increasing depression of the labeled as a sinner group.

[dmallind]

17. Honestly I'm not bugging you but a follow up

At least I'm not TRYING to bug you.

By "area" do you mean geographical or denominational?

I have encountered quite the opposite approach many times - a lot of believers have gotten testy at me if I suggested that there is some kind of "dues" that must be paid in areas of time and attendance and money to be "counted" as a believer. Understanding of course that whole "not judging" bit, what would be the response in your area to those who say they are believers but not members of any congregation per se?

Frankly I want some advice - if you have a way to encourage attendance and support I could maybe use it for the "other team"! ;)

[New Dawn]

18. 78.5% Christian

We non-Christians are making up a growing percentage of the population.

Another interesting way to look at it is that Protestants of all varieties only make up 51.3% of the population.

This chart is cool: http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/affiliations-all-traditions.pdf

[EvilAL]

19. How would one get off the church lists?

You can do a survey or poll or whatever and it will be accurate as it can be.
But are you still considered to be a catholic unless you go in and tell them you aren't?
Do you just walk into the church to see the priest and tell him you aren't catholic anymore? Erase me from your records.
Delete my folders from the Vatican database as well.