7.5 million people left religion since 2012: Three graphs from latest General Social Survey

[cbayer]

Last edited Fri Mar 13, 2015, 10:57 AM - Edit history (1)

http://tobingrant.religionnews.com/2015/03/12/7-5-million-people-left-religion-since-2012-three-graphs-latest-general-social-survey/

Tobin Grant | Mar 12, 2015 |

A new survey shows that the Great Decline of religion in America continues. Since 2012, the U.S. has about 7.5 million Americans who are no longer active in religion.

Last week, the 2014 General Social Survey (GSS) was released. The GSS is the gold standard for sociological surveys. Funded by the National Science Foundation this multi-million dollar study gives us the most accurate data on American society — including religion.

Here are three measures that show that the percentage of Americans who left religion increased between 2012 and 2014, reaching its highest level in decades. (Next week, I’ll present an the 2014 update of my annual index of religiosity that goes back to the 1940s). An important point to remember as you see the data: each percentage point increase represents a growth of 2.5 million adults.

For the three graphs, we see between a one and three point rise in secularity since 2012, with 7.5 million more people never entering a church or other worship service than just two years earlier.

more, including graphs, at link

[edhopper]

1. The nones

are going to soon equal the hardline evangelicals.
One hopes their voting power will make it's presence known.

[cbayer]

3. Such a diverse group, though.

I'm not sure what kind of bloc they would make, but it's good to see the power of the evangelicals on the wane.

[edhopper]

7. At the least

they could vote against politicians who push laws based on religion.

[cbayer]

8. We shall see. I think trying to organize them into a voting bloc

would be like herding cats.

[edhopper]

9. I am just thinking

that as individuals they would be turned of by pols who want religion based laws and vote accordingly.
Not necessarily an organized bloc thing.

[cbayer]

10. I think you are probably right.

It seems that many of the nones have left because they are disenchanted by organized religion. There is probably a common thread of being angry at how it has permeated politics.

I would love to see the fundamentalists thrown out of elected positions.

[pinto]

11. I turn to my niece and her group of friends, all nones, as a barometer of sorts.

All have varying views of organized (and disorganized?) religion. All hold the view that religion and politics should be separate, strongly support the Constitutional separation of church / state standard.

[edhopper]

12. Hopefully

they vote accordingly.

[CanonRay]

2. And yet, our Congress and state legislatures

are stuffed with and largely controlled by religious wackos. Go figure.

[cbayer]

4. I know. I hope we see the pendulum start to swing back.

[CanonRay]

5. My wife keeps talking about the pendulum swinging

I think its gone so far right, the gears have cracked.

[cbayer]

6. I hope that she is wrong.

We may need to give it a mighty push.