Generation Z or Post-Millennials Show a Further Drop in Religious Affiliation

[MineralMan]

{snip}
Of course, whites are a smaller share of the post-millennial generation than any other, so their views will be less dispositive in shaping its direction. Other changes cataloged in the poll underscore how great a change the post-millennials could bring. In the survey, 45% of these young people identified as religiously unaffiliated or non-Christian (compared with about 3 in 10 among all Americans), according to results provided to CNN. And about 1 in every 16 young men and 1 in 7 young women identified as gay or bisexual.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/27/politics/post-millennial-wave-generation-change-voters-diversity/index.html

The article at the link has many other interesting data on this group, too. Now, on the other hand, this group is still quite young, to be sure. However, it's more likely that the number of "nones" will increase rather than decrease with age, I think.

I await comments, of course...with fear and loathing...

[Snackshack]

1. IMO

We are well on our way to a religiously neutral society, a few more generations away from it being reduced to a very small percentage of followers.

However I think the changes coming climate wise are going to prevent us from reaching that neutral place. In fact it may strengthen it.

We have come a long way in a short time given how long religion has been around. Trial by Ordeal is a thing of the past and we no longer (routinely) burn people for being a Witch.

[GitRDun]

2. I spent a lot of time at church when I was young

As I grew into adulthood it occurred to me that church seemed like a place many went to put on a show on Sunday, then do just for themselves the rest of the week. Maybe that's too cynical, but it's what I saw.

These current kids are growing up in a world where the Catholic Church is most famous for a covered up child abuse scandal, the Muslim religion is regularly associated with terrorism (right or wrong), and America's Christian community aids and abets the Republican Party in managing our government under the theme "What would Jesus NOT do!". Even the Jewish religion has been colored with controversy over how they deal with their Palestinian neighbors.

Organized religion isn't giving kids a reason to join.

Prayer is hope. The church is supposed to be a place to come and share that hope, foster it's growth.

Our religious groups are not providing that for our kids.

That's why they stay away.

[MineralMan]

3. You could be right.

[Cartoonist]

4. Good news!

It just keeps getting better.

[MineralMan]

5. Depends on your perspective, probably.

Certainly I welcome the trend, since I'm an atheist. Those who are religious probably think it's a bad trend, I suppose. Some, I believe, think it's not a real trend at all.

The reality is that we won't really know until those youngsters are adults and have decided in a mature way what they do and do not believe. However, I think we're likely to see the percentage of "nones" in our society continue to rise. It's actually happening in all age groups, but does seem to be accelerating in the younger generations.

I have a millennial friend who is the daughter of one of my wife's cousins. She has abandoned religion, despite spending her entire childhood and youth in a very progressive Lutheran church. When she was 22, she announced that she was an atheist, after studying other religions and forming her own opinion. Her mother was disappointed, but didn't argue with her decision.

I think it's getting harder for young people to maintain religious faith in the face of a clearer understanding of things and more exposure to other religious beliefs. Or so it seems to me, anyhow.

[Cartoonist]

6. Apologists will make apologies

They'll say they're still spiritual, or they'll point to rising Muslim births as though they think that means a rise in Islam. Sorry, but youths across the globe are leaving God behind.

The consternation of theists is like strawberry jam to top it off.