New Study> Young Americans Losing Their Religion

[giovonni]

A Parting of The Waves~ Perhaps?

Young Americans Losing Their Religion
New Research Finds Number Who Claim No Church Has Risen Sharply
By DAN HARRIS
May 6, 2009—


New research shows young Americans are dramatically less likely to go to church -- or to participate in any form of organized religion -- than their parents and grandparents.

"It's a huge change," says Harvard University professor Robert Putnam, who conducted the research.

Historically, the percentage of Americans who said they had no religious affiliation (pollsters refer to this group as the "nones") has been very small -- hovering between 5 percent and 10 percent. However, Putnam says the percentage of "nones" has now skyrocketed to between 30 percent and 40 percent among younger Americans.

Putnam calls this a "stunning development." He gave reporters a first glimpse of his data Tuesday at a conference on religion organized by the Pew Forum on Faith in Public Life.

The research will be included in a forthcoming book, called "American Grace."

This trend started in the 1990s and continues through today. It includes people in both Generation X and Y.

While these young "nones" may not belong to a church, they are not necessarily atheists.

"Many of them are people who would otherwise be in church," Putnam said. "They have the same attitidues and values as people who are in church, but they grew up in a period in which being religious meant being politically conservative, especially on social issues."

Putnam says that in the past two decades, many young people began to view organized religion as a source of "intolerance and rigidity and doctrinaire political views," and therefore stopped going to church.

This movement away from organized religion, says Putnam, may have enormous consequences for American culture and politics for years to come.

"That is the future of America," he says. "Their views and their habits religiously are going to persist and have a huge effect on the future."

This data is likely to reinvigorate an already heated debate about whether America is, or will continue to be, a "Christian nation." A recent Newsweek cover article, entitled "The End of Christian America" provoked responses from religious thinkers all over the spectrum.


Research Finds Churchgoers More Likely to Vote;

Putnam, author of the book "Bowling Alone," which tracked the decline in civic and community engagement in America (exemplified by the diminution of bowling leagues), fears the reduction in religiosity could have widespread negative impacts.

His research shows that people who go to church are much more likely to vote, volunteer and give to charity.

However, he says, it's possible that the current spike in young people opting out of organized religion could also prove to be an opportunity for some.

"America historically has been a very inventive and even entrepreneurial place in terms of religion," he says. "We're all the time inventing new religions and reinventing religions that we have. It's partly because we have a free market in religion. That is, we don't have a state church."

Given that today's young "nones" probably would be in church if they didn't associate religion with far-right political views, he says, new faith groups may evolve to serve them.

"Jesus said, 'Be fishers of men,'" says Putnam, "and there's this pool with a lot of fish in it and no fishermen right now."

In the end, he says, this "stunning" trend of young people becoming less religious could lead to America's next great burst of religious innovation.


Copyright © 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures

original article link here;
http://abcnews.go.com/Story?id=7513343&page=2

[Humble Janitor]

I think it shows that Americans are finally starting to relax that tightened collective sphincter muscle when it comes to religion.

Not to put it so harshly but organized religion has caused plenty of problems over time and the spiritual part of has been replaced by money-grubbing, power-grabbing folks.

[orthodoxymoron]

Quote:

While these young "nones" may not belong to a church, they are not necessarily atheists. "Many of them are people who would otherwise be in church," Putnam said. "They have the same attitidues and values as people who are in church, but they grew up in a period in which being religious meant being politically conservative, especially on social issues." Putnam says that in the past two decades, many young people began to view organized religion as a source of "intolerance and rigidity and doctrinaire political views," and therefore stopped going to church. This movement away from organized religion, says Putnam, may have enormous consequences for American culture and politics for years to come. "That is the future of America," he says. "Their views and their habits religiously are going to persist and have a huge effect on the future." This data is likely to reinvigorate an already heated debate about whether America is, or will continue to be, a "Christian nation." A recent Newsweek cover article, entitled "The End of Christian America" provoked responses from religious thinkers all over the spectrum.

Response:

There was a time when I would have considered this to be bad news. I now consider it to be good news. Jesus did not promote organized religion...just the opposite. What he did promote was a high standard of psychology, ethics, and spirituality. I call it secular spirituality. This is going to be a rocky transition. There will be many mistakes...but the human race is growing up.

America may have been based on Christian principles...but it was never intended to be a 'Christian Nation'...or 'One Nation Under God'. This would be Constitutional Heresy...and there is evidence that America is guilty of this anathema. Consider the following: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNpXrmlbV0g.

[Lorien]

Good! No offense to anyone who attends church, but most organized religion is what's wrong with our planet. People need to stop thinking they have to go to church to have faith. In fact, they need to stop having faith in the church, or even God in general, and start having faith in THEMSELVES!

[orthodoxymoron]

I have faith in myself...and mistrust myself...simultaneously. I'm not looking to an external God or institution to save me or us. Healthy self esteem is a good thing...but arrogant pride is a bad thing. Focusing on personal responsibility is the back door way to an appropriate self esteem. I seek the exaltation of the entire human race...not my self exaltation at the expense of others. These qualifiers and distinctions are extremely important. Jesus sought the end of organized religion...but try telling that to churchianity.

[Malynda]

I have never understood the need to have an organized religion. I was raised Catholic and went to 12 years of Catholic school, including 4 in an all girls high school. My favorite part of my Catholic experience was when not one single priest or nun could tell me why I had to go through Confirmation. I was forced to do it anyway to keep the peace with my grandmother who thinks I am the spawn of Satan and believed I was having sex at 10 years old.

Since I was very young, I had figured out that it was not necessary to go to a building to have a relationship with God, Goddess, God/dess, the Source, Universe, whatever you wanna call it. I was forced to go to that building by all the same people who told me that God was everywhere and in all things. I am happy to know that people are breaking free from those chains.

[elsinorelore]

Right on Humble Janitor, my thoughts exactly!

[feeler]

Originally Posted by Humble Janitor

I think it shows that Americans are finally starting to relax that tightened collective sphincter muscle when it comes to religion.

Not to put it so harshly but organized religion has caused plenty of problems over time and the spiritual part of has been replaced by money-grubbing, power-grabbing folks.

I think George "the Born-Again" W. turned them off.

-feeler

[Humble Janitor]

Originally Posted by Lorien

Good! No offense to anyone who attends church, but most organized religion is what's wrong with our planet. People need to stop thinking they have to go to church to have faith. In fact, they need to stop having faith in the church, or even God in general, and start having faith in THEMSELVES!

According to some Christians, this is a bad thing since it means to follow the path of Lucifer.

I digress. We must believe in ourselves first before we can believe in anything else.

[Humble Janitor]

Originally Posted by feeler

I think George "the Born-Again" W. turned them off.

-feeler

He certainly turned off a conservative friend of mine. We don't talk politics but we both agree that politics are full of **** and it's just nice to have a friend who has views that I obviously disagree with.

Focus on what you have in common and develop a bond. Move beyond mere politics and religion and that's how people are going to be able to work together.

[Lorien]

Originally Posted by Humble Janitor

I digress. We must believe in ourselves first before we can believe in anything else.

Exactly!

[Swanny]

Always surprises me that so many Americans are religious in the first place.
They have real bible bashers over there, praise the lord

[Dantheman62]

Religion is against my religion!

Mine too!

[Humble Janitor]

Following an organized religion means living your life using a BOOK.

That's so old paradigm! We don't need no stinking books or papers!

[Steve_A]

Hi Humble Janitor,

I think you got it more or less about right. I also think that there are many factions springing off the religion bandwagon, started of course by the Billy Grahams of this world.

Proven criminal activity also has driven people away, along with proven deviate activity.

What has also happened is that (although it is not a relgion per-se) spiritism and the Kabbalah have also come into the forefront more, where the individual is left more to themself to find for themselves to find the true light.

Religion seems to have passed through distinctive stages, once vicious, in the middle ages, to being 'stuffy' during the 20th century, to being 'aggressive' (Universal Church and the like) and with the age of communication 'corrupt'. It appears that now, the younger people are wanting to find their own way, a long way away form all of the above, to create their own path, a path almost tailor made for each individual.

Best regards,

Steve

Originally Posted by Humble Janitor

I think it shows that Americans are finally starting to relax that tightened collective sphincter muscle when it comes to religion.

Not to put it so harshly but organized religion has caused plenty of problems over time and the spiritual part of has been replaced by money-grubbing, power-grabbing folks.

[Humble Janitor]

That's the way it should be.

Organized religion is baby steps towards TRUE spiritual enlightenment.