Religious Affiliation in USA Continues to Decline. WHY?

[Skwim]

Religiosity in the United States is in the midst of what might be called ‘The Great Decline.’ Previous declines in religion pale in comparison.
Over the past fifteen years, the drop in religiosity has been twice as great as the decline of the 1960s and 1970s.
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source​

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The analyses, published this month in the journal PlosOne (link is external), reveal a seismic generational shift in religious commitment. Twice as many high school seniors, and 3 times as many college students, described their religion as “none” in the 2010s (vs. the early 1980s). Even among 8th and 10th graders, who have only been surveyed since the early 1990s, 40% to 50% fewer now affiliate with a religion.
source
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As I said, WHY?

What are your ideas, suspicions, guesses?

 

[ThePainefulTruth]

Ain't no guess. Religion has come face to face with its contradictions and its growing inability to defend it's revelation and other miraculous hearsay against the growing onslaught of objective evidence. The Age of Reason has finally been enabled by the Information Age--to which access is becoming universal.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

There was news the other day about how many hours each day youth are spending with their social media. The article you linked to suggested it's the growth of individualism. I would suspect there's a number of factors. In terms of the students I see in classes--in which religion as it applies to public policy is often a topic of discussion--I haven't seen any detectable change in the population, but I recognize that my personal experience and observation isn't sufficient to form any legitimate perspective.

 

[George-ananda]

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What are your ideas, suspicions, guesses?

I think traditional Abrahamic religions are in decline because they no longer intellectually satisfy many in the modern age. I think the Abrahamic era in human history is winding down to be replaced gradually by more (for lack of a perfect term) New Age and eastern concepts that can be more intellectually satisfying. The slow end of an age, and the slow rise of the new age. As New Age concepts take effort to grasp and sound 'weird' at first, I think (as we see) the rise in 'unaffiliated' means they haven't found anything that fits. These 'unaffiliated' generally believe in 'something' but have not heard anything that really can articulate what that is. 'Spiritual but not religious' is a phrase we are hearing more.

 

[Mindmaster]

Because adults stopped believing in Santa Claus? Basically.. ?? Who knew..

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I think traditional Abrahamic religions are in decline because they no longer intellectually satisfy many in the modern age. I think the Abrahamic era in human history is winding down to be replaced gradually by more (for lack of a perfect term) New Age and eastern concepts that can be more intellectually satisfying. The slow end of an age, and the slow rise of the new age. As New Age concepts take effort to grasp and sound 'weird' at first, I think (as we see) the rise in 'unaffiliated' means they haven't found anything that fits. These 'unaffiliated' generally believe in 'something' but have not heard anything that really can articulate what that is. 'Spiritual but not religious' is a phrase we are hearing more.

I would perhaps argue that it is more that Abrahamic religions are not emotionally satisfying, rather than intellectually unsatisfying. Or maybe in combination. But then, I think religion is more about emotion and experience rather than being a primarily intellectual activity.

 

[McBell]

Religiosity in the United States is in the midst of what might be called ‘The Great Decline.’ Previous declines in religion pale in comparison.
Over the past fifteen years, the drop in religiosity has been twice as great as the decline of the 1960s and 1970s.
source​

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

source​

__________________________________________
__________________________________________

The analyses, published this month in the journal PlosOne (link is external), reveal a seismic generational shift in religious commitment. Twice as many high school seniors, and 3 times as many college students, described their religion as “none” in the 2010s (vs. the early 1980s). Even among 8th and 10th graders, who have only been surveyed since the early 1990s, 40% to 50% fewer now affiliate with a religion.
source
​

As I said, WHY?

What are your ideas, suspicions, guesses?

My guess is that people are not wanting to be lumped together with the extremists and con artists who claim Christianity, or Islam, or whatever.

 

[picnic]

I think it's due to atheist youtube videos that lampoon Christianity. Up until recently, atheists were expected to be respectful of theists, but that has changed. In the past, an atheist would need to spread his/her message through radio or TV, and only the brightest and politest atheists would be allowed to speak. Now any goofball like myself can be heard by millions if he attaches the message to a cute picture of a cat.

 

[sun rise]

I think traditional Abrahamic religions are in decline because they no longer intellectually satisfy many in the modern age. I think the Abrahamic era in human history is winding down to be replaced gradually by more (for lack of a perfect term) New Age and eastern concepts that can be more intellectually satisfying. The slow end of an age, and the slow rise of the new age. As New Age concepts take effort to grasp and sound 'weird' at first, I think (as we see) the rise in 'unaffiliated' means they haven't found anything that fits. These 'unaffiliated' generally believe in 'something' but have not heard anything that really can articulate what that is. 'Spiritual but not religious' is a phrase we are hearing more.

I basically agree with that sentiment. Exoteric religion, rites, rituals and ceremonies along with a belief in divinity separate from people is slowly ebbing. Instead other surveys find a growing sense of "spiritual peace" and "wondering" as the following shows. This tells me that the image of God as the old man law giver who smites the unworthy and rewards the believers with heaven is a dying concept. The mystics throughout the ages have pointed to this different view. For example Kabir:

Does Khuda live in the mosque?
Then who who lives everywhere?
Is Ram in idols and holy ground?
Have you looked and found him there?
Hari in the East, Allah in the West -
So you like to dream.
Search in the heart, in the heart alone:
There live Ram and Karim.

 

[Glaurung]

I think traditional Abrahamic religions are in decline because they no longer intellectually satisfy many in the modern age.

I think you're giving people far too much credit here. The vast majority of non-religious are apathetic pure and simple. When you live a comfortable, consumerist lifestyle the perceived relevance of religion declines. (It's God or Mammon, always has been)

And no, the New Age had its heyday. I don't see a wide movement of people "seeing the light" and becoming theosophists or quasi-Hindus. People are too busy burying their heads in their phones and drinking their beers to care about much else.

 

[Riverwolf]

I don't see a decline in "religiosity" per se in that second graph.

I see a decline very specifically in Christianity. Both "unaffiliated" and "non-Christian" are separately accounted for, both on the rise. Taking that into account, it would seem that, once again, Christianity is mistakenly being used as the microcosm for all religion, when it shouldn't be.

 

[Skwim]

The vast majority of non-religious are apathetic pure and simple. When you live a comfortable, consumerist lifestyle the perceived relevance of religion declines. (It's God or Mammon, always has been)

And no, the New Age had its heyday. I don't see a wide movement of people "seeing the light" and becoming theosophists or quasi-Hindus.

Gotta agree. The need for religion is simply diminishing. People are finding they can cope with life quite well on their own, and will be passing these skills on to their progeny. Now, should some monumental crisis arise then I believe there would be a significant change. The decline would stop and there would be an upsurge in religiosity. But because of the many implausible beliefs most Christian denominations demand of their parishioners I don't believe membership would ever reach the heights of old, when Christians saw themselves in a cold war with atheistic communism. Pragmatism/rationality will be too strongly ingrained in their thinking.

 

[Skwim]

I don't see a decline in "religiosity" per se in that second graph.

I see a decline very specifically in Christianity. Both "unaffiliated" and "non-Christian" are separately accounted for, both on the rise. Taking that into account, it would seem that, once again, Christianity is mistakenly being used as the microcosm for all religion, when it shouldn't be.

Christianity is said to comprise 70.6 % of the population. The unaffiliated comprises 22.8% of the population, leaving only 6.6% (5.9% as graphed) of the population to be shared by all the other religions. So, in as much as Christians comprise 91% of all believers, I think it's safe to concluded that their decline represents the thrust of the change.

 

[Nietzsche]

I don't see a decline in "religiosity" per se in that second graph.

I see a decline very specifically in Christianity. Both "unaffiliated" and "non-Christian" are separately accounted for, both on the rise. Taking that into account, it would seem that, once again, Christianity is mistakenly being used as the microcosm for all religion, when it shouldn't be.

The moment that the Zombie Nazarene's tribute bands and cover albums cease to be the single largest genre, this line of reasoning will matter. Until then, it's hair-splitting.

 

[psychoslice]

I think people are starting to realize that you don't need a god in the sky tell them what to do and not what to do, yes we are starting to grow up.

 

[Deathbydefault]

Religiosity in the United States is in the midst of what might be called ‘The Great Decline.’ Previous declines in religion pale in comparison.
Over the past fifteen years, the drop in religiosity has been twice as great as the decline of the 1960s and 1970s.
source​

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

source​

__________________________________________
__________________________________________

The analyses, published this month in the journal PlosOne (link is external), reveal a seismic generational shift in religious commitment. Twice as many high school seniors, and 3 times as many college students, described their religion as “none” in the 2010s (vs. the early 1980s). Even among 8th and 10th graders, who have only been surveyed since the early 1990s, 40% to 50% fewer now affiliate with a religion.
source
​

As I said, WHY?

What are your ideas, suspicions, guesses?

Education.
The smarter someone is, the less likely they re to be religious... or something like that.
Not entirely sure myself.
It could be anything from them actually reading the book, to them not being bothered enough to care.
Either way, it's better for our future.

 

[Nietzsche]

I think people are starting to realize that you don't need a god in the sky tell them what to do and not what to do, yes we are starting to grow up.

If I had a penny each time someone in history had claimed that, I would not only be the wealthiest person to ever exist, but the sheer mass of that mound of pennies would be so great that it collapses in on itself, forming a black hole.

 

[psychoslice]

If I had a penny each time someone in history had claimed that, I would not only be the wealthiest person to ever exist, but the sheer mass of that mound of pennies would be so great that it collapses in on itself, forming a black hole.

Yes, in others words people are starting to use their brains, there's another penny for you lol.

 

[Glaurung]

People are finding they can cope with life quite well on their own, and will be passing these skills on to their progeny.

It's more that the typical middle class first-worlder doesn't need to cope with much at all. It's easy to be irreligious when death is a far-off abstraction.

Now, should some monumental crisis arise then I believe there would be a significant change. The decline would stop and there would be an upsurge in religiosity.

It's called the fox hole.

The decline would stop and there would be an upsurge in religiosity. But because of the many implausible beliefs most Christian denominations demand of their parishioners I don't believe membership would ever reach the heights of old, when Christians saw themselves in a cold war with atheistic communism. Pragmatism/rationality will be too strongly ingrained in their thinking.

I don't think the growing cultural irreligiosity has much to do with reason or pragmatism but sheer indifference compounded by consumerism and social permissiveness. Secondly not all of us take for granted the "rationality" of ideological atheism.

 

[Riverwolf]

Christianity is said to comprise 70.6 % of the population. The unaffiliated comprises 22.8% of the population, leaving only 6.6% (5.9% as graphed) of the population to be shared by all the other religions. So, in as much as Christians comprise 91% of all believers, I think it's safe to concluded that their decline represents the thrust of the change.

I didn't deny that. I simply get continually frustrated with the frequent implication that religion and Christianity are synonymous, and so correct it whenever I can.

The moment that the Zombie Nazarene's tribute bands and cover albums cease to be the single largest genre, this line of reasoning will matter. Until then, it's hair-splitting.

They seem awfully invisible and easy to avoid for being the "largest genre", so I'd think that only applies to certain regions. Even I just made the mistake of treating the US as if it were a single cultural whole when it hasn't been that in decades.