“Nones” Are Statistically Tied for the Largest “Religious” Group in the Country

[Skwim]

.

"According to just released 2018 data from the General Social Survey, “Nones” are now the largest single “religious” demographic in the country (23.1%), statistically tied with Catholics (23.0%) and just above evangelical Christians (22.5%).

​

While the single data point may not tell you much, look at those trend lines. “No religion” just keeps getting higher and higher, apparently pulling people from mainline Christian denominations and maybe some evangelicals, too.

According to Professor Ryan P. Burge of Eastern Illinois University, this trend shows no sign of slowing down.

The unaffiliated have had a much more dramatic trajectory, starting at just 1 in 20 of GSS respondents back in 1972. The nones experienced big jumps in 1993 and 1998, and have added, on average, 1-1.5 percentage points every 2 years for the last 10 years.

Their continued growth has been well-documented and at this point, expected. The big finding in 2018 is that those of “no religion” are now as common as evangelicals in the US, both about 23 percent of the population.
The difference between these groups is not statistically significant at this point; but I see no reason to think that the nones will level off anytime soon. If the nones maintain their growth while evangelicals stagnate, it is statistically inevitable that those of no religious faith will be the largest group in America in the next five years.
​

Given that the two largest religious denominations in the country — Catholics and Southern Baptists — are facing sexual abuse scandals that could go on for years to come, I wouldn’t be surprised if people who still believe in God leave those denominations altogether.

The next step has to be figuring out how to convert more of those “Nones” into a voting bloc that cares about issues like church/state separation and civil rights. Having more of us makes no difference if conservative evangelicals punch above their weight at the ballot box.

You can see the full data set and play around with the information right here."
source

​

Aside from the dramatic increase in the "Nones," note the nose-dive in Mainline Christians. Who would have thought.

​

Pretty soon "In God We trust" will be disappearing from our currency as well.

.​

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Indeed that is terrific news! If the nones end up being holding a majority status in just five years, in 10 years hopefully we can see some serious efforts at taking a chainsaw to the fist of the Church and free the State from its clutches.

 

[Vinayaka]

I bet some of those old churches would make interesting renovation projects. There use to be one in my city that had been converted into a restaurant.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Hopefully organizations like the Brights can take center stage. A refreshing change from delusional flights of fantasy being passed off as real.

 

[Stevicus]

.

According to just released 2018 data from the General Social Survey, “Nones” are now the largest single “religious” demographic in the country (23.1%), statistically tied with Catholics (23.0%) and just above evangelical Christians (22.5%).

View attachment 27703

​

While the single data point may not tell you much, look at those trend lines. “No religion” just keeps getting higher and higher, apparently pulling people from mainline Christian denominations and maybe some evangelicals, too.

According to Professor Ryan P. Burge of Eastern Illinois University, this trend shows no sign of slowing down.

The unaffiliated have had a much more dramatic trajectory, starting at just 1 in 20 of GSS respondents back in 1972. The nones experienced big jumps in 1993 and 1998, and have added, on average, 1-1.5 percentage points every 2 years for the last 10 years.

Their continued growth has been well-documented and at this point, expected. The big finding in 2018 is that those of “no religion” are now as common as evangelicals in the US, both about 23 percent of the population.
The difference between these groups is not statistically significant at this point; but I see no reason to think that the nones will level off anytime soon. If the nones maintain their growth while evangelicals stagnate, it is statistically inevitable that those of no religious faith will be the largest group in America in the next five years.
​

Given that the two largest religious denominations in the country — Catholics and Southern Baptists — are facing sexual abuse scandals that could go on for years to come, I wouldn’t be surprised if people who still believe in God leave those denominations altogether.

The next step has to be figuring out how to convert more of those “Nones” into a voting bloc that cares about issues like church/state separation and civil rights. Having more of us makes no difference if conservative evangelicals punch above their weight at the ballot box.

You can see the full data set and play around with the information right here.
source​

Aside from the dramatic increase in the "Nones," note the nose-dive in Mainline Christians. Who would have thought.

​

Pretty soon "In God We trust" will be disappearing from our currency as well.

.​

I wonder if churches ever have "going out of business" sales.

"Everything must go! Prayer requests, half off. Over 80% savings on Absolution! And a two-for-one sale on healing, not to mention we'll throw in a free pew. Come down now for this massive clearance!"

 

[Vinayaka]

The rural to urban huge demographic shift has seem tons of rural churches closing. One county near here once had some 60 rural churches in the Ukrainian immigrant community. Last time I looked, 3 are still functioning. So the closing of churches is nothing new. It's just this cause of it that's new.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

New I bet some of those old churches would make interesting renovation projects. There use to be one in my city that had been converted into a restaurant.

That they would. There was a church built in 1886 just down the road from where I used to live. It's been closed and locked up for a very long time, but it's obviously a rather sturdy building and with some renovating it could give a small community a small community center. Not room for much, but it would be more than what they have now. And not to mention connecting people to history and their community instead of just letting it sit unused and unappreciated.

I wonder if churches ever have "going out of business" sales.

To an extent, some of them do. Not that many churches have much they can sell, but they do tend to have some things they sell when they close the doors. And I know a couple of doors that were closed as churches and reopened as craft stores run by people who basically supplement their own hobbies, give themselves access to what they need, and help share the access to other hobbyist (they would even special order pieces, tools, or craft sets upon request).

 

[Shadow Wolf]

The rural to urban huge demographic shift has seem tons of rural churches closing. One county near here once had some 60 rural churches in the Ukrainian immigrant community. Last time I looked, 3 are still functioning. So the closing of churches is nothing new. It's just this cause of it that's new.

That still boggles my mind. In rural Indiana, there are so many churches yet so few people that I don't see how so many churches can possibly find justification to exist. When even the smallest of towns have one, two, or three of them, a church here-and-there scattered about the country side, and tons and tons of them in the cities, I have to wonder how many of them even regularly see an attendance of 25% of what they can hold.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I bet some of those old churches would make interesting renovation projects. There use to be one in my city that had been converted into a restaurant.

Come visit the Stratford Festival, in Stratford Ontario, somebody. Lot's of Shakespeare, but also tons of other good shows in several theatres, from May through November.

And when you visit, make sure to eat the Church Restaurant, and have a drink before in the Belfry bar (upstairs, obviously).

Actually, there are lots of churches in Canada that have been converted into some very interesting new uses, including gorgeous condos and apartments, office space, and theatres, as well as restaurants. Canada is moving more quickly than the US to the "nones" in religious belief.

 

[Subduction Zone]

That still boggles my mind. In rural Indiana, there are so many churches yet so few people that I don't see how so many churches can possibly find justification to exist. When even the smallest of towns have one, two, or three of them, a church here-and-there scattered about the country side, and tons and tons of them in the cities, I have to wonder how many of them even regularly see an attendance of 25% of what they can hold.

An exemption from taxation makes it possible. That is an interpretation of the First Amendment that I do not agree with.

 

[Vinayaka]

Come visit the Stratford Festival, in Stratford Ontario, somebody. Lot's of Shakespeare, but also tons of other good shows in several theatres, from May through November.

And when you visit, make sure to eat the Church Restaurant, and have a drink before in the Belfry bar (upstairs, obviously).

Actually, there are lots of churches in Canada that have been converted into some very interesting new uses, including gorgeous condos and apartments, office space, and theatres, as well as restaurants. Canada is moving more quickly than the US to the "nones" in religious belief.

You're right. That's a scenic area. After the falls, last October we went to Niagara on the lake for a couple of hours. And yes, lots of the churches do get converted. We plan to go back to TO fairly soon. I'll go for more country drives. The rural church where I grew up is still standing. They have one annual service. The cemetery is still functioning, and that's probably why. But my brother sits on the board, they only dig holes 3 or 4 times a year now. In that county there are some 60 defunct cemeteries.

 

[Salvador]

Indeed that is terrific news! If the nones end up being holding a majority status in just five years, in 10 years hopefully we can see some serious efforts at taking a chainsaw to the fist of the Church and free the State from its clutches.

The Church as well as Christian charities help many particularly needy people; I'd hate to see this decline of Christianity.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

An exemption from taxation makes it possible.

That simply does not explain it. The only thing that really does are the stories of such churches being closed in droves throughout the nation, which adds weight to my long-held suspicion that they aren't getting enough of an attendance to justify their existence. But that doesn't explain how there got to be so many churches in the first place where the populations are so small. Different denominations explain it to some degree, but even then it becomes a question of are there really enough Methodists, Mennonites, and Baptists to support each one having several churches in the same area of a low-population region of a mostly rural country? The increased religiousness of generations past doesn't really explain it either, because many of the older churches are gold mines for genealogical research because they functioned as schools and day cares in their community, but yet it seems the number of new churches that were built over the years exceeded population growth. Tax exemption is one of the last things I suspect to accurately explain things because these are not mega huge churches with a comfortably middle-class on up demograph in attendance. Even if they had to pay taxes it likely wouldn't be much, and it wouldn't really explain things from their mindset.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

The Church as well as Christian charities help many particularly needy people; I'd hate to see this decline of Christianity.

We don't need Christianity, the Church, or any religion to be decent people. If we do need it, we are sorry and miserable lot indeed.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

I was very gratified to see that evangelicals are on a sharp decline. If we can get them low enough? We can be sure of never having another tЯump...

 

[Subduction Zone]

That simply does not explain it. The only thing that really does are the stories of such churches being closed in droves throughout the nation, which adds weight to my long-held suspicion that they aren't getting enough of an attendance to justify their existence. But that doesn't explain how there got to be so many churches in the first place where the populations are so small. Different denominations explain it to some degree, but even then it becomes a question of are there really enough Methodists, Mennonites, and Baptists to support each one having several churches in the same area of a low-population region of a mostly rural country? The increased religiousness of generations past doesn't really explain it either, because many of the older churches are gold mines for genealogical research because they functioned as schools and day cares in their community, but yet it seems the number of new churches that were built over the years exceeded population growth. Tax exemption is one of the last things I suspect to accurately explain things because these are not mega huge churches with a comfortably middle-class on up demograph in attendance. Even if they had to pay taxes it likely wouldn't be much, and it wouldn't really explain things from their mindset.

Without any taxes, and the building and land paid for they have very low costs. Newer churches that have not .paid off their mortgages can be in a bit of a bind.

 

[whirlingmerc]

.

"According to just released 2018 data from the General Social Survey, “Nones” are now the largest single “religious” demographic in the country (23.1%), statistically tied with Catholics (23.0%) and just above evangelical Christians (22.5%).

View attachment 27703

​

While the single data point may not tell you much, look at those trend lines. “No religion” just keeps getting higher and higher, apparently pulling people from mainline Christian denominations and maybe some evangelicals, too.

According to Professor Ryan P. Burge of Eastern Illinois University, this trend shows no sign of slowing down.

The unaffiliated have had a much more dramatic trajectory, starting at just 1 in 20 of GSS respondents back in 1972. The nones experienced big jumps in 1993 and 1998, and have added, on average, 1-1.5 percentage points every 2 years for the last 10 years.

Their continued growth has been well-documented and at this point, expected. The big finding in 2018 is that those of “no religion” are now as common as evangelicals in the US, both about 23 percent of the population.
The difference between these groups is not statistically significant at this point; but I see no reason to think that the nones will level off anytime soon. If the nones maintain their growth while evangelicals stagnate, it is statistically inevitable that those of no religious faith will be the largest group in America in the next five years.
​

Given that the two largest religious denominations in the country — Catholics and Southern Baptists — are facing sexual abuse scandals that could go on for years to come, I wouldn’t be surprised if people who still believe in God leave those denominations altogether.

The next step has to be figuring out how to convert more of those “Nones” into a voting bloc that cares about issues like church/state separation and civil rights. Having more of us makes no difference if conservative evangelicals punch above their weight at the ballot box.

You can see the full data set and play around with the information right here."
source​

Aside from the dramatic increase in the "Nones," note the nose-dive in Mainline Christians. Who would have thought.

​

Pretty soon "In God We trust" will be disappearing from our currency as well.

.​

Wow look at that mission field !!!!

Nones are rising is true

Nones are statistically higher than evangelicals... maybe not
your statistics lumped all black protestants together many of which are evangelicals

As far as groups and labels in some ways if a bottle is empty it doesn't matter what label is on it as far as if the gospel isn't preached there

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Wow look at that mission field !!!!

Nones are rising is true

Nones are statistically higher than evangelicals... maybe not
your statistics lumped all black protestants together many of which are evangelicals

As far as groups and labels in some ways if a bottle is empty it doesn't matter what label is on it as far as if the gospel isn't preached there

The thing is? Christianity is dying. By that I mean, the total sum of all the participants have an average age-- and that age is rising every year. Rapidly, in fact.

That means? Fewer and fewer younger converts are happening. More and more young folk are rejecting christianity out of hand. Even more are simply refusing to identify with systematic religious labels like 'christian', but still identify as 'spiritual' or even 'religious/theist'.

In fact, the fastest shrinking age group among 'christian' is under 30. And these people are not indoctrinating their children, either...

Progress!