America's nonreligious are a growing, diverse phenomenon. They really don't like organized religion
America's nonreligious are a growing, diverse phenomenon. They really don't like organized religion
Ask Americans what their religion is, and nearly 1 in 3 say this -- none. That’s according to the U.S. adults surveyed by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Mike Dulak grew up Catholic in Southern California, but by his teen years, he began skipping Mass and driving straight to the shore to play guitar, watch the waves and enjoy the beauty of the morning. “And it felt more spiritual than any time I set foot in a church,” he recalled.
Nothing has changed that view in the ensuing decades.
“Most religions are there to control people and get money from them,” said Dulak, now 76, of Rocheport, Missouri. He also cited sex abuse scandals in Catholic and Southern Baptist churches. “I can’t buy into that,” he said.
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Not growing fast enough, sadly.
And I say this as one of them.
people identifying as irrelegious has grown from 5% to 30% in the past 50 years, but some skeptics say, like with left-handedness, LGBTQ+, trans folks, the actual number hasn't changed, just the reporting and the stigma around identifying as such has.
Honestly, from the people I've talked to in the furry community, there have been a few of them who are either A) still christian (though often with unorthodox views on what "sin" is, or what is required for someone to be "saved") or B) hold christian beliefs and believe that Jesus is a good role model (as he's portrayed in the "canon" biblical texts).
However, if you asked them point blank if they're religious they'd probably give you answers ranging from, "hell no" to "eh, kinda" or "it's complicated". All of them have expressed some level of distaste for organized religion though, which I agree with.
Imo religion's fine so long as you're using your brain and you aren't hurting others; we live in a fucked up world, if that's the drug you have to smoke to get through the day, then cool, go for it. However, everything starts going wrong when religion becomes organized.