CBS Washington: Study: One-Third of Adults Under 30 Have No Religious Affiliation

[Renegade7]

I would assume that they are not counted as part of the 1/3, as they are defining themselves as Christians, which is a religious affiliation despite not being affiliated with a specific sector of Christianity.

Now that's something I'd have trouble with. I don't know if I can go along with a 1/3 of my generation being agnostic or atheist. I just don't see it.

I believe a lot of people in the USA now do believe in God and maybe even Jesus Christ, but they're not going to church every Sunday. That is starting to grow and makes more sense to me...

[#BgMase76#]

This is why I am advocating for critical thinking and evaluation of evidence.

I see indoctrination into a faith to be very different from a "there is more to life" kind of shift in perspective.

This is a difficult question. It could be that it is necessary to take two steps back in order to rebel and take five steps forward.

I have no way of knowing whether those two steps back are necessary... but I can tell when people lie to spread confusion and ignorance.

While this is a good argument for remaining open to all possibilities, I do not see it presenting any actual evidence.

This is an interesting perspective. I have not seen the data indicating a retreat from civic institutions in general, but I can imagine it being the case (even though my PTA seems to be thriving and my local library is awesome).

I would not be surprised to see a void left by a decreasing role of religious institutions in an increasingly secular population, especially if the secular population is marginalized. I suppose it will take time for old institutions to adapt and new institutions to emerge.

Religious groups are an important power base of the right wing coalition. There is a lot of money involved in preserving these institutions. I am not expecting any big changes as long as religion = political power.

The most mind boggling part is their use of faith to inspire hate. The right plays the role of keeping the faith and protecting thier religious rights from the godless heathens on the left.

[DjTj]

This is why I am advocating for critical thinking and evaluation of evidence.

I agree, and I think it should be applied both inside and outside of religion.

I see indoctrination into a faith to be very different from a "there is more to life" kind of shift in perspective.

This is a difficult question. It could be that it is necessary to take two steps back in order to rebel and take five steps forward.

I have no way of knowing whether those two steps back are necessary... but I can tell when people lie to spread confusion and ignorance.

This is a very linear way of thinking. Most problems are not solved simply by moving forward or backward. The path to the right answer may require a few steps to the left, a few steps to the right, and maybe a few circles. The theory of relativity was not the result of simply walking forward, or of stepping back and rebelling. Physicists needed many backward steps to hit a wall (Michelson-Morley), a few sideways steps (Lorentz), and then a leap forward (Einstein). I feel that personal growth also tends to take similar paths. You often don't know exactly where you're going until you find yourself there.

Religious groups are an important power base of the right wing coalition. There is a lot of money involved in preserving these institutions. I am not expecting any big changes as long as religion = political power.

I don't see this as a permanent condition. Religious zealots once had so much power that they passed a Constitutional Amendment banning alcohol, but their power eventually waned. These things go in cycles. Organized labor was the most powerful political force for decades before Reagan broke them, and they are now a secondary power in American politics. The Sierra Club and environmentalist groups have gone through multiple movements and backlashes. While the religious right feels dominant now, their time will end one day.

"All this has happened before, and all this will happen again."