“Nones” on the Rise: One-in-Five U.S. Adults Have No Religious Affiliation
pewforum.org
pewforum.org
I doubt that the true unaffiliated percentage has changed that much over such a short time period. I think these numbers actually reflect people's willingness to reveal that they're unaffiliated, in other words, to publicly "come out" as atheists or agnostics.
Don't get me wrong -- I see this as a good thing overall, I just think the reason for the change is not what it seems. The first step is to discover religion has nothing to offer an intelligent person. The second step is to be willing to let your neighbors know what you've decided, to "come out". The second step is often much harder.
But the big change is still a long way off -- the day an atheist can run for president without being laughed off the stage.
To start with, it probably offers a sense of community. It can also help bridge gaps between different parts of our society. I appreciate the charity work. However, I'm part of the 20%, so I'm standing at the sidelines on this one.
> Then why don't we?
That's easy to answer -- religions hunt down and kill all members of communities other than their own. In "civilized" western societies, religions instead argue endlessly against any ideas or communities that differ from their own, eventually wearing down their opponents:
"Republican Congressman says evolution is 'lie from hell'":
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/republican-...
Another reason, less important, is that the glue of religion is stronger than the glue of simple human companionship, to the degree that one simply cannot escape.
I go to many music jams that consist of religious and non-religious musicians to about equal proportions.
e.g. http://www.stanford.edu/group/Humanists/, http://www.americanhumanist.org/
I don't personally partake in these communities, but they exist for people who have a need for the non-religious aspects of religion.
With all respect, the religious aspect of a human community is a coincidence -- on can have a community without the religious context. I personally think it's an unfortunate accident of history that so many human communities are built on a scaffolding of religion.
> It can also help bridge gaps between different parts of our society.
It is here that you touch an important point, indeed a critical one. History shows us that, overall, religion creates gaps, it doesn't mend them. For each religious endeavor to reach across a chasm between people, there are ten religious endeavors to create the chasm in the first place.
Which is it?
The dichotomy you think you see doesn't exist. They're both true.
Let me spell it out for you:
* The fact that many human communities are religious is a coincidence, an accident of history.
* Those religions that do form, tend to isolate themselves from other communities, sometimes by trying to convert or kill everyone they meet. This doesn't prevent them from being a community, any more than a community of rattlesnakes is not a legitimate community solely on the ground that it's dangerous to surrounding communities.
Clear now?
As a decidedly non-religious person raised in a Christian household, I grew to love the sense of community and charity fostered by the organization. With the current trend of urban migration, I'm not sure what's going to replace that.
Religion has become so occupied in polarizing issues (e.g. politics) and scandals, that belonging to one of these organization's has changed from being part of a philosophy/community to an extremist organization.
Don't get me wrong I'm a strong contingent of the 20% but I believe there is a place for religion as well. I believe that religion has both the ability to be productive for a community as well as very destructive for an individual.
The founders got it right with the first amendment and the separation of church and state. It's too bad that the same people who clutch the constitution so firmly in one hand also carry the bible in the other these days.
As someone who was brought up religious but now does not go to church/temple - I would probably fit your mold.
However, I would be interested in joining some community organization just to get that greater sense of belonging that I'm sure I could use.