US Religious Landscape Survey

AMosely · 02-26-2008, 03:10 PM

This survey is making headlines today, and it is pretty interesting from a variety of angles. The data seems to show that the US is on the verge of becoming a minority Protestant country. Religious affiliation is fracturing, diversifying and in many cases reducing across most segments of American society - in the 18-29 age group, 1 in 4 people claim no affiliation at all. The number of unafilliated is not much less in the 30-49 age group.

http://religions.pewforum.org/

I wonder how our TG sandbox participants fit into this survey. I'm unafilliated and in the 30-49 age group.

xTYBALTx · 02-26-2008, 03:21 PM

It would be nice to have a "not religious" or "atheist" option.

Elwenil · 02-26-2008, 03:29 PM

30-49 and either agnostic, atheist, or angry anti-religious militant depending on the day.

**Tempus** · 02-26-2008, 03:30 PM

My impression is that people in the US consistently overstate their religious beliefs. While surveys claim that some 90% of the country is 'religious', I find that number very hard to believe.. Personally, I'd suggest that less than 1/4 of the country even attends church regularly.

**El_Gringo_Grande** · 02-26-2008, 03:31 PM

Okies are still major bible belt material! WooHoo!!!

And what is the "Other Faiths" and New Hampshire and Vermont all about?

Elwenil · 02-26-2008, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tempus

My impression is that people in the US consistently overstate their religious beliefs. While surveys claim that some 90% of the country is 'religious', I find that number very hard to believe.. Personally, I'd suggest that less than 1/4 of the country even attends church regularly.

Agreed, religions are full of hypocrites which is why I stay away from religion or actively attack it. But then my family was for some reason, Jehovah's Witness and anytime you take away a kid's xmas, you are going to cause a few wrinkles, lol.

**[tR]Greasy_mullet** · 02-26-2008, 03:50 PM

Mormon - 18-29 range. Living in the South.

**Grunt 70** · 02-26-2008, 04:17 PM

Did anyone else find it ironic that the study on Church affiliation was done by the Pew Forum...C'mon people...

anyway...

42 and officially "other". I'm an agnostic Unitarian Universalist. UU's are prevelant in New England and I'm betting that's the deal with NH and VT. Could be wrong though.
What the hell is an agnostic Unitarian Universalist you say? Click the link below to find out.

http://www.uunashua.org/100quest.shtml

**Grunt 70** · 02-26-2008, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tempus

My impression is that people in the US consistently overstate their religious beliefs. While surveys claim that some 90% of the country is 'religious', I find that number very hard to believe.. Personally, I'd suggest that less than 1/4 of the country even attends church regularly.

I think you are on to something here. Very few people I know go to church regularly yet almost everyone I know say they believe in God or Jesus. And lets not even get started on the difference between tangible actions vs. thoeretical beliefs.

Steeler · 02-26-2008, 04:56 PM

Well, it's not a study of how GOOD a Christian/Jew/Hindu/Muslim/Pastafarian you are, it's a study of how you identify yourself. How the tribes stack up, as it were.

AMosely · 02-26-2008, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tempus

My impression is that people in the US consistently overstate their religious beliefs. While surveys claim that some 90% of the country is 'religious', I find that number very hard to believe.. Personally, I'd suggest that less than 1/4 of the country even attends church regularly.

Isn't that pretty close to what this poll is showing though - that the number of Americans reporting 'unafilliated' is growing at a pretty rapid rate - 1/4 for the young and middle age groups. Speaking to your comment on actual participation and attendance, though, the poll was only asking about affiliation, and whether anyone has changed affiliation. It didn't really ask how affiliated to a particular religion one is, or how involved they are.

The data on affiliation alone, though, seems to provide some validation for impressions of religious waning in America. I think in some cases this may create a backlash towards more hardened positions, but by and large the country is certainly moving away from any semblance of a 'national' religion.

ScratchMonkey · 02-26-2008, 06:22 PM

Note that lack of commitment to an organized religion doesn't imply lack of faith in invisible friends. Plenty of people who are "unaffiliated" are still believers.

Buckets · 02-26-2008, 08:13 PM

26, Athiest-leaning agnostic.

**Tarenth** · 02-26-2008, 08:28 PM

Agnostic is also a nice way of saying religiously unaffiliated since it means you believe in something, but don't subscribe to current doctrines. Athiest means you don't believe in a higher power.

20's Agnostic here. I also like poking fun at organized religions and their general hypocrisies. I have nothing personally against faith and belief, but when you try to make it into more than just your opinion on a matter you start pissing me off.

Seriously, God doesn't tell you what to do or how to live your life. Its that whole 'free will' thing. If you took that into consideration then surrendering your free will to a religion is against god's will because you're taking that gift and throwing it away.

**Skylark** · 02-26-2008, 08:57 PM

36 Catholic. Regular (weekly) attendee, teach SOR to 4th grade wed nights, go to conferences, 2 pilgrimages to Europe (1 was during 9-11) and a weekly night at Eucharistic adoration (at 1 am Wed night/thursday morning). So I guess I'm a crazy one?

And you know there are a lot that identify as a religion but don't go regularly when you observe church services (of probably most types) during their holy times. I know Catholic churches are packed at Christmas and Easter with people who are never there otherwise.

02-26-2008, 03:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
AMosely Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maine Age: 33 Posts: 2,634	US Religious Landscape Survey This survey is making headlines today, and it is pretty interesting from a variety of angles. The data seems to show that the US is on the verge of becoming a minority Protestant country. Religious affiliation is fracturing, diversifying and in many cases reducing across most segments of American society - in the 18-29 age group, 1 in 4 people claim no affiliation at all. The number of unafilliated is not much less in the 30-49 age group. http://religions.pewforum.org/ I wonder how our TG sandbox participants fit into this survey. I'm unafilliated and in the 30-49 age group.

02-26-2008, 03:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
xTYBALTx Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,850	Re: US Religious Landscape Survey It would be nice to have a "not religious" or "atheist" option. __________________ Current good song: Justice - Stress "$250,000 a year won't get me to Central Park West."

02-26-2008, 03:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
Elwenil Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Covington, VA USA Age: 34 Posts: 1,227	Re: US Religious Landscape Survey 30-49 and either agnostic, atheist, or angry anti-religious militant depending on the day. __________________ \|TG\|Elwenil StullUnlimited.com Offroad Parts and Fabrication

02-26-2008, 03:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tempus Join Date: May 2003 Location: Miami, FL Age: 38 Posts: 8,170	Re: US Religious Landscape Survey My impression is that people in the US consistently overstate their religious beliefs. While surveys claim that some 90% of the country is 'religious', I find that number very hard to believe.. Personally, I'd suggest that less than 1/4 of the country even attends church regularly. __________________ Battlefield 2/2142 Game Officer Contact me with server/player/admin issues. -- Suits are what you wear when doing things you shouldn’t want to do anyway. FROM THE TACTICAL GAMER PRIMER. 3) Support game play in a near-simulation environment. Where the focus of play would not be solely on doing what it takes to win, but doing so utilizing real-world combat strategy and tactics rather than leveraging exploits provided to players by the design of the game engine.

02-26-2008, 03:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
El_Gringo_Grande Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: OKIE HOMY Age: 39 Posts: 2,545	Re: US Religious Landscape Survey Okies are still major bible belt material! WooHoo!!! And what is the "Other Faiths" and New Hampshire and Vermont all about? __________________ Sen. Barack Obama (IL) For President '08 --- I’m not racists, I have republican friends. Radio show host. - "The essence of tyranny is the denial of complexity". -Jacob Burkhardt - "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds" - Emerson - "People should not be afraid of it's government, government should be afraid of it's People." - Line from V for Vendetta - If software were as unreliable as economic theory, there wouldn't be a plane made of anything other than paper that could get off the ground. Jim Fawcette

02-26-2008, 03:50 PM	#7 (permalink)
[tR]Greasy_mullet Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tennessee Age: 29 Posts: 669	Re: US Religious Landscape Survey Mormon - 18-29 range. Living in the South.

02-26-2008, 04:17 PM	#8 (permalink)
Grunt 70 Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Massachusetts Age: 43 Posts: 2,504	Re: US Religious Landscape Survey Did anyone else find it ironic that the study on Church affiliation was done by the Pew Forum...C'mon people... anyway... 42 and officially "other". I'm an agnostic Unitarian Universalist. UU's are prevelant in New England and I'm betting that's the deal with NH and VT. Could be wrong though. What the hell is an agnostic Unitarian Universalist you say? Click the link below to find out. http://www.uunashua.org/100quest.shtml __________________ \|TG-22nd\|Grunt "When force is necessary, it must be applied boldly, decisively, and completely. But one must know the limitations of force; one must know when to blend force with maneuver" - Leon Trotsky

02-26-2008, 04:56 PM	#10 (permalink)
Steeler Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Taxachusetts Age: 30 Posts: 2,952	Re: US Religious Landscape Survey Well, it's not a study of how GOOD a Christian/Jew/Hindu/Muslim/Pastafarian you are, it's a study of how you identify yourself. How the tribes stack up, as it were. __________________

02-26-2008, 06:22 PM	#12 (permalink)
ScratchMonkey Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Pablo, California Posts: 4,240	Re: US Religious Landscape Survey Note that lack of commitment to an organized religion doesn't imply lack of faith in invisible friends. Plenty of people who are "unaffiliated" are still believers. __________________

02-26-2008, 08:13 PM	#13 (permalink)
Buckets Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Tucson, AZ Age: 27 Posts: 499	Re: US Religious Landscape Survey 26, Athiest-leaning agnostic. __________________ The artist formerly known as "pecker"

02-26-2008, 08:28 PM	#14 (permalink)
Tarenth Join Date: May 2006 Location: California Posts: 2,150	Re: US Religious Landscape Survey Agnostic is also a nice way of saying religiously unaffiliated since it means you believe in something, but don't subscribe to current doctrines. Athiest means you don't believe in a higher power. 20's Agnostic here. I also like poking fun at organized religions and their general hypocrisies. I have nothing personally against faith and belief, but when you try to make it into more than just your opinion on a matter you start pissing me off. Seriously, God doesn't tell you what to do or how to live your life. Its that whole 'free will' thing. If you took that into consideration then surrendering your free will to a religion is against god's will because you're taking that gift and throwing it away. __________________ My sanity is not in question... It was a confirmed casualty some time ago. \|TG\|Tarenth Battlefield 2142 Mirra World of Warcraft Light, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to hide the bodies of the people I had to kill because they ticked me off.

02-26-2008, 08:57 PM	#15 (permalink)
Skylark Join Date: May 2003 Location: Kansas City area (U.S.A.) Age: 36 Posts: 995	Re: US Religious Landscape Survey 36 Catholic. Regular (weekly) attendee, teach SOR to 4th grade wed nights, go to conferences, 2 pilgrimages to Europe (1 was during 9-11) and a weekly night at Eucharistic adoration (at 1 am Wed night/thursday morning). So I guess I'm a crazy one? And you know there are a lot that identify as a religion but don't go regularly when you observe church services (of probably most types) during their holy times. I know Catholic churches are packed at Christmas and Easter with people who are never there otherwise. __________________ "I've TKed better men then you, and I wasn't even trying!" Skylark \|TG PCS\|

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