The latest Pew Research report on Nones, America's growing group

[kenny]

Very interesting.

Religious ‘Nones’ in America: Who They Are and What They Believe

28% of U.S. adults are religiously unaffiliated, describing themselves as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular” when asked about their religion.

www.pewresearch.org

 

[Gloria27]

TST claims the same

 

[Avondale]

Reading this article was exceptionally weird.

From the term “nones” (who and why came up with this), through the small percentage of people who aren’t religious, all the way to the fact that someone deemed it necessary and useful to survey and create statistics about people who aren’t religious. As if they are some curiosity to be studied.

So weird.

 

[Gloria27]

Reading this article was exceptionally weird.

From the term “nones” (who and why came up with this), through the small percentage of people who aren’t religious, all the way to the fact that someone deemed it necessary and useful to survey and create statistics about people who aren’t religious. As if they are some curiosity to be studied.

So weird.

Nones I think in this case it means something like a believer in nothing, lover of nothingness, right?

 

[Avondale]

Nones I think in this case it means something like a believer in nothing, lover of nothingness, right?

That’s how the article describes it:

“Today, about 28% of U.S. adults are religiously unaffiliated, describing themselves as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular” when asked about their religion.

At Pew Research Center, we get lots of questions about this group, often called the “nones.”

Basically people who aren’t religious.

 

[Gloria27]

That’s how the article describes it:

“Today, about 28% of U.S. adults are religiously unaffiliated, describing themselves as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular” when asked about their religion.

At Pew Research Center, we get lots of questions about this group, often called the “nones.”

Basically people who aren’t religious.

Nah, Agnostic is already an upgrade.

 

[Avondale]

Nah, Agnostic is already an upgrade.

Don’t ask me, I’m still confused about it. I thought we were just fine and atheist and agnostic were sufficient definitions, but apparently no. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Gloria27]

Don’t ask me, I’m still confused about it. I thought we were just fine and atheist and agnostic were sufficient definitions, but apparently no. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The term agnostic is in between the two as I see it (no-maybe-yes) so that's why the new term definition seems confusing. Guess noone can't make up their mind.

 

[kenny]

Don’t ask me, I’m still confused about it. I thought we were just fine and atheist and agnostic were sufficient definitions, but apparently no. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

FWIW, the labels atheist and agnostic are not sufficient definitions.
Neither is Christian, Jew, Muslim, etc.

For example aren't there around 40,000 Christian denominations?
Thinking all folks in a given group as fitting into a definition is always problematic.
People in every group vary.

So what about the jars commonly labeled atheist and agnostic, and in which do I belong?
Actually I'm not sure, but I'm not worried about it.
I believe things when evidence warrants belief.
I do reason and logic, not faith.

But just because I do not accept claims of the existence of god(s) does not mean I would say there is no god.
I don't know, and not knowing some things is just fine.
Not every question we think up has an answer.
The existence of god(s) cannot be proven, or disproven.

If/when I'm presented with evidence of a god, I'll believe.
While I doubt evidence could exist, I've been wrong before.

That said some would say I'm agnostic, though I call myself an atheist.

 

[Starstruck8]

From the term “nones” (who and why came up with this),

Nones I think in this case it means nihilists.

Here in Australia, the census question asks, "What is the person's religion?" (Unlike most of the other questions, this one is not compulsory.) Options to answer include most of the mainstream religions, 'None', or 'Other', with a box to specify.

So 'none' just means no generally recognized organized religion. It implies nothing specific about the person's actual beliefs. Atheists and agnostics could answer 'none'. But so could people with idiosyncratic spiritual beliefs, As could people who accept most of the doctrines of some mainstream religion, but don't want to be associated with the organized church.

The aim of the Pew survey, as I understand it, is to probe these differences.

 

[AprilBaby]

I thought an agnostic with somebody who didn’t care one way, or the other well, an atheist definitely did not believe in a deity.

 

[kenny]

I thought an agnostic with somebody who didn’t care one way, or the other well, an atheist definitely did not believe in a deity.

That brings up another problem with definitions of groups when it comes to this topic ...

Let's say Jane and Sam both consider themselves to be Christians.
But Jane says Sam is not a 'real Christian' because he's a member of a denomination that believes X and Y, and doesn't believe Z.

Sam says Jane is not a 'real Christian' because she's a member of a denomination that believes Z and doesn't believe X and Y.

So, are they both Christians?
Same problem with atheists and agnostics.
That's why I love that saying, "Label jars, not people."

One thing I strongly resent is religious leaders t/preaching to their flock what the terms atheist or agnostic "really" mean.

 

[Gloria27]

Here in Australia, the census question asks, "What is the person's religion?" (Unlike most of the other questions, this one is not compulsory.) Options to answer include most of the mainstream religions, 'None', or 'Other', with a box to specify.

So 'none' just means no generally recognized organized religion. It implies nothing specific about the person's actual beliefs. Atheists and agnostics could answer 'none'. But so could people with idiosyncratic spiritual beliefs, As could people who accept most of the doctrines of some mainstream religion, but don't want to be associated with the organized church.

The aim of the Pew survey, as I understand it, is to probe these differences.

Yes, that's the most common one, the "spiritual but not religious", sort of New Age I guess: affirmations, positive vibes, fairy dust, law of attraction, universe etc.

 

[Gloria27]

FWIW, the labels atheist and agnostic are not sufficient definitions.
Neither is Christian, Jew, Muslim, etc.

For example aren't there around 40,000 Christian denominations?
Thinking all folks in a given group as fitting into a definition is always problematic.
People in every group vary.

So what about the jars commonly labeled atheist and agnostic, and in which do I belong?
Actually I'm not sure, but I'm not worried about it.
I believe things when evidence warrants belief.
I do reason and logic, not faith.

But just because I do not accept claims of the existence of god(s) does not mean I would say there is no god.
I don't know, and not knowing some things is just fine.
Not every question we think up has an answer.
The existence of god(s) cannot be proven, or disproven.

If/when I'm presented with evidence of a god, I'll believe.
While I doubt evidence could exist, I've been wrong before.

That said some would say I'm agnostic, though I call myself an atheist.

Dude, by definition you are agnostic. I know, I know, no labels here but it is what it is.

 

[Snowdrop13]

Only 28%? Thought it would be more.

 

[kenny]

Only 28%? Thought it would be more.

All in good time, my dear.