The Nones

[T.G.G. Moogly]

So I am a Non, not a none.

I like that. I think that could catch on.

 

[bilby]

In Bohm's book on Quantum Mechanics he makes a passnig idea on an uncertainty principle of the mind.

Paraphrasing, the more you try to precisely define something the more diffuse and ill defined it becomes.

How sure are you about that?

 

[Politesse]

In Bohm's book on Quantum Mechanics he makes a passnig idea on an uncertainty principle of the mind.

Paraphrasing, the more you try to precisely define something the more diffuse and ill defined it becomes.

How sure are you about that?

If you arbitrarily choose an objective criterion, such as proportion of coherent daily thoughts about which one feels a measure of indecision, one can then calculate a precise rate of uncertainty. Better yet, design a study in which the subject is presented with a number of common issues or facts by viewscreen, and videotape their responses, looking for common cues of felt uncertainty such as wrinkled brows or downward facing eyes. Before long, you'll have a fascinating study the morning news can report as something like "Men are Certain about Facts, Women about Feelings, Say Scientists". Tenure magnet.

 

[Vito Lear]

It seems to me that Humanists who object to Christianity's oversized role in government and education should not mind the "Nones" label for now. It makes us look more numerous than we really are.

Ambiguous as it is, won't it be a good day when it reaches 50%?

 

[TomC]

It seems to me that Humanists who object to Christianity's oversized role in government and education should not mind the "Nones" label for now. It makes us look more numerous than we really are.

Ambiguous as it is, won't it be a good day when it reaches 50%?

Greetings Vito!
Welcome to the forum.

Personally, I find labels like that annoying. But I don't mind being labeled such, it's accurate in a vague sort of way. I find all religions to be fiction, so... yeah, I guess.

Again, welcome.
Tom

 

[BH]

I think a lot of it is the mainstream seminaries integrate what we learn from science and archeology and history into their course work. the average pew sitter doesn't like the seminary grads are taught there is no evidence of Noah's ark or that Babylonian records indicate the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem several years after the Bible dated it as happening. Or that there are variants to the Bible that in some cases are chapter length in size. So they go off to these small independent churches where the preacher may have no formal theological training but accepts the Bible as totally true.

I can somewhat understand this. Why would you preach for a church where even your educated instructors tell you parts of it are wrong if not all of it? And why would a pew sitter want to go to church if its just a bunch of stories?

Its dangerous though. Some of these independent preachers can be very cultlike.

 

[unapologetic]

I saw a film this week:
Becoming Truly Human (2017).
Very dishonest. Tries to redefine 'nones' as 'undecided'. Completely ignoring the 'NO god' contingent of nones. As if we don't exist.
In the happy ending all of the interviewed 'nones' returned to the church.
Released in 2017, but as of Feb 2024 has only 4 reviews on IMDB. (including mine)
Maybe we really need to rebrand ourselves.

 

[southernhybrid]

I don't have a problem, with the term "nones". While most nones have some sort of belief or spirituality, they are the type of people who support similar goals and values as atheists do. I have one close friend who identifies as Christian but could be a none as well. She hates organized religion and never goes to church. She doesn't take the Bible literally and she and I can joke about her god. She's not highly educated, but she's very smart, struggles to make ends meet, like many of the nones who hold onto some sort of vague belief.

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2024/01/24/who-are-the-nones-how-are-they-defined/

Most “nones” describe their religion as “nothing in particular” (63%), while 17% say they are atheist and 20% say they are agnostic.

We use the terms “religiously unaffiliated” and “religious nones” interchangeably. Sometimes we also refer to the “nones” as people who claim “no religion” or people who don’t identify with any religion.

Meanwhile, we use the term “religiously affiliated” for respondents who identify with one of the religions listed above – including a relatively small number who choose “something else” and then write in what it is, as well as those who say they have more than one religion.

Demographics of religious ‘nones’​

Age and gender​

The population of religious “nones” in the U.S. is younger than the population of Americans who identify with a religion.

Among “nones,” 69% are under the age of 50, while 31% are 50 or older. By comparison, 45% of U.S. adults who identify with a religion are under 50, while 55% are ages 50 or older.

“Nones” overall are roughly split between men (51%) and women (47%). The populations of atheists and agnostics include far more men than women. The same is not true for people whose religion is “nothing in particular.”

The positive thing is that more people are moving away from organized religion, although most are holding onto some type of spiritual belief, which in some cases, might just be the awe experienced by nature. I think this is something to feel positive about.

While these are just statistics, when it comes to demographics, most of my atheist, agnostic and spiritual but not religious friends are female and over 50, with a few who are over 40. Perhaps as we get older, we feel the need for community and that is why so many Freethought groups are made up by so many older adults. I found the same to be true when we attended the Atlanta Freethought Society. Most of my friends there were over 50, and one was in his 90s, with a good percentage in their 70s. Quite a few are deceased now. Most were white, but Atlanta also has "The Black Nonbelievers" group. Things are changing. We need to be patient. Let's not forget the atheists that attend church for the need for community. I've known a few of them. Plus, recently a Black guy who works where we bought our last two cars, told me that it was hard being a Black atheist in the South. He told me that religion was all about trying to control people. He seems to be heading toward atheism or is a new atheist. He might still attend church at times. I didn't ask him. Our Black car salesman told us that while he identifies as Baptist, there was no true religion and religioun was the biggest cause of wars. Is he a none?

Right now, the fight we need is against the White Christian Nationalists who are desperately trying to make this country into some sort of theocratic autocracy. People need to vote and the majority of nones vote Democrat, but too many of the younger nones don't participate in voting. As one who has voted since I was eligible, who votes in every single tiny election and who considers my right to vote as the only little power that I have to make my voice heard, I don't understand, those who don't vote. I have known of people who never voted or who voted for the first time when they were about 50. Get the nones out to vote if you want to help preserve freedom of religion, which includes freedom from religion for those of us who have no religious beliefs.

 

[unapologetic]

The polsters count 'none of the above' (nones).
Lumping together undecided, agnostic, and atheist, to come up with 25%.
I got no problem with that. It's good that people are moveing away from religion.
What bothers me, is that (judging from the 'Becoming truly human' movie) apoligests are redefining that to exclude atheists.
To foster the hope that nones can be won back into the fold. And encourage soliciting.

 

[Copernicus]

The Public Religion Research Institute uses the term "religious churning" to describe the rise of the Nones, who now make up a quarter of the US population:

See:

People say they're leaving religion due to anti-LGBTQ teachings and sexual abuse​

They still claim that the majority of the Nones are religious, with only a very small minority accepting the label "atheist" or "agnostic".

 

[Elixir]

The Public Religion Research Institute uses the term "religious churning" to describe the rise of the Nones, who now make up a quarter of the US population:

See:

People say they're leaving religion due to anti-LGBTQ teachings and sexual abuse​

They still claim that the majority of the Nones are religious, with only a very small minority accepting the label "atheist" or "agnostic".

Well, if God told them to leave their religions, who are we to try to dissuade them?

 

[Copernicus]

The Public Religion Research Institute uses the term "religious churning" to describe the rise of the Nones, who now make up a quarter of the US population:

See:

People say they're leaving religion due to anti-LGBTQ teachings and sexual abuse​

They still claim that the majority of the Nones are religious, with only a very small minority accepting the label "atheist" or "agnostic".

Well, if God told them to leave their religions, who are we to try to dissuade them?

It seems that the phenomenon is stronger in younger generations, and a lot of it has to do with the politicization of traditional religious groups. For example, the Catholic Church seems to be losing more people more quickly, although the rate of loss varies demographically. However, political issues such as racial tolerance, reproductive rights, climate change, education, and other progressive issues tend to be more important to young people than the ones that traditional religions tend to promote.

 

[Politesse]

The Public Religion Research Institute uses the term "religious churning" to describe the rise of the Nones, who now make up a quarter of the US population:

See:

People say they're leaving religion due to anti-LGBTQ teachings and sexual abuse​

They still claim that the majority of the Nones are religious, with only a very small minority accepting the label "atheist" or "agnostic".

Leaving the church because it contradicts their deepset feelings on acceptable sexual behavior? The church has failed at one hell of a long game. Sexual moralizing has been their primary recruiting tool for centuries, it must hurt to watch it backfire on them so spectacularly.