New Survey: Those With No Religion Fastest-Growing Tradition

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What worries me is that the two growing groups (evangelicals and nones) are on the opposite ends of the religious spectrum. Its looking like in the future of America will be populated by atheists and born-again Christians. Another fierce division to worry about?

bob the human of FL 12:24AM March 10, 2009

The irony of it all is that man made god(s). Not god(s) made man.
I agree. No God, know peace.
Why is it the crime rate is higher where religion is highest and education is lowest?
If religious people are going to continue to support their false beliefs, they are supporting violence.
They cause wars that kill millions of people and the complain about stem cell research.
Why aren't they out doing something positive? everything they do is self-serving. They never do anything for other people unless they are passing the bible out while doing it.
They, I feel, are the single largest cause of the polarization of the United States during the Bush era.
They've tried to force their one nation under god baloney and discount non-believers. They've also tried to make people believe that this country was founded on religion.
Most of the people came here to avoid religious tyrrany.
That is why our government was founded no seculariry, but they've been slowly brain-washing the masses. Their brainwashing attempts are at the highest of all time.
It makes me want to move out of the country where people aren't so persecuted because of their lack of religion.
Also, the only thing consistent in religion and non-religion is the lack in a belief.
If you believe in one god, all the others must be false.
That is why humans consolidated the gods into one god and called it God.
But if you don't believe in a god, it is consistent. Then none of them are real.

anonymous from virginia of VA 8:34PM March 09, 2009

Hi! It's easy to understand why this godless trend continues, there is no pain like knowledge. Imagine the dissapointment when the world was no longer the center of the universe. Also painful? When I was cornered by some acolytes pushing their beliefs on me, I asked if they knew what the spanich inquisition was. They thought it was the settling of the spanish in S. America. I'm sure they didn't know hitler was catholic too.
What we don't know is how religious people can carry on this "tradition", this brutal abhorrent history and be proud of it? It should be in the history books to avoid repeating, but why believe in something of which you will never attain the courage of your conviction, unless you are insane? I will never forgive the church for the children's crusade, the unending annhilalation of 'conflicting' written history, the spanish inquisition, the death of Bruno, Galileo and the other heretics, the holocaust, 9-11, etc. Why Bother?!
If you only follow half of what the bible says, what is the point? YOU are NOT going to stone your wife and son to death under ANY circumstances, right? You're not going to own slaves under ANY circumstances, right? OK I'm done here, I'm obviously atheist, but I'm a good person. I have a belief! I believe in YOU, and myself and what WE can do and what WE can learn together. All these religions represent is an easy way out of an explanation. Why isn't this obvious?
Please don't respond to me w/ prayers or condemnation, cuz you didn't hear a word I just said. Your head is in the most comfortable sand in the world, the bible. You can't hear a thing.

Brandon of WA 7:30PM March 09, 2009

Not long ago, I remember reading an article touting that 95% of all Americans believed in God. This seemed to prop up the invalid notion that 95% of all Americans were Christian. In truth, there are (at least) over 400 different "organized" belief systems at play in our society. And each belief system professes to be the exclusive path toward "God" (or enlightenment). Beyond that, there are those (like me) who choose to embrace ALL paths ... with no exclusivity ... and with the full knowledge that any or all of those paths might be incorrect.
I suspect that people are not necessarily moving "away" from organized belief systems as much as they're moving "beyond" them ... to embrace belief systems borne out of their own personal meditations. In short, I suspect we're witnessing the beginning of the end of the "flock" mentality. Dogma is no longer valid ... except to those who can't think for themselves.

Alec of OR 6:51PM March 09, 2009

"No god-no peace" is Bull "No god -Know peace".

Mike of IN 5:21PM March 09, 2009

My Granddad was a very loving Christian who believed in Jesus and his actons proved this out. My Grandmother, his wife of 66 years, was an old order European witch. They were condemned by some in the family and by many others. "How could you be married to a " " they both were accused of. The church condemned the union. A few of the witches in the family were also condemning. I spent many hours with them both growing up and I have never felt more love from them and they had an energy in the house that drew others from far around. Grandma was a healer, grandpa prayed for healing for each person that came to them for help. What an example that they set for all of us kids!!!!!!!! If they could accept each other despite what others had said, why can't we. When doctors gave up on someone who was sick guess who's phone would ring in the middle of the night.When thy came they indeed were healed, I saw it time and time again. We have so much potential around and within and we utilize not even a fraction of it. Years ago I would have not dare dream of placing such a post for the public to see but I had to walk past my fear in order to become part of the solution instead of the problem. Blessed Be

Dave Kanis of MN 4:31PM March 09, 2009

Those of you who cite the many examples of sinful Christians are beginning to see the point. A true Christian will tell you the truth - we are ALL sinners, even we Christians. And any "Christian" who will say that he is better than another because he is sinless is a hyprocrite.
That said, I would encourage you to get to know true Christians before you make a final decision. We do not profess to be without sin or morally better than anyone else. All we do claim is that by faith in God and grace, we are saved. I know that at the final judgement I will be taken to be with our Lord, not because I am without sin, but because through my faith in Him and His grace, my sins are forgiven. This does not mean that I get to go and live as I please 6 days a week and then come in, confess, and all is forgiven on Sunday. I am called to live in as Christ-like a manner as humanly possible. Key word there is HUMANLY. I am only human after all and my weak and willful nature will often cause me to fall.
As for looking down on our non-Christian bretheran, once again you obviously do not know a true believer. Rather than look down on you, I want to get to know you, to embrace you and share with you the teachings of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. If you accept him, that is wonderful. If you do not, I will love you none the less. I will of course, continue to pray for you in the hopes that you will one day, believe, because I DO love you and want you to share in eternity. But the choice is ultimately yours.
I invite you to get to know us - brothers and sisters in Christ. No "church", no "religion", just faith in God and trust in his word as revealed to us in the Bible.

Melanie of AR 4:11PM March 09, 2009

I do not believe in God but I do believe in a great many things. I believe in justice, fairness and compassion. Such pithy sayings as "those who cease to believe in God, believe not in nothing, but in anything" are catchy and cute but simply aren't true.
Just like your next paragraph: "If God is not transcendent, but only the invention of man, then one invented God is as authentic as any other invented God." Why is one invented God as authentic as any other if one is invented? What does one statement have to do with the others and how does it relate to the existence of God? It's quite possible that one religion was simply invented but that another religion was founded on observations, beliefs and traditions and a healthy desire to do good in the world and teach morality. Both are inventions but as a religious practice, I would say the latter was more authentic in its desires to teach morality, not just trick people or engage in sick practices and call it their 'religion'.
Just as killing muslims in holy wars, hanging people of different race, generating racial purity through rape and other acts committed in the name of a judeo-Christian God should not sentence all believers of those faiths, don't sanctimoniously paint all Atheists with your brush of amorality.

Daniel of OH 4:04PM March 09, 2009

If you want faith that is (truly) lived, not stated, you should check out Jehovah's Witnesses. They live their faith, despite opposition, and base that faith on what the bible really teaches, not traditions of men or outright distortions of what the bible says.
They do not believe themselves to be perfect, nor judge others, but find true joy in sharing a simple, positive hope -- God's (Jehovah) kingdom, with Christ as the King.
That message must resonate, because, unlike the people in your survey, Jehovah's Witnesses continue to grow rapidly, in over 235 countries.

richard weaver of FL 3:58PM March 09, 2009

I couldn't have put it better myself. I have become so sickened by many of the Christian faith thinking that they are above all others and those of other religions (or in my case, no religion) are immoral. Hypocrisy is the main reason why I have a disdain for the Christian faith. I believe that any faith that teaches people to live good lives and be kind to one another is ok in my book, no matter who they speak to. But I cannot stand how in one hand Christians preach about how everyone is sinners and must go to church to pray forgiveness, while in the other hand go out and break multiple commandments a week.

Xander of SC 3:44PM March 09, 2009