E.J. Dionne Jr.: Why all the 'nones' who have given up on organized religion?

[yortsed snacilbuper]

This trend is especially pronounced among adults under 30, roughly 40 percent of whom claim no connection to a religious congregation or tradition and have joined the ranks of those the pollsters call the “nones.”

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/Op-Ed/2018/05/08/Why-all-the-nones-who-have-given-up-on-organized-religion/stories/201805080020

[lordsummerisle]

1. Clever screen name n/t

[Archae]

2. Most of them are sick of all the bullshit.

Either it's "Worship the way WE demand, or we'll jail/torture/murder you!"

Or it's "Hey, we know we have jack shit in real evidence to back up our stupid fairy tales, but take our word for it!"

[manor321]

3. I'd assume because they are educated and exposed to the variety of opinions in the world. n/t

[spooky3]

4. I think it's becoming more socially acceptable

To indicate that they aren’t attending a church etc.

[BigmanPigman]

5. I read years ago that Americans of all ages

have lied about how religious they really are. Most of those who say they are religious actually never attend church more than twice a year. I think there is pressure from society to say you are more religious than you actually are, especially with older Americans. I have noticed that people who are the most vocal about not being religious or being an atheist or agnostic were actually raised in the Catholic faith and it had an adverse effect on them. Probably science and education has has an influence on the trend too.

[HubertHeaver]

8. Catholic education does seem to be a good inoculation

against religion.

[stopbush]

6. We live in a very real world. Religions are based entirely on make believe.

Who has time for such bullshit, outside of the very rich who have the $ to believe they have been blessed and the very poor who believe out of desperation?

[yallerdawg]

7. Interesting how no one cares about the 'why.'

Once they got their 'confirmation bias' going.

[MineralMan]

10. The "why" is simple. Religion is not relevant to them.

I hope that helps you understand.

[lunatica]

13. Religions simply don't stand under scrutiny

And science does.

You can’t find anything to point to that shows anything that religion does to make life better, but we’re surrounded by the inventions and benefits of science.

Religions tell you to shut up when you ask questions. Science thrives and grows when people ask questions.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

14. Science dosen't know everything,

religion doesn't know anything.

[ThoughtCriminal]

11. Right-wing evangelicals "Christians" are making the brand toxic

And since politicians and the media echo the claim that these frauds are the chosen spokespeople for Christianity and morality, they are enabling a complete loss of credibility.

[no_hypocrisy]

9. They could be humanists and/or ethical culturalists

where morality is more of a philosophy and relativism. These two movements don't tell followers how to think or what to believe.

[GulfCoast66]

12. Because Science!