Belief In God Plummets Among Youth (CHART)

[Johnfromokc]

There is still hope for humanity.

The younger generation is abandoning God in droves.

A new survey by the Pew Research Center finds that belief in the existence of God has dropped 15 points in the last five years among Americans 30 and under.

Pew, which has been studying the trend for 25 years, finds that just 68 percent of millennials in 2012 agree with the statement “I never doubt the existence of God.” That’s down from 76 percent in 2009 and 83 percent in 2007.

Among other generations, belief in God is high and has seen few changes in recent decades. Between 81 and 89 percent of older generations say they never doubt the existence of God, although the older the generation, the more likely they are to believe in God.

The chart below reflects the Pew survey’s latest findings.

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http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/...305_22588182_10150926557763305#f1880be1068aa8

 

[MoonOwl]

PBBB is an Atheist. For a few years now. PS and I are not. She's come to it all on her own.

She also hasn't been raised w/any religious dogma nor do we attend church. We're lax ChristoPagans.

She's chosen the scientific path to walk.

 

[Johnfromokc]

PBBB is an Atheist. For a few years now. PS and I are not. She's come to it all on her own.

She also hasn't been raised w/any religious dogma nor do we attend church. We're lax ChristoPagans.

She's chosen the scientific path to walk.

Same with both our kids. We were both raised by the Baptist Taliban and actually met in church. It was quite a liberating day when I finallly kicked organized religion to the curb.

You & PS ever considered the Unitarian Church? We have never visited them, but they seem open minded - they sometimes host Free Thought convention functions here. No way a Christian church would even consider that.

 

[Mercury]

I imagine the older one gets (and the closer they come to death) that their belief in some sort of higher power may increase.

What is that saying? A plane going down will cause any atheist passenger to pray to God? LOL

 

[MoonOwl]

I'm ordained through a Universal Unitarian church. Tho, when we want to go to church, we just step out into our backyard.

I also agree that since PBBB is only 14, there will come a time in her life when she embraces Spirituality along w/scientific reasoning.

Both PS & I have had occasion to know that there is something greater than ourselves out there. I'm sure she will too w/more life experience.

The term I grew up w/is 'there are no Atheists in Foxholes'.

 

[Tuffdisc]

I find it strange that an agnostic atheist would be bothered about plummeting church attendance let alone religion on the basis that they are open to suggestions that their is a God. Considering that slams religions and Christianity. Very strange

 

[Johnfromokc]

I imagine the older one gets (and the closer they come to death) that their belief in some sort of higher power may increase.

What is that saying? A plane going down will cause any atheist passenger to pray to God? LOL

That's a myth. When your time comes, it makes no difference who you do or do not pray to. We are all going to die - and it seems to me that the practioners of the Abrahamic religions fear death more than anyone else.

For me personally, I have zero fear of death. I embrace the fact that my life will someday end as all living things naturally do. There would be no life without death - it's a very simple concept.

What happens at the moment of death? Nobody knows, but we will all find out some day.

 

[Mercury]

That's a myth. When your time comes, it makes no difference who you do or do not pray to. We are all going to die - and it seems to me that the practioners of the Abrahamic religions fear death more than anyone else.

For me personally, I have zero fear of death. I embrace the fact that my life will someday end as all living things naturally do. There would be no life without death - it's a very simple concept.

What happens at the moment of death? Nobody knows, but we will all find out some day.

I too am not fearful of death ... maybe a bit fearful in the manner in which I will one day die. Hehe

I agree that the thought of a Jealous God who would be angered by a Human not praying to Him as death approaches is too much of a Human concept that it downplays a higher power. I would imagine that "God" (whatever that may be) would not be too concerned in such "petty" Human things.

I just found that saying pretty funny since when your in a plane that is dropping towards the Earth, the immense fear that would take over anyone would cause an "atheist" to begin praying for help. hehe

 

[Johnfromokc]

I'm ordained through a Universal Unitarian church. Tho, when we want to go to church, we just step out into our backyard.

I also agree that since PBBB is only 14, there will come a time in her life when she embraces Spirituality along w/scientific reasoning.

Both PS & I have had occasion to know that there is something greater than ourselves out there. I'm sure she will too w/more life experience.

The term I grew up w/is 'there are no Atheists in Foxholes'.

"Spirituality" to me has nothing to do with religion or deities. It has to do with the connectedness of all living beings. We all feel the love of the special human beings in our lives . We all feel the love in our pets. Who has not stood on a mountain top, or at the sea, or viewd nature in any of her forms and felt the essence of life energy? The Aboriginal's of all lands on planet Earth instinctively felt this. But somewhere along the way, religion was invented - and theirin lies human kinds problem. It is very encouraging to see the increasing departure of our youth from organized religion.

 

[Johnfromokc]

I just found that saying pretty funny since when your in a plane that is dropping towards the Earth, the immense fear that would take over anyone would cause an "atheist" to begin praying for help. hehe

I've been in a situations where I wondered if I was going to die before I rejected the Abrahamic religions. I did not pray to god. Time slowed down to a crawl as the event unfolded, and the question very calmly entered my mind "Am I about to die"? I survived and moved on.

I had not thought much about that until this thread. Interesting.

 

[Stone]

I find it strange that an agnostic atheist would be bothered about plummeting church attendance let alone religion on the basis that they are open to suggestions that their is a God. Considering that slams religions and Christianity. Very strange

Strange indeed.
Rather difficult to believe the sincerety of claming to consider evidence while reveling in the decline of faith and arguing for it's destruction.

 

[Minor Axis]

I imagine the older one gets (and the closer they come to death) that their belief in some sort of higher power may increase.

What is that saying? A plane going down will cause any atheist passenger to pray to God? LOL

Hedging one's bets? It would only be a temporary reprieve (to life on Earth) anyway. If we knew for a fact this was the Earth Simulator, many of us would great death with a smile.

I'm ordained through a Universal Unitarian church. Tho, when we want to go to church, we just step out into our backyard.

I also agree that since PBBB is only 14, there will come a time in her life when she embraces Spirituality along w/scientific reasoning.

Both PS & I have had occasion to know that there is something greater than ourselves out there. I'm sure she will too w/more life experience.

The term I grew up w/is 'there are no Atheists in Foxholes'.

Isn't the Unitarian Church the completely open-minded, what ever will be, will be, we'll reserve judgement church? If so, I might have to find one.

 

[Mercury]

Hedging one's bets? It would only be a temporary reprieve (to life on Earth) anyway. If we knew for a fact this was the Earth Simulator, many of us would great death with a smile.

Hehe .... Amen ...

 

[Greatest I am]

"Spirituality" to me has nothing to do with religion or deities. It has to do with the connectedness of all living beings. We all feel the love of the special human beings in our lives . We all feel the love in our pets. Who has not stood on a mountain top, or at the sea, or viewd nature in any of her forms and felt the essence of life energy? The Aboriginal's of all lands on planet Earth instinctively felt this. But somewhere along the way, religion was invented - and theirin lies human kinds problem. It is very encouraging to see the increasing departure of our youth from organized religion.

I agree and thank the stars that our children are not as gullible as the last generations.

As to fearing death. One cannot help but realize that Christians fear death more than others because they know deep down that it is immoral for them to try to profit from God having his son murdered for the forgiveness of sin. They know that human sacrifice is immoral even as they try to profit from it.

Regards
DL

 

[All Else Failed]

It is plummeting because materialism, comfort and the general breakdown of western civilization taking hold. Religion is too demanding for the modern two legged cow.


Speaking as an atheist, religiosity needs to make a comeback.

 

[Minor Axis]

It is plummeting because materialism, comfort and the general breakdown of western civilization taking hold. Religion is too demanding for the modern two legged cow.


Speaking as an atheist, religiosity needs to make a comeback.

Religiosity needs to truly embrace the teachings of Jesus for a comeback. See: Christianity in Crisis.

 

[Tuffdisc]

Christianity isn't in crisis, Christ's words will forever live

 

[Minor Axis]

Christianity isn't in crisis, Christ's words will forever live

Christianity as currently practiced by Christians is in crisis. Otherwise how do you explain it's decline? Getting back to the basics of Jesus's teachings might be a good start.

 

[Tuffdisc]

Christianity as currently practiced by Christians is in crisis. Otherwise how do you explain it's decline? Getting back to the basics of Jesus's teachings might be a good start.

Probably they never believed in God or Christ in the first place. But I am not to judge other people, only myself

 

[All Else Failed]

Christianity isn't in crisis, Christ's words will forever live

You're blind if you think Christianity has any serious future in the West. The majority of people in the West hardly even know what Christ's teaching are anymore, nor do they study the bible.

Sorry, but saying you're Christian and going to church and MAYBE reading the bible once or twice a year is not good enough.


The writing is on the wall. History comes in waves and the Enlightenment with its materialistic (science & reason) have won out, along with cultural materialism. Comfort and safety are the new godhead.