Many In U.S. Drop Their Childhood Religion

Survey: Nearly Half Of U.S. Adults Left Faith They Grew Up With

(CBS/AP)  The U.S. religious marketplace is extremely volatile, with nearly half of American adults leaving the faith tradition of their upbringing to either switch allegiances or abandon religious affiliation altogether, a new survey finds.

The study released Monday by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life is unusual for its sheer scope, relying on interviews with more than 35,000 adults to document a diverse and dynamic U.S. religious population.

The unprecedented survey of religion answers many concerns about a secular, morally void America. To the surprise of many experts, Americans are still deeply religious, with 84 percent of adults claiming a religious affiliation, CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews reports.

"In the developed world, this is really the most religious country," said Fr. Thomas Williams, CBS News faith & religion analyst.

While much of the study confirms earlier findings - mainline Protestant churches are in decline, non-denominational churches are gaining and the ranks of the unaffiliated are growing - it also provides a deeper look behind those trends, and of smaller religious groups.

"The American religious economy is like a marketplace - very dynamic, very competitive," said Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum. "Everyone is losing, everyone is gaining. There are net winners and losers, but no one can stand still. Those groups that are losing significant numbers have to recoup them to stay vibrant."

The U.S. Religious Landscape Survey estimates the United States is 78 percent Christian and about to lose its status as a majority Protestant nation, at 51 percent and slipping.

More than one-quarter of American adults have left the faith of their childhood for another religion or no religion at all, the survey found. Factoring in moves from one stream or denomination of Protestantism to another, the number rises to 44 percent.

One in four adults ages 18 to 29 claim no affiliation with a religious institution.

"In the past, certain religions had a real holding power, where people from one generation to the next would stay," said Penn State University sociologist Roger Finke, who consulted in the survey planning. "Right now, there is a dropping confidence in organized religion, especially in the traditional religious forms."

Lugo said the 44 percent figure is "a very conservative estimate," and more research is planned to determine the causes.

"It does seem in keeping with the high tolerance among Americans for change," Lugo said. "People move a lot, people change jobs a lot. It's a very fluid society."

The religious demographic benefiting the most from this religious churn is those who claim no religious affiliation. People moving into that category outnumber those moving out of it by a three-to-one margin.

The majority of the unaffiliated - 12 percent of the overall population - describe their religion as "nothing in particular," and about half of those say faith is at least somewhat important to them. Atheists or agnostics account for 4 percent of the total population.

The Roman Catholic Church has lost more members than any faith tradition because of affiliation swapping, the survey found. While nearly one in three Americans were raised Catholic, fewer than one in four say they're Catholic today. That means roughly 10 percent of all Americans are ex-Catholics.

The share of the population that identifies as Catholic, however, has remained fairly stable in recent decades thanks to an influx of immigrant Catholics, mostly from Latin America. Nearly half of all Catholics under 30 are Hispanic, the survey found.

On the Protestant side, changes in affiliation are swelling the ranks of nondenominational churches, while Baptist and Methodist traditions are showing net losses.

Many Americans have vague denominational ties at best. People who call themselves "just a Protestant," in fact, account for nearly 10 percent of all Protestants.

Although evangelical churches strive to win new Christian believers from the "unchurched," the survey found most converts to evangelical churches were raised Protestant.

White evangelicals comprise about 22 percent of the population (pdf) - 57 percent are female, and 57 percent are over age 45, a CBS News poll last October showed. Fifty percent live in the South and 24 percent in the Midwest.

Hindus claimed the highest retention of childhood members, at 84 percent. The group with the worst retention is one of the fastest growing - Jehovah's Witnesses. Only 37 percent of those raised in the sect known for door-to-door proselytizing said they remain members.

Among other findings involving smaller religious groups, more than half of American Buddhists surveyed were white, and most Buddhists were converts.

More people in the survey pool identified themselves as Buddhist than Muslim, although both populations were small - less than 1 percent of the total population. By contrast, Jews accounted for 1.7 percent of the overall population.

The self-identified Buddhists - 0.7 percent of those surveyed - illustrate a core challenge to estimating religious affiliation: What does affiliation mean?

It's unclear whether people who called themselves Buddhists did so because they practice yoga or meditation, for instance, or claim affiliation with a Buddhist institution.

The report does not project membership figures for religious groups, in part because the survey is not as authoritative as a census and didn't count children, Lugo said. The U.S. Census does not ask questions on religion.

[namesnames]

I have faith in god, but not any of the religions.

[antoniof123]

You think the problem is that religions lie worst then politicians oh wait, isn''t the Republican party the family value party of god crowd.

Well, that said I can see why people are getting away for that crowd.

[easeup-2009]

"You think the problem is that religions lie worst then politicians oh wait, isn''''t the Republican party the family value party of god crowd.

Well, that said I can see why people are getting away for that crowd.

Posted by antoniof123 at 12:18 PM : Feb 25, 2008"

Wow only 2 posts & some myopic idiot has made it political.

A new record?

[caliengineer]

I am an ex-Catholic. I started to read the Bible. When I saw exactly how disenfranchised I was, I began a search. Now I just seek the Holy Spirit to teach me. I pray with friends and family. I pray with my wife. I joined the Marines before Desert Storm when the Holy Spirit told me to do it. I learned Arabic. I joined the Nat''l Guard in 2002 when the Lord directed me. I translated for OIF.
One of God''s proofs is that only He knows the future!

Also, another war is coming. This one will be with Russia, China. Look for war in Asia (Korea involved, and China) when the U.S. declares war on China, Russia will attack suddenly, from the North.

[tbweb]

The most important thing is to have a personal relationship with God, to pray daily and to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. The Christian Church and Religion is in each Christians Heart, not a Pastor or a brick building, but in each Christians Heart. Its not mandatory that you fellowship with a particular Church but its usually a good idea if you do. The most important thing of all is to make sure your name is written in the Book of Life and not the Book of Death! You should know at all times which Book your name is in, its not a mystery.

[donbl1]

This article is a little misleading.

Christianity is a "religion" of which there are many denominations or sects.

Buhddism is a "religion". Islam is a "religion".

America does not have half of us changing from Christianity to another "religion". We do seem to change denominations and churches.

Is this article trying to pry America away from Christianity? To make it seem OK?

Strange and possibly hidden agenda.

[DaveGress]

I really like to see the muslim population shrink to 0%. Oh, who am I kidding? I think all religious affiliations should shrink to zero.

[DaveGress]

george2221 - i hope I live long enough to see that. I love to laugh!

[harp1963]

Lucifer employs the same psychological warfare of "divide and conquer" that has worked throughout the ages against armies and Christians. Whether you believe it or not, the Catholic Church is the biggest apostolic trophy in his crosshairs, which he attacks through the faults and failings of the members and clergy.

This war for souls was told about when Jesus told Peter after the decent of the Holy Spirit, "Upon this rock (Peter means "rock" in Hebrew) I will build my Church and the gates of Hell will NOT prevail against it." To not prevail against something means that it will be assaulted.

The other thousands of Christian denominations are no problem either. Jesus knew told about this when he told the one disciple that was complaining about people other than disciples preaching about Him. He told the disciple, "that it was o.k. for them to preach, if they are not against us, then they must be for us."

Lucifer has already lost, he''s just acting like a one year old with the pacifer pulled out of his mouth. The best part is that a humble woman, Mary, with a crown of stars, is going to kick the proud Lucifers a s s in the end.

[rowdytexan2]

This is the part of religion that I don''''t understand:

assuming there is a ''''God'''' - why would he/she want everyone worshipping him/her 24/7 ???


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by badaxmofo at 12:21 PM : Feb 25, 2008

My personal belief says he doesn''t. That he has simply handed down a credo that shows us how to live on this earth in peace and harmony, and enjoy this beautiful earth he created for us.

Religious dogma sometimes gets overzealous for whatever happens to be on their agenda.

[bm6005]

All religions are BS. They are the cause of most of the 2500+ wars of recorded history! If you believe in god, fine. Just keep it to yourself.

[mike71067]

As the article states, I abandoned the religion I grew up with, which was essentially non church-going. We believed in God, but never went to church or talked about it.

Now that I''m older and smarter, I have come to realize that if there is anything in this world that you better hit full-throttle, it''s your faith in Christ.

I predict that someday this great nation of ours will discard its spiritual roots in favor of godless secularism, just like Western Europe. And when that happens, we will get what we deserve. I hope I''m gone by then, because it won''t be pretty.

[jimfinster]

Should religion be treated as a mental illness?

[mike71067]

"Should religion be treated as a mental illness?"
-Posted by jimfinster at 12:37 PM : Feb 25, 2008

Some of them perhaps, such as secular humanism, which was recognized as a religion by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1960''s.

[harp1963]

This is when Protestantism got an army:

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1422

[loublain]

harp1963 peter is GREEK for rock ''petra'' as in petrified. don''t lead from ignorance

[irliberal]

I predict that someday this great nation of ours will discard its spiritual roots in favor of godless secularism, just like Western Europe. And when that happens, we will get what we deserve. I hope I''''m gone by then, because it won''''t be pretty.

Posted by mike71067 at 12:35 PM

You pathetic fool. All Christian religions today seem to contain the same threat - do this OR ELSE. Think this OR ELSE. Believe this OR ELSE.

It seems to be the only way they know how to communicate. Religion, including all forms of Christianity, is a tool of social control invented by and perpetuated by humans. That is all.

How dare you come on here and make threats to those of us who do not believe. Believe what you want, but never make the mistake of believing that your personal delusion is of any relevance to the rest of us or has any basis in reality whatsoever.

The day will come will humankind will be free of this freakish dependence on mythical supernatural beings. It wont be in my lifetime, but it will come. That day will be a truly wonderful day, indeed.

[walt1944-2009]

A study has determined that almost 1/2 of the adult population has abandoned the faith they were brough up in and either switched faiths or given up on organized religion altogether.

Given the situation with "organized" religion today, it is not surprising that people have given up on it. Scandals in churches such as nuns and priests being connected with sexual abuse of children, televangulists living well on "contributions", becoming involved in politics, and getting involved in *** scandals, extortion, and fraud, etc, etc, as well as encountering "church politics", make one wonder if there is a GOD after all.

People brought up being told that priests, nuns, ministers, rabbis, etc., are God''s representatives on earth, are finding out that these people are human just like everyone else and thus have human "failings" just like we do. The constant "harping" that churches do about money, doesn''t help the situation either.

With the economic climate being what it has been the past 7 years, it''s no wonder that a belief in a benevolent Divine Being that watches over all of us, has been replaced with a belief in a new god, and its name is GREED, and the new "Trinity" is made up of THEFT, EXTORTION, and FRAUD!!!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!!
sig heil, McCain????

[tbweb]

This war for souls was told about when Jesus told Peter after the decent of the Holy Spirit, "Upon this rock (Peter means "rock" in Hebrew) I will build my Church and the gates of Hell will NOT prevail against it." To not prevail against something means that it will be assaulted...

Posted by harp1963 at 12:34 PM : Feb 25, 2008,,,

Jesus mentioned that Christians must protect their Temple(Body) and many do not, have learned not and are thus very vulnerable! The first Law is self-preservation!

[jimfinster]

"Should religion be treated as a mental illness?"
-Posted by jimfinster at 12:37 PM : Feb 25, 2008

Some of them perhaps, such as secular humanism, which was recognized as a religion by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1960''''s.
Posted by mike71067



Umm, you don''t have your facts straight. See below.


The phrase "secular humanism" became prominent after it was used in the United States Supreme Court case Torcaso v. Watkins. In the 1961 decision, Justice Hugo Black commented in a footnote, "Among religions in this country which do not teach what would generally be considered a belief in the existence of God are Buddhism, Taoism, Ethical Culture, Secular Humanism, and others." Such footnotes, known as obiter dicta, are personal observations of the judge, and hence are incidental to reaching the opinion.

[rohink-2009]

One in four adults ages 18 to 29 claim no affiliation with a religious institution.

~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~

Check back with these same people in about 10 years and see where they stand. I too went through a disconnect when I was in my late teens to late 20''s.

[harp1963]

Chair of Peter the Apostle

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1299

[jimfinster]

It would be interesting to see a study that correlates IQ with religious belief.

[Willibarb]

Asking people what religion they are is kind of useless. Ask them what religion they practice, then you might find out something.

[jimfinster]

In 2006, a study was undertaken to investigate, on a country-by-country level, the possibility of a link between the importance of religion to citizens and their average IQ. The study found that the strength of religious belief in countries was inversely related to their average IQ. The countries with higher IQs on average had significantly lower levels of religious belief than those with lower average IQs.

In 2007, Danish newspapers reported that a study conducted by intelligence researcher Helmuth Nyborg estimated that atheists'' IQs were on average nearly 6 points higher than believers''. The study is based on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth, which includes intelligence tests on a representative selection of American youth, where they have also replied to questions about religious belief. " I''m not saying that believing in God makes you dumber. My hypothesis is that people with a low intelligence are more easily drawn toward religions, which give answers that are certain, while people with a high intelligence are more skeptical," says the former professor.

[harp1963]

I do know one thing, whatever you religious faith, the "convulse and praise the Lord" leaders we currently have in America need to read the story about Lazurus and the rich man. They might also want to read about the curses of loving money and power, and about "faith without works is dead faith, even the demons believe in Jesus."

Convulsing and praising the Lord don''t get you there if you brainwash a country of people to support a oil war that had nothing to do with 9/11.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/09/60minutes/main592330.shtml

If you don''t believe in God or a creator, and think we and the billions of other different life forms are here because some rocks collided in outerspace; I feel sorry for you and have already been praying for you.

[harp1963]

A historical fact, easily verified, about when Protestantism got an army:

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1422

[jimfinster]

Several studies on Americans focus on the beliefs of high-IQ individuals. In one study, 90% of the general population surveyed professed a distinct belief in a personal god and afterlife, while only 40% of the scientists with a BS surveyed did so, and only 10% of those considered "eminent." Another study found that mathematicians were just over 40%, biologists just under 30%, and physicists were barely over 20% likely to believe in God.

[harp1963]

P.S. to

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1422

ENGLAND GET OUT OF IRELAND

[tbweb]

If you don''''t believe in God or a creator, and think we and the billions of other different life forms are here because some rocks collided in outerspace; I feel sorry for you and have already been praying for you.

Posted by harp1963 at 12:53 PM : Feb 25, 2008,,,

I''ll do you one better, the highest form of intelligence is fear of the Lord!

[jimfinster]

1. sixteen studies of the correlation between individual measures of student intelligence and religiosity, all but three of which reported an inverse correlation.

2. five studies reporting that student bodies with high average IQ and/or SAT scores are far less religious than lower-scoring student bodies;

3. three studies reporting that geniuses (IQ 3+ standard deviations above average) are much less religious than the general public, and one dubious study;

4. seven studies reporting that highly successful persons are much less religious in belief than are others; and

5. eight old and four new Gallup polls revealing that college alumni (average IQ about one standard deviation above average) are much less religious in belief than are grade-school pollees.

[tbweb]

Posted by jimfinster at 01:01 PM : Feb 25, 2008,,,

God warns are being too smart! :)

[ibzjem]

Being religious requires study. I hear over and over again someone say something that doesn''t remotely reflect what my religion says or stands for. That shows me how ignorant they are about it.

I struggle with many teachings of the bible, but I don''t throw it completely out because of one topic I may not agree with.

[harp1963]

O.k. just for the purpose of debate I''ll take a non-believers position.

People don''t remember Andrew Carnegie (he was the head of US Steel during WW 2, in today''s money, he would blow Bill Gates out of the water), 99% of the Presidents of the United States-forgotten, 99% of any foreign leaders from 10 years ago to a thousand years ago-forgotten, great sports heros from generations past (most of the kids today have already forgetten Larry Bird)-forgotten.

But I sure, as a non believer for debate, that some poor obscure carpenter who was born 2008 years ago in a barn, who was the foster son of a poor obscure carpenter in a little town called Bethlehem wasn''t the King of Kings. Even though His name has traveled to all corners of the world for all generations to hear across all 2008 years. Even though it was written 2008 years ago that when He was inside of His Mother''s womb and she said to Her cousin Elizabeth, "ALL generations shall call me Blessed" and all generations have called Her Blessed that still doesn''t sound like DEVINE INTERVENTION. Right?

[tbweb]

I struggle with many teachings of the bible, but I don''''t throw it completely out because of one topic I may not agree with.

Posted by ibzjem at 01:11 PM : Feb 25, 2008,,,

The Holy Bible continues to be the number one selling book on the planet, translated into every language, a phenomenon.

[taddles-2009]

"I feel sorry for you and have already been praying for you.

Posted by harp1963 at 12:53 PM : Feb 25, 2008"

Yea, ok...you do that then. I''m just gonna carry on with my real life over here out of the way of your narrow mindedness.

[matter77]

New studies have proven conclusively, that very smart people grow old and die, just like everyone else. And then, surpisingly, their bodies are carefully placed in boxes that are lowered into the ground only to rot. In some cases their bodies are pushed into ovens designed to reduce their flesh and bones to just a shoebox full of ashes.
Then those who left, go out to dinner to try and forget. The same studies also proved that it was after only an amazingly short period of time that everyone who had known the very smart person with the high IQ and the college degrees, had already forgotten about them. And no one would buy their belongings at the garage sale, so it was heaved into the trash, all of it.
And then they were forgotten.

[taddles-2009]

"I''''ll do you one better, the highest form of intelligence is fear of the Lord!

Posted by tbweb at 12:58 PM : Feb 25, 2008"

Yea, because fear is such a high minded concept...oh wait, dogs fear things too...might not be such a high minded ideal after all.

[quetzal0666]

Who cares about Religion anyways, its been hijacked by People who claim to know what no one knows,
they''ll even tell you for a price of a book, or so the crook selling it will say,
Just look at some of the scumbag pastors on the air,
Fat Hagee of San Antonio, Crooked Copeland of Dallas.
need we say more???

[newsreader2]

I am I

[ibzjem]

So, if there is no God then we''re all here by accident for no particular purpose. We have no souls. There''s nothing to look forward to but death. Once you die that''s it. There''s nothing else.

So why do we care what''s right and wrong? Why do we have any laws or government? Why are we not all out feeding the flesh all it desires all the time? After all, once you die... that''s all you get.

[matter77]

Yeah, just like Apple. They tell you about try to seduce you with all their electronic gizmos, when all they really want is your money. And Honda, and Proctor and Gamble, and Dodge, and Verizon, and ... the list is too long. All they want is your money. And you don''t have any problem giving it to THEM. Maybe you''re not half as smart as you think you are.

[pollroller1]

Here''s my take on religion. It''s nothing more than fairy tales used to brainwash people from the time they are born so that they will give their money to some church. And the church''s aren''t even taxed.
There are hundreds of different religions. There are even some that believe in a monkey god.
No thank you, I will just keep my hard earned money.

[getcentered]

There is another word for religion; "brainwashing".

I''m not atheist, just comfortably undecided%u2026%u2026

It''s funny to me how people would rather accept an easy answer for questions about our existence. I think it''s kind of lazy and self-righteous, but more and more these days I see people wanting the easy answers for everything.

I believe in God but I do not try and assume I know what it is.

Even our holidays like Christmas; our children connect the giving of presents to the birth of Jesus. At a time when their minds are most susceptible to influence, we tell them, the reason they get what they want is because of some God. My mom celebrated Christmas every year with tree and lights, but never connected the events to something chimerical. For her, GOD is LOVE and the best she could do was give LOVE to us so when we went out into the world we could understand it and pass it on.

Religions are the political systems of the past.
Just like TIME, GODS%u2019 are man made.

Deep down in every one of us IS a philosopher.
We can predict our own deaths and we hope to predict what happens afterward.

Our society has grown ignorant to the fact that the Christian God is MYTH, just like the Greek Gods and Egyptian Gods.

The concept of GOD today is mostly a politically exploitable inveterate of society which distracts us from using our MOST POWERFUL philosophical minds.

Get back to being a philosopher.

Philosophical independence is true liberty.

[matter77]

pollroller1 just wants your money. Don''t believe him!

[hungry1968]

"One in four adults ages 18 to 29 claim no affiliation with a religious institution."




Finally!!! The education system is finally starting to have effects on our political system. Pretty soon, the age of enlightenment, logic, and reasoning will be complete!!

[inventagod]

If Bu$h is Born Again, then I''m running for the hills!

[tbweb]

Posted by getcentered at 01:28 PM : Feb 25, 2008,,,

We are spinning on this ball in the middle of space made up of 3 quarters water and nothing is falling off, we do not feel ourselves spinning, everything thing is perfectly balanced and connected, yet its all an accident, nothing created it, I see, hmmm.

[taddles-2009]

"O.k. just for the purpose of debate I''''ll take a non-believers position.

Posted by harp1963 at 01:12 PM : Feb 25, 2008"

For the purpose of debate you have no understanding of a non-believers position and your analogies are fallacious. First off, Carnegie died in 1919 and sold off Carnegie steel to JP Morgan''s US steel in 1901. 20 seconds on Wikipedia is a good thing to make your arguments seem a little less delusional. Your comment about presidents is foolish too, I deny you to pull the cash you have out of your pocket and not find at least 4 presidents right there without naming 5 more form the 20th century.

You hinge your argument solely on the name recognizability of the name Jesus. You do not take into account that every other religion has a primary figurehead who is also know and revered throughout time by their adherents. Many religions are much older than Christianity therefore the adherents of those religions have been revering the name of their particular figurehead for much longer than have Christians. Either way your argument...isn''t.

[MIpapaof4]

The Bible is the best seller over 2000 years. I believe in some of it, the rest maybe. I don''t belong to the Catholic church and that is what was drummed into my head as a youngster. I went for a while and then joined the Methodists under my own power of thought. After about ten years I began to search for another religion that suited my wants and needs. All I ever found were churches looking for money and then more money. As of now I do not belong to a church, but I do believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior. It is better to believe and have Jesus not exist than to not believe and there be a Jesus Christ. If there is truly a life after this one and a Heaven, I most want to go there and enjoy Everlasting Life in HIS presence. A-men