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☆ Young Women Predictably Flee Organized Religion - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Jessica Grose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Her parents took her and her sister to nondenominational megachurches that adhered to a lot of Baptist and Pentecostal ideals, she said. As a kid, she loved the way every service felt “like a concert,” filled with music and light, and she made loads of friends through church. “So I didn’t want to associate with that kind of evangelicalism.”Draut is representative of an emerging trend: young women leaving church “in unprecedented numbers,” as Daniel Cox and Kelsey Eyre Hammond wrote in April for Cox’s newsletter, American Storylines. A new survey reveals that the pattern has now reversed.”While over the past half-century, Americans of all ages, genders and backgrounds have moved away from organized religion, as I wrote in a series on religious nones — atheists, agnostics and nothing-in-particulars — young women are now disaffiliating from organized religion in greater percentages than young men. And women pushing back on the beliefs and practices of several faiths, particularly different Christian traditions, is something I have been reading about more and more.

Persons: Alexis Draut, nondenominational, Draut, ”, Donald Trump, Daniel Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond, Cox, Hammond, we’ve Organizations: Berry College, Survey Center, American Enterprise Institute Locations: Kentucky, Georgia

☆ Opinion | Is There a Post-Religious Right?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Ross Douthat | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

My one-liner “captured a widely shared assumption” that Trump’s rise signaled “the birth of an irreligious right animated by white racial grievance,” he wrote. The old religious right may have suffered a fatal blow in 2016. But what succeeded it was not a post-religious racialist party, as some feared and others hoped. was preparing to establish white supremacy now are more likely to denounce its ambitions as “Christian nationalist.” Whatever else one makes of this charge, it implies an acknowledgment that a post-religious right has failed to materialize. But when Schmitz says a post-religious right has “failed to materialize” I have to strongly disagree.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matthew Schmitz, “, ”, that’s, Schmitz, Mitt Romney, Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini, Vance, George W, Bush, Trump, Norman Vincent Peale Organizations: Republican, Trump, Christian, Republican Party Locations: American, Ohio

☆ Atheists are still reluctant to ‘come out’
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Just like people of faith, not all atheists believe the same things. Because atheists are defined by what they don’t believe, it’s difficult to generalize what they do believe. What do atheists believe? Nearly a third of atheists believe humans have souls or spirits in addition to their physical body. It's hard to talk about atheists as a large group because they're defined by what they don't believe in.

Persons: CNN —, Ron DeSantis, it’s, “, Ricky Gervais, ‘, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Nick Fish, ” Fish, don’t, ”, Jason Lancaster, Diana Nyad, Oprah, Will Gervais, Maxine B, Najle, Gervais, ” It’s, —, I’m, Jocelyn Williamson, doesn’t, ” Williamson, “ There’s, Williamson, They’re, Fish Organizations: CNN, Florida Gov, Gallup, Merriam, American Atheists, Pew Research, Getty, Pew, Central, Central Florida Freethought, Central Florida Freethought Community, ” Atheists, Interfaith Council of Central, Christian, Habitat, Humanity Locations: Florida, Central Florida, Interfaith Council of Central Florida

☆ Meet the 'nones': More Americans are religiously unaffiliated. Who are they?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In 2023, Pew found 28% of Americans fell into the nones category, which includes people who, when asked about their religion, say they are atheists, agnostics, or "nothing in particular." Nones tend to be younger than the religiously affiliated, and they are more likely to identify as liberal. "Some 'nones' have a very negative view of religion, but 'nones' on the whole express mixed views rather than outright hostility," the report said. Pew researchers noted that the number of nones fell 3 percentage points last year from 31% in 2022. Pew conducted interviews with 3,317 respondents who were classified as religious nones.

Persons: —, Pew, nones, It's Organizations: Service, Business, Pew Research Center, Pew Locations: nones

☆ Opinion | Americans Under 30 Don’t Trust Religion — or Anything Else
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Jessica Grose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Whereas with many young Americans, Burge said, “they look at all the religion options and say, ‘I really don’t want to pick a side.’ And that’s what nothing in particular is. So it makes a certain kind of sense that they don’t want to associate too closely with any defined group. What’s more, some religious institutions have had high-profile ethical failures around cases of sexual abuse — concealing rather than confronting allegations of wrongdoing among their leadership. “Instead of trying to redress these really incredibly painful problems, they made things worse in many instances,” Cox said. “So I think that’s a really different environment to come of age and to learn about how these institutions operate and who they operate for.”

Persons: Burge, It’s, it’s, we’ve, —, Clinton, Trump, Daniel Cox, ” That’s, ” Cox, ” Organizations: Survey Center, American Enterprise Institute

Drumnadrochit, Scotland CNN —It’s not the volume of water in Loch Ness that impresses, although that’s substantial. The "surgeon's photographs" of 1934 are the most famous images of the Loch Ness Monster -- although they were later exposed as a hoax. “It’s a really bizarre extended family of Loch Ness enthusiasts,” says McKenna, his love for the project glowing in every word. But, says McKenna, “Loch Ness is so fascinating that it can cause these mirages. Until then, the Loch Ness Exploration group meets monthly on the loch and is free and open to everyone — believers, sceptics and agnostics alike: details are on the public Facebook page.

Persons: Scotland CNN — It’s, ”, Alan McKenna, Jeff J Mitchell, you’ve, you’ll, Loch, it’ll, Hugh Gray, Aldie McKay, Saint Columba, Aleister Crowley’s, Jimmy Page, Adrian Shine, Rasputin, Santa, He’s, McKenna, Steve Feltham, who’s, “, Alistair Matheson, Aldie, We’re, Loch Ness, Russell Cheyne, Matheson, we’ve, Andy Buchanan Organizations: CNN, Scotland CNN, Edinburgh, Getty, Loch, Keystone, “, Reuters, Pacific . Locations: Drumnadrochit, Scotland, Loch Ness, guesthouses, Isle, Skye, Boleskine, Santa Claus, Edinburgh, Loch, ”, Pacific, AFP

☆ How Superheroes Took Over the Multiplex
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Downey lost the Oscar (to Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight”), but Marvel won the day. On this week’s episode, Gonzales and Robinson join the host Gilbert Cruz to talk all things Marvel. “We definitely, of course, wanted to write for the Marvel fans,” Robinson says. “But also we wanted to write a book for Marvel skeptics. We wanted to write a book for people who maybe fell in love with Marvel once upon a time, but are maybe slightly falling out of love with it.

Persons: Robert Downey Jr, —, Tony Stark, Downey, Knight, ”, “, Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, Gavin Edwards, Gonzales, Robinson, Gilbert Cruz, ” Robinson, Marvel, Marvel agnostics Organizations: Marvel Studios, Marvel, Hollywood Locations: Heath

They’re the atheists, the agnostics, the “nothing in particular.” Many are “spiritual but not religious,” and some are neither or both. “I grew up Methodist, but I don’t follow any religion,” said John, 32. But nones said in interviews they were happy to leave religion behind, particularly in toxic situations, and find community elsewhere. While they don’t describe their explorations as spiritual, they aim to inspire wonder and purpose in their children. ___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc.

Persons: Mike Dulak, ”, Dulak, “, Ryan Burge, they’re, Emma Komoroski, Alric Jones, —, Jones, ’ ”, he’ll, I’m, ” Jones, agnostics, ” Burge, ” Dulak, “ It’s, Burge, It’s, I’ve, Mia Vogel, I’ll, Alcoholics Anonymous, Jay Geisler, “ there’s, Geisler, GUS, Guy, ‘, ’ ” Geisler, John, Linda, nones, ” Marjorie Logman, doesn’t, Logman, hadn’t, “ I’m, Ashley Miller, Miller, Linley Sanders, Emily Swanson, Jessie Wardarski Organizations: Catholic, Southern Baptist, Eastern Illinois University, Associated Press, NORC, for Public Affairs Research, AP, Christianity, University of Missouri, Alcoholics, Episcopal, Pittsburgh Recovery Center, Methodist, Lilly Endowment Inc Locations: Southern California, Rocheport , Missouri, Catholic, Southern, “, U.S, Ozark, Arkansas, Missouri, Michigan, Mt . Vernon , Illinois, Aurora , Illinois, Adria

Thirty percent of Americans don't identify with a religious group — but not all of them are atheists or agnostics. In fact, 43% of the group known as the “nones” say they believe in God, even if they largely dislike organized religion. Among the nones, most atheists say it’s good (69%), compared with 52% of agnostics and only 36% of nothings in particular. WHERE TO FIND FULFILLMENTClose to three-quarters of religious adults say their faith provides them with at least some meaning and fulfillment, including 46% who say it provides a lot. While widespread majorities of atheists and agnostics get no fulfillment from religious faith, only 62% of those nothings in particular say the same.

Persons: “, ”, nones, Nothings, agnostics, Linley Sanders, Emily Swanson Organizations: The Associated Press, NORC, for Public Affairs Research, GAP, Democratic Party, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: nothings, U.S, agnostics

☆ Opinion | Where Should Agnostics Go on Sundays?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Ross Douthat | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

So what he’d like — well, here’s the quote:I can easily imagine a “church for the nones.” (It would need a more appealing name.) I could attend a Christian church on Sundays and teach my daughter about other beliefs the rest of the week. With all my reservations, I don’t really want to join an existing church. And I don’t think I am going to have much luck getting my fellow nones to join something I start. My sense is that the people who want what church provides are going to the existing Christian churches, even if they are skeptical of some of the beliefs.

Persons: Perry Bacon, ’, Jessica Grose, Nick Kristof, Bacon, certainties, Doesn’t Bacon, Hasn’t, he’s, I’ve Organizations: The Washington Post, Society for Ethical, Netflix Locations: America, ”

☆ We read the Gab founder's how-to guide to Christian nationalism. The book is part of a new trend of conservatives openly embracing the ideology.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"Christian Nationalism: A Biblical Guide For Taking Dominion And Discipling Nations" was written by Torba and Andrew Isker, a pastor from Minnesota. Christian nationalism can generally be boiled down to the belief that Christianity should have a privileged position in American society. Torba's book demonstrates this, as his description of Christian nationalism differs in some ways from academic understandings of it. Phelan M. Ebenhack, File/Associated PressThe public embrace of a somewhat taboo conceptScholars of Christian nationalism, and Christian nationalists themselves, are quick to point out these ideas are not new. "We're now definitely well past the 'Christian nationalism doesn't exist' and the 'Christian nationalism is fringe' arguments to full-on 'Christian nationalism is the only way forward.'"

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