"The number of Americans who do not identify with any religion continues to grow at a rapid pace. One-fifth of the U.S. public – and a third of adults under 30 – are religiously unaffiliated today, the highest percentages ever in Pew Research Center polling."
The information in this post is taken from: http://www.pewforum.org/unaffiliated/nones-on-the-rise.aspx
In Waking God: The Trilogy, a future is portrayed where religion has loosened its grip on the masses. All that remains are entrenched fundamentalists who are trying to force their dogma upon people through terror and damnation; pretty much like they have throughout history. The Trilogy shows that the decline of the religious shackles being replaced by a more spiritual world view; one that does not force ideology upon anyone. One again, the Trilogy has been prophetic. particularly in light on the new research data.
Some of the other relevant findings include:
(Highlights added)
... many of the country’s 46 million unaffiliated adults are religious or spiritual in some way. Two-thirds of them say they believe in God (68%). More than half say they often feel a deep connection with nature and the earth (58%), while more than a third classify themselves as “spiritual” but not “religious”
One important factor behind the growth of the religiously unaffiliated is generational replacement, the gradual supplanting of older generations by newer ones.
But generational replacement is not the only factor at play. Generation Xers and Baby Boomers also have become more religiously unaffiliated in recent years
The unaffiliated also are not uniformly hostile toward religious institutions. They are much more likely than the public overall to say that churches and other religious organizations are too concerned with money and power, too focused on rules, and too involved in politics. But at the same time, a majority of the religiously unaffiliated clearly think that religion can be a force for good in society
And atheists and agnostics overwhelmingly view religion’s declining influence as a good thing for society.
So what may be happening? Are people beginning to reject religious hypocrisy and dogma? Do people see the disconnect between religious dogma and practice? Are people merely reflecting a general discontent with established religion just like they are with established politics and economics? Is there a growing sense that there is more to what life is all about than church services? Do people just not care anymore as they are caught up in the daily struggle to survive?
Perhaps, like so may institutions and beliefs, religion is falling because a new paradigm is being created and the old just isn't working for people. Perhaps people want a new reality; one that makes sense, where we all work together with harm to none and benefit to all. A reality where it's not one faith vs. another might be in the cards, if, we have enough time to pull it off.
