1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

[Axios] Rising number of Americans are switching religions

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by Xerobull, May 17, 2023.

  1. Xerobull

    Xerobull ...and I'm all out of bubblegum

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2003
    Messages:
    37,065
    Likes Received:
    36,005
    Rising number of Americans are switching religions

    Data: PRRI, Health of Congregations Survey; Chart: Axios Visuals

    upload_2023-5-17_15-29-7.png

    Nearly a quarter of Americans say they used to follow a different religious tradition or denomination than the one they practice now — a percentage that keeps growing, a new survey says.

    Why it matters: The jump in religion-switching comes as many Americans say they no longer believe in their initial religion's teachings — or, in many cases, disagree with a religion's stance against LGBTQ+ people.

    By the numbers: The nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute survey of people across the country found that a quarter of Americans (24%) say they've changed religious traditions or denominations over their lifetime or recently.

    • That's a 50% jump from 2021, when 16% said they had switched, the survey found.
    • People who are members of other non-Christian religions (38%) or religiously unaffiliated (37%) were the most likely to say that they had switched from a different religious tradition.
    • About one in four Protestants of color (28%), white evangelical Protestants (25%), and Hispanic Protestants (24%) say they previously practiced or followed another religious tradition.
    The intrigue: The survey found that the Catholic Church had lost the highest percentage of followers (39%) to the group without a religious affiliation.

    • Non-evangelical Protestants (28%) lost the second-most members.
    Between the lines: A 2022 survey by PRRI's American Values Atlas found that only 64% of Americans identify as Christian — and the percentage has been dropping.

    • That PRRI survey says nearly 27% of the general public is now unaffiliated with any religion — the fastest-growing segment.
    Zoom in: Among those who switched, 56% said they changed because they stopped believing in the religion's teachings.

    • About 30% said negative religious teachings about or treatment of LGBTQ+ people forced them to change.
    • Only 17% said they switched because their church or congregation became too political.
    Yes, but: Most churchgoers (56%) do not believe their current church is more divided by politics than it was five years ago, the study found.


    • Only 13% say that their church is more politically divided.
    • White non-evangelical Protestants (17%) and Catholics (17%) are the most likely to indicate that their churches are more divided by politics.
    What they're saying: "There's essentially kind of a paradox happening. On the one hand, there is more religious churning. There are also more people in America who are becoming less religious, " PRRI CEO Melissa Deckman told Axios.

    • "Among Americans who still go to church on a regular basis, they still seem to be pretty happy with what's happening in their churches."
    Bottom line: Members of Gen Z — now ages 11 to 26 — are switching and shunning religion faster as young adults than other Americans. That's expected to continue.

    Methodology: The Health of Congregations Survey was conducted Aug. 9-30 by PRRI. The poll is based on a representative sample of 5,872 adults (age 18 and older) living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia who are part of Ipsos' Knowledge Panel®.

    Commentary:

     
    peleincubus, Andre0087 and Ubiquitin like this.
  2. Os Trigonum

    Os Trigonum Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2014
    Messages:
    81,587
    Likes Received:
    122,005
    I'd rather fight than switch

     
  3. Ubiquitin

    Ubiquitin Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2001
    Messages:
    19,568
    Likes Received:
    14,576
    Zeus and Apollo are grinning.
     
    dmoneybangbang and Andre0087 like this.
  4. Reeko

    Reeko Member

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2017
    Messages:
    52,663
    Likes Received:
    145,089
    some of these churches aren’t even churches anymore, they’re basically political rallies

    before 2016, I would’ve never imagined a pastor talking about Biden or Trump or anything political
     
  5. Andre0087

    Andre0087 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2012
    Messages:
    10,063
    Likes Received:
    13,749
    They were more subtle with it in the past, now it doesn't matter.
     
    Reeko and Ubiquitin like this.
  6. TheRealist137

    TheRealist137 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2009
    Messages:
    35,482
    Likes Received:
    22,641
    Good, USA needs to catch up though to other countries in terms of being non-religious.
     
    Ubiquitin likes this.
  7. dmoneybangbang

    Joined:
    May 5, 2012
    Messages:
    22,616
    Likes Received:
    14,351
    Ra demands a blood sacrifice!!!
     
  8. Xerobull

    Xerobull ...and I'm all out of bubblegum

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2003
    Messages:
    37,065
    Likes Received:
    36,005
     
  9. Ubiquitin

    Ubiquitin Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2001
    Messages:
    19,568
    Likes Received:
    14,576
  10. HTM

    HTM Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2013
    Messages:
    8,003
    Likes Received:
    5,853
  11. LosPollosHermanos

    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2009
    Messages:
    30,089
    Likes Received:
    14,152
    This is how the downfall of empires/societies begins
     

Share This Page