this post was submitted on 16 Jun 2025
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Over the past few decades, the number of Americans who identify as religiously unaffiliated—often referred to as “nones”—has grown rapidly. In the 1970s, only about 5% of Americans fell into this category. Today, that number exceeds 25%. Scholars have debated whether this change simply reflects a general decline in belief, or whether it signals something more complex. The research team wanted to explore the deeper forces at play: Why are people leaving institutional religion? What are they replacing it with? And how are their personal values shaping that process?

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[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 6 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

should be happening with gen z and alpha too, but gen z has more right wingers than previous generations, due to significant propaganda.

[–] SunshineJogger@feddit.org 10 points 5 hours ago

Good for them.

These ancient lies designed for crowd control have been horrible these past thousand years.

Not that modern political groups or sects etc are much better...

[–] MangioneDontMiss@lemmy.ca 8 points 5 hours ago

because its bullshit?

[–] crystalmerchant@lemmy.world 12 points 6 hours ago

Lmao because it's horse shit that's why

Source: me, a 37-yo exmormon who was all-in, true believer, until his mid 20s.

[–] DantesFreezer@lemmy.world 10 points 7 hours ago

I feel like the unloved sect is really the unitarian universalists. They're basically a doctrine free "church" of social justice. Like, I love going sometimes and just getting more advice on how to be an excellent human to others. And then we have snacks.

[–] BananaTrifleViolin@lemmy.world 20 points 9 hours ago

Part of this is just that the socially conservative pressure to fit in has eased. Time was you had to be "religious" to fit in to communities and it was seen as part of American identity.

I find it hard to believe 75% of Americans are religious. In the UK 37% identify as non religious. 45% identify as Christian yet churches have emptied our and most young people only end up in one for marriages or funerals. People say they're Christian but I have no doubt a large chunk of those people are just ticking a box on a census form as it's part of their identity.

[–] WoodScientist@sh.itjust.works 132 points 12 hours ago (6 children)

Well, my whole life, I've lived in a society where organized Christianity has overwhelmingly been a force for evil, rather than a force for good. Fuck, I straight-up believe that most Evangelical Christians are devil worshipers. If your religion leads you to hate, you aren't worshiping God, you're worshiping the Devil.

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 61 points 12 hours ago (8 children)

Christianity is, by definition, a cult of human sacrifice.

Kinda puts the entire faith into perspective.

[–] sangriaferret@sh.itjust.works 33 points 12 hours ago (8 children)
[–] athairmor@lemmy.world 15 points 11 hours ago

They ritualistically eat the body and blood of their god/savior.

Let that sink in.

[–] Sixtyforce@sh.itjust.works 2 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Dooms day death cult.

Lead by Jesus, the dooms day death cult leader.

I hear he's a "good guy."

I don't think dooms day death cult leaders, make believe or not and I just mean a historical grifter non magical, are good people.

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 9 points 11 hours ago

Well, they were in luck... he's only mostly dead. If he was all the way dead, it wouldn't have worked. but Mostly dead? Miracle Max can work with that.

[–] Clasm@ttrpg.network 4 points 9 hours ago

Suicidal Death Cult

They are actively doing everything in their power to bring about the end of the world.

[–] billiam0202@lemmy.world 4 points 10 hours ago

When you're actively trying to bring about the end of the world, there's no more apt description.

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Death Cult Armageddon, great Dimmu album. My parents got it for me along with Enthrone Darkness Triumphant for Christmas one year but they wouldn’t buy me Diablo II because Diablo “didn’t fit the theme of the holiday.”

[–] NotASharkInAManSuit@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

In all fairness, Diablo has an entirely different lore than Christianity, I can see where they were coming from. We want to burn Yahweh, not Anu.

[–] NotASharkInAManSuit@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

Cannibal death cult, If you take part in the sacrament. That is, quite literally, internally perceived as ritual cannibalism.

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[–] CXORA@aussie.zone 4 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

No. The christoan God is evil. They're doing exactly as their religion demands.

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[–] solsangraal@lemmy.zip 41 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

there is literally nothing that religion can provide that can't be gotten without religion

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 14 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

For real. You can just buy those styrofoam wafers and some cheap wine if you really want them. You don't have to go to church.

[–] match@pawb.social 2 points 5 hours ago
[–] athairmor@lemmy.world 5 points 11 hours ago

I guess messed up ideas about sexuality and consent in general aren’t strictly under their purview. Or, subservience to arbitrary authority figures.

What about rape in a rectory? Probably doesn’t happen too often outside of a religious context.

[–] Yawweee877h444@lemmy.world 41 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

insight into why.

Because it's not fucking real?

This isn't rocket surgery.

[–] Skua@kbin.earth 15 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

That hasn't become any more or less true in recent years, though. It's worth asking why people are now thinking of the idea differently than they did for the past several thousand

[–] MouldyCat@feddit.uk 8 points 11 hours ago

Well I suppose there's still no proof that there never was a so-called "divine Y-chromosome" as believed in by Christians, but before we knew about DNA, or even human cells, the ridiculous legends of religion were definitely harder to refute. The ridiculousness of those legends was a big part of their power - the more stupid and unhinged a religious story appears to us today, the more in awe believers would have been about it 300 or 400 years ago.

So while religion hasn't become less real in recent years, it has become a lot easier to point out its absurdities.

[–] bytesonbike@discuss.online 55 points 12 hours ago (7 children)

I support a few religious organizations through volunteer work.

My rules for these organizations are simple:

  1. The religion takes a back seat to helping the community
  2. They're not preachy or trying to convert people
  3. They don't diddle little kids.

You'd think it'll be easy to meet that criteria.

[–] match@pawb.social 1 points 5 hours ago

"You will know them by their fruits" ahh criteria

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 17 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

How would you even know if #3 was true or not, it's not like they advertise it.

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[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 14 points 12 hours ago

I'm curious which is more common a failing #3 or #2.

most christian charity or aid orgs are mostly about that captive audience.

[–] Ketram@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 12 hours ago (4 children)

Only one I can think of is Unitarian Universalist for all 3. Maybe some sort of Buddhism? Though probably have broken #3 and are very big/organized.

[–] bytesonbike@discuss.online 5 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I do volunteer for a Unitarian church and a Buddhist temple! Nailed it.

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[–] Snowclone@lemmy.world 2 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

Yeah I used to think ''how do Catholics manage to keep going?'' Then my church fought a lawsuit to get them to report child abuse, then bought insurance to buffer any financial loss they might incur while protecting child rapists. I feel like Jesus telling people that if they feel like hurting kids they should stop, take a deep breath, and commit suicide, kind of forbids this sort of behavior.

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[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 25 points 12 hours ago

The faster the better. It’s fundamentalists creating a lot of the problems in the world as they try to force their beliefs on others.

[–] salacious_coaster@infosec.pub 16 points 12 hours ago

Better understanding of the physical world than previous generations, for one thing. That and the advent of TV and Internet made it much harder to hide the hypocrisy and crimes.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 13 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

I feel like they're missing an important point

Most organized religions blue the line between clergy and god so followers need to believe their religious leaders are pretty close to infallible, like God is claimed to be.

However with modern society, information is easy to get and everywhere. So people know about organized religion's issues, and without that structure and reinforcement, we see a slower but substantial reduction in general belief in God that will continue for generations as less people are indoctrinated into organized religion at a young age.

Not sure why the author acts like it's a mystery

[–] N0t_5ure@lemmy.world 9 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Most organized religions blue the line between clergy and god so followers need to believe their religious leaders are pretty close to infallible, like God is claimed to be.

It's because the fundamental purpose of religion is control for the purpose of concentrating power.

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[–] MolecularCactus1324@lemmy.world 10 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Gen-Z is all about it though. Gen-Z is stupid and backwards… voting for Trump, going to church. What a bunch of losers.

[–] Microplasticbrain@lemm.ee 6 points 10 hours ago

It's cool they'll learn there's no god when trump drafts their asses

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 6 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

To understand these trends more fully, the researchers analyzed interview data from 54 participants whose religious involvement had significantly declined over the decade.

These interviews revealed a recurring theme: many young people left institutional religion not because they stopped caring about spirituality, but because they felt a growing disconnect between their personal values and the teachings or practices of religious organizations. They spoke of churches that felt judgmental, hypocritical, or out of touch—particularly on issues of gender and sexuality. Participants described feeling alienated by institutions that seemed to limit, rather than support, their pursuit of authenticity, justice, and self-understanding.

[–] macaw_dean_settle@lemmy.world 0 points 5 hours ago
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