A New Survey Cements "Nones" as the Largest Group


The continued growth of Nones, those who have no particular religious identity, is almost not news anymore. A recent survey, however, found them to be the largest "religious" category for the first time. That is remarkable and newsworthy. 

What has not been written about much is the fact that the growth of nones has happened at exactly the same time as other political events, Trump defeated in 2020, state-wide elections increasing abortion access and acceptance of gay citizens. That these changes have happened at the same time does not prove they are related, but that is the conclusion that is easy to make.

If the growth of nones is the source of support for abortion rights and other liberal trends, then those who do not like these trends should be looking for the reason the U.S. public is going "none." There should be a search for who is responsible and whoever or whatever caused Christianity to fall out of favor should be held accountable. 

I have a theory as to why the right is not searching for a cause of the decline of Christianity. They are not looking for an enemy because they are fearful the conclusion will be, "The enemy is us."

I watch (too much) a podcast the produced by young pastors in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod called "The Leadership Collective, LCMS." It's on You Tube. I watch it because the LCMS membership is dropping rapidly and younger pastors are searching for a way to stop the decline. The podcast is for "insiders" of the denomination so the number of views is quite small. The young pastors note volunteer preachers who will serve without pay are needed to start new churches. But the denomination is packed with older leaders who do not want anything to change. Sprinkled through the discussions is pride in the "correct" and "true" beliefs of the denomination. As the discussions go on, however, they have started to hint that the denomination's great asset, it's "correct views," may itself be the problem. Maybe its views are not absolutely "correct." Watching the podcasts is like watching the entire Christian faith of billions fall on its sword. 

It seems inevitable the percentage of the U.S. who self identify as "nones" will keep on growing. In a decade of less it may cross the 50% mark. As it grows we can count on politics shifting to accommodate the new reality. 

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