The rise of the 'nones'
The number of Americans who say they have no religious affiliation has hit an all-time high—about one in five adults—according to a study released October 9 by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
Labeled “nones” because they claim either no religious preference or no religion at all, their ranks now total 46 million people. Much of the growth is among young people—one in three U.S. adults under 30 are considered nones.