We hear a lot about the "nones" these days: Americans who claim no connection to any particular faith. We'll hear a lot more too, as recent studies document this ever-expanding slice of the American demographic pie. We hear less, however, about the nones as individuals. But like any pastor, I’ve known more than a few in my time. At 20 percent of society, they are literally everybody's friends and neighbors.
The possibly-spiritual-but-definitely-not-religious are growing in ranks, says the Pew Forum, and the resulting Nones On the Bus blogo-tour is as usual drawing good crowds.
Paul Waldman highlights one interesting subpoint: the Nones are growing not just more plentiful but also more Democratic. He credits Republican hostility to nonbelievers.
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.