"Atheism and secularism are increasing in each new generation." A fact long acknowledged by nonreligious and religious alike, it is a statement that provides encouragement to countless atheists around the United States. We're a threat AND we're growing! But are polls and statistics being misinterpreted and, consequently, are the numbers being inflated by including people that don't belong? I recently came across an article on AlterNet entitled "Goodbye Religion? How Godlessness is Increasing With Each New Generation" in which the author, Adam Lee, attempts to explain the reasons leading to atheism's growing popularity, especially in recent decades. While the increasing numbers within atheism are undeniable and atheists should be excited about the future, the studies, facts, and ambiguous, sometimes conflicting terms used in poll questions seem to bring anything but clarity to this topic. As I read this article and others before it, I can't help but wonder if false correlations are being drawn from polls and studies which unintentionally muddy definitions of important terms and then, in turn, are combined with other similar, yet unrelated studies to produce the perception that atheism is ascending faster than it really is. The specific problem I have with this article (which you should have read by now, it will make it easier) is that it takes one study citing growing numbers of young people identifying as atheist, agnostic, and nonbeliever, a second study outlining the 'nonreligious', and yet another discussing the rate of young adults leaving the church, and wrapping it all into an expanding atheist movement.
The article posits that social liberalization is the main catalyst for the observed drop off in church attendance amoung young adults. Greater tolerance and support for issues such as gay rights, marriage equality, and reproductive rights have led to a growing distrust of the authority of established religions. Statements such as "polls find that most common impressions of Christianity are that it's hostile, judgmental, and hypocritical" and "it's no surprise that people who've grown up in this tolerant age... simply walk away" accurately illustrate the growing disconnect between churches and modern, progressive thought. But does that really translate into atheism? Possibly, in many cases. But in most? I'm not convinced. For instance, a statistic is presented that "91% of young non-Christians say that Christianity is 'anti-homosexual'." Okay. What does that mean? Outsiders will view other religions negatively regardless and if it's being suggested that many of these are EX-Christians, and taking into account that only 25-30% of twentysomethings identify as having no religious affiliation, there appears to be quite a gap in the numbers becoming atheists. Additionally, evangelical Protestantism has fallen to 17%, according to Lee. These numbers raise an important question. Are young adults fed up with religion or religious institutions? How many times, have you encountered an astoundingly tedious argument from a theist who explains that he agrees with you about the negatives of organized religion only to claim some absolute trust that there is still a god. All the while, he has no knowledge of what his holy book says, what experts and scholars say about his god, and just how much more complicated he has made the existence of said god without any outside reference whatsoever. Dissatisfaction with religion does not necessarily break people of their religious habits. It has simply forced them to come up with yet another answer they don't have. It has caused many to embrace a wishy washy, vague, 'spirituality' that can't be pinned down or quantified.
Catholics seem to be one of the Christian denominations getting hit hardest. With abusive priests, issues with contraception, an AIDS epidemic in Africa, and an overall losing of touch with modern society, who can blame those fleeing for something that makes more sense? But, for me, the statement, "One in ten American adults is a former Catholic" with a majority citing discontent in the church's teachings only conjures up memories of encounters with ex-Catholic-now-liberal-Protestants or ex-Catholic-now-self-taught-Christians who feel free to cherry pick Christian teachings to fit their own conscience and rattle off some distorted message reminiscent of something one would hear at Haight-Ashbury. The bottom line is we need to recognize that much of conservative religious dogma is simply driving people towards new age, woo-woo spiritualism as they try to bridge the gap between their own progressive ideals of equality and justice and the archaic ones from their church, promoting divisiveness and bigotry.
Lack of belief and opposition to established religions are two completely different matters. As stated by Lee, "Seventeen percent of Americans say they have no religion," and "between 25% and 30% of twentysomethings today say they have no religious affiliation." The difference in those two statements should not be ignored. Young people are, in fact, more tolerant when it comes to LGBT rights, abortion, women's rights, and so on. They recognize the oppressive teachings coming from conservative Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim leadership as well as anti-gay rhetoric spewing from the evangelical right for the hateful, antiquated worldviews that they are. This does not seem to dimish a belief in an all loving god. It only draws people away from 'man-made religion, corrupted by bad people'. I was recently told, rather condescendingly, by a believer that my atheism can be explained by the fact that I'm simply angry (as he is) because of what 'organized religion' has done to societies around the world throughout history. Yeah! That's why I call myself an antitheist in addition to an atheist. There is a difference. One deals with belief, the other deals with actions. Obviously, the two can be mutually exclusive. As is secularism. Lee concludes by attributing the falling numbers of churchgoers to the "secularizing wave" that's sweeping the U.S. This, in my opinion, is the most important aspect of any movement concerning religion in this nation. Separation of religion and government. But that's all it means. Secularism does not mean atheism. Or skepticism. Or rationalism. These words should not be used interchangeably because, as we have seen, it confuses matters a great deal.
Many of us have been in too many discussions with theists who have no connection to a church or even the Bible, who dredge up utterly meaningless statements like 'Jesus was about peace', 'God is love', 'God is energy', 'I just believe in Jesus'. And that's it. Can I honestly be asked to believe that all these people leaving the church are miraculously losing their faith and becoming staunch advocates of skepticism? Or should I instead take into consideration the countless, unfounded, bullshit claims thrown at me more often than not? I think the most important thing to keep in mind when attempting to interpret these trends is to keep the studies in context and to understand how poll questions are worded and how that can effect the answers. Is religious attendence on the decline? Yes. Is atheism on the rise? No doubt. But, are christians with some unrecognizable self defined spiritualism on the decline? I'm not so sure. Don't get me wrong. I love the fact that I will be dealing with fewer claims of mysticism and magic the older I get. Religion will have less and less influence as the years pass. But, let's not be too hasty in claiming everyone who doesn't go to church or has a beef with the religion they grew up in as an atheist. Let's keep things in perspective. And keep pointing out the flaws in their arguments.
