Among the reasons Americans identified as important motivations in leaving their childhood religion are: they stopped believing in the religion's teachings (60%), their family was never that religious when they were growing up (32%), and their experience of negative religious teachings about or treatment of gay and ...
Others say they dislike organized religion and want to make their own decisions rather than listening to somebody else. Still others become distracted by materialism, or find that they're too busy to participate. People who walk away from religion usually say, “I shall be just fine. Please do not worry about me.”
One-fifth of Americans are religiously unaffiliated — higher than at any time in recent U.S. history — and those younger than 30 especially seem to be drifting from organized religion. A third of young Americans say they don't belong to any religion.
Apostasy (/əˈpɒstəsi/; Greek: ἀποστασία apostasía, 'a defection or revolt') is the formal disaffiliation from, abandonment of, or renunciation of a religion by a person. It can also be defined within the broader context of embracing an opinion that is contrary to one's previous religious beliefs.
Depending on whether religious switching continues at recent rates, speeds up or stops entirely, the projections show Christians of all ages shrinking from 64% to between a little more than half (54%) and just above one-third (35%) of all Americans by 2070.
In an optional question in the 2021 Australian National Census, 43.9% of respondents declared some variety of Christianity, with the Christian denominational distribution as follows: Catholicism 20.0%, Anglican 9.8%, Uniting Church 2.7%, Orthodox 2.1%, Presbyterian and Reformed 1.6%, Baptist 1.4%, Pentecostal 1.0%, ...
More recent study published in 2022 by Pew Research Center, have found a retention rate among American Christians closer to 67%, and cited that the decline of Christianity is primarily due to people leaving Christianity and choosing to have no religious affiliation (rather than due to people converting to other ...
Leaving religion generally involves a combination of four social and emotional domains: (1) intellectual doubt or denial about the truth of a belief system; (2) moral criticism: rejection of an entire way of life of a religious group; (3) emotional suffering: grief, guilt, loneliness, despair; and (4) disaffiliation ...
Seek support and community. Consider sharing what you've been going through with someone you think would be supportive. You might also connect with a community of others who have left your former faith. Take ownership of your self-care.
Common Symptoms of Religious Trauma:
Experiencing deep or chronic shame that leaves you feeling like you are unworthy, unlovable, or bad in some way. Feeling bad or wrong for having sexual thoughts and feelings, OR having physical reactions to sex or sexual thoughts such as crying or feeling disconnected from your body.
Humans can live without religion but they can't live without spirituality. These are two different entities yet get intertwined due to the lack of awareness among the people. It is a matter of fact that we humans are trivial in this universe.
The Generation Gap in Religious Affiliation
In terms of identity, Generation Z is the least religious generation yet. More than one-third (34 percent) of Generation Z are religiously unaffiliated, a significantly larger proportion than among millennials (29 percent) and Generation X (25 percent).
Even as it undergoes different forms of change and shifting of importance, religion remains one of the most important social, cultural, and political actors in societies around the world.
To identify with a religious ideology and call it the only truth and way, can only lead to tremendously bad, negative effects — prejudice, bigotry, and all kinds of violence (just think of how many wars have been carried out throughout history in the name of God and religion).
People have different reasons for running away from God. Perhaps they fear that it is dangerous to get too close to Him, as He might ask them questions they cannot or do not want to answer, or He may ask them to do things that they are unwilling or afraid to do.
Seventy-three percent said church or pastor-related reasons led them to leave. Of those, 32 percent said church members seemed judgmental or hypocritical and 29 percent said they did not feel connected to others who attended. Seventy percent named religious, ethical or political beliefs for dropping out.
Oftentimes people think that happiness and atheism/agnosticism are mutually exclusive, but this is simply an inaccurate idea that has been promulgated within society. You can be completely happy without a belief in God or the supernatural.
Non-religious people can be called atheists or agnostics, but to describe things, activities, or attitudes that have nothing to do with religion, you can use the word secular. Public schools are secular, but Catholic schools are not. Grocery stores are secular; a synagogue is not.
Research has shown that struggling with religion correlates to some basic personality traits. Studies on the Big Five, as well as factors such as entitlement, self-esteem, and self-compassion suggest that there is a significant relationship between religious uncertainty and personality.
For instance, some scientists suggest that religious experience activates the same brain circuits as sex and drugs. Other research has suggested that damage to a certain brain region can make you feel as though someone's in the room when nobody's there.
Decline in Christian affiliation
The number of people affiliated with Christianity in Australia decreased from 12.2 million (52.1%) in 2016 to 11.1 million (43.9%) in 2021. This decrease occurred across most ages, with the largest decrease for young adults (18-25 years).
America's Christian majority is shrinking, and could dip below 50% by 2070 The U.S.'s Christian majority has been shrinking for decades. A Pew Research Center study shows that as of 2020, about 64% of Americans identify as Christian. Fifty years ago, that number was 90%.
For all of these reasons – psychological, neurological, historical, cultural and logistical – experts guess that religion will probably never go away. Religion, whether it's maintained through fear or love, is highly successful at perpetuating itself. If not, it would no longer be with us.