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Irreligion in the United States

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Encompassing atheism, agnosticism, deism, skepticism, freethought, secular humanism or general secularism, various polls have put the population of "non religious" North Americans at around 20 million people. [1][2]

Several groups promoting no religious faith, or opposing religious faith altogether, have also witnessed large increases in membership numbers in recent years.[1]

Demographics

The percentage of people in North America who identify with a religion as opposed to having "no religion" (2001 US) (1991,98,99 CA).

A Barna group poll found that about 20 million people say they are atheist, have no religious faith or are agnostic, with 5 million of that number claiming to be atheists. The study also found that "[t]hey tend to be more educated, more affluent and more likely to be male and unmarried than those with active faith" and that "[o]nly 6 percent of people over 60 have no faith in God, and one in four adults ages 18 to 22 describe themselves as having no faith."[1]

A 2007 Gallup poll which asked the question

"Which of the following statements comes closest to your belief about God: you believe in God, you don't believe in God but you do believe in a universal spirit or higher power, or you don't believe in either?"

showed that 78% believed in god, 14% in "A higher power", 7% answering "neither", and 1% unsure.[3]

The 2001 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) found that while 29.5 million U.S. Adults (14.1%) described themselves as "without religion", only 902,000 (0.4%) positively claimed to be atheist, with another 991,000 (0.5%) professing agnosticism.[2]

Irreligion in politics

Many voters in the United States are rather distrustful of those professing a lack of religious faith, with an "atheist" at the bottom of the list of presidential candidates that people would vote for. Over 90% of Americans are willing to vote for a Catholic, Jewish, female or black President, but the number willing to vote for an atheist is below 45%, lower than the result for homosexuals and Muslims.[4][5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c In America, Nonbelievers Find Strength in Numbers
  2. ^ a b "American Religious Identification Survey". Retrieved 2008-03-29.
  3. ^ "Polling Report - Religion". Various. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
  4. ^ Atheists come in last - USA today
  5. ^ About.com Atheist Surveys
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