The Rise of the Nones

[Quintessence]

The decline in communal religious practice has been happening progressively over time. However, covid, kicked it into the dirt. Not just in my faith, but all over. That's why I quoted your comment about a world-wide decline. The consensus reason for this was, when people stopped gathering, the last hold-outs found their community online during covid, and have not needed to return to the communal practice. It's just too easy to connect online. The dramatic drop-off is consistent with a trend towards connecting online as the cause as opposed to a decline in belief. But, again, this was a religious group discussion.

This is just so weird to me.

Online interactions are an utterly terrible substitute for in-person interactions and real community. Utterly, utterly, utterly terrible. Working with students at university - which is admittedly a somewhat different context - after the pandemic, students here overwhelmingly wanted in-person interactions. Because virtual experiences cannot and will not ever be able to hold a candle to them. It doesn't engage your body or your senses, and humans are fundamentally sensuous creatures. And something inside of you just dies when you don't get proper stimulation. Wouldn't at all surprise me if there's a correlation with the mental health crisis there, though it wouldn't be the only factor.

Humanity will be poorer for not having these communities, religious or otherwise.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

If you're interested in the SBNR qualitative research, I have attached an example of it here.

Thank you.

 

[Little Dragon]

These so-called “nones" — atheists, agnostics, or nothing in particular — comprise 30% or more of the adult population in the United States and Canada, as well as numerous European countries. Japan, Israel and Uruguay are among other nations where large numbers of people are secular.

I am among that 30%, and I can only see our demographic share, growing, until we are the majority.

 

[dybmh]

This is just so weird to me.

Online interactions are an utterly terrible substitute for in-person interactions and real community. Utterly, utterly, utterly terrible. Working with students at university - which is admittedly a somewhat different context - after the pandemic, students here overwhelmingly wanted in-person interactions. Because virtual experiences cannot and will not ever be able to hold a candle to them. It doesn't engage your body or your senses, and humans are fundamentally sensuous creatures. And something inside of you just dies when you don't get proper stimulation. Wouldn't at all surprise me if there's a correlation with the mental health crisis there, though it wouldn't be the only factor.

Humanity will be poorer for not having these communities, religious or otherwise.

I 100% agree. I didn't raise these points in the discussion. It would not have been appropriate for me to assert myself strongly. But I felt them in my heart. In my own life, my own children are a reflection of exactly what you're saying. They very much appreciate and value in-person, living, breathing, face-to-face gathering especially after covid. All I said was, "when we gather together, I can feel it. It's special. Right? And nothing changes that." They agreed, they feel it. But, they also didn't agree that is wasn't changing.

 

[paarsurrey]

The Rise of the Nones

Aren't the "nones" of the West the flip side of the Hellenist-Paulines aka Christendom people as they both work ,wittingly and or unwittingly, in close association, I understand, of the Zionists strictly and or by "chance" as per the blue print of the so called “discredited/forged” “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion”, please, right??!

Regards

 

[Copernicus]

The Rise of the Nones

Aren't the "nones" of the West the flip side of the Hellenist-Paulines aka Christendom people as they both work ,wittingly and or unwittingly, in close association, I understand, of the Zionists strictly and or by "chance" as per the blue print of the so called “discredited/forged” “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion”, please, right??!

Regards

I don't think so. The category itself is not confined to the West. The AP report examined countries such as Japan and India. Moreover, the distinguishing feature of the group is that it does not practice any religious doctrine at all. The Paulines were an off-shoot of Judaism.

 

[idea]

"Unaffiliated" sounds better to me.

"independent" also works, or sovereign, self-reliant, self-governing, non-partisan, freestanding, freethinking?

Yes, something better than "none"

 

[Secret Chief]

"independent" also works, or sovereign, self-reliant, self-governing, non-partisan, freestanding, freethinking?

Yes, something better than "none"

Careful, we could end up with something patronising and arrogant. Something that makes you seem like a complete ****, like the Brights.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I think that the trend is an interesting phenomenon to watch. I suspect that more people will turn back to religion in coming decades as catastrophic climate change starts to cause more widespread suffering around the world. IMO, religion is first and foremost a coping mechanism, and people will be more desperate for ways to cope with the unprecedented disruptions.

However, turning back to religion and prayer to help fix the catastrophic problems we may face could well have people paying less attention to actually doing something about the issues. Sounds like it could be counter-productive.

 

[paarsurrey]

The Rise of the Nones​

I think that the trend is an interesting phenomenon to watch. I suspect that more people will turn back to religion in coming decades as catastrophic climate change starts to cause more widespread suffering around the world. IMO, religion is first and foremost a coping mechanism, and people will be more desperate for ways to cope with the unprecedented disruptions.

more people will turn back to religion

More and or most certainly that is going to happen, haven't the "nones" being stand-alone people created more and or most problems, I understand, than solving any, please, right??

Regards

 

[Twilight Hue]

Careful, we could end up with something patronising and arrogant. Something that makes you seem like a complete ****, like the Brights.

Even the Brights had addressed the "nones" through NPORS data.

The Brights' Net - The Brights' Bulletin

www.the-brights.net

Excellent organization.

 

[paarsurrey]

Even the Brights had addressed the "nones" through NPORS data.

The Brights' Net - The Brights' Bulletin

www.the-brights.net

Excellent organization.

How many the so called "Brights" are there in the world, any idea, please??

Regards

 

[Copernicus]

However, turning back to religion and prayer to help fix the catastrophic problems we may face could well have people paying less attention to actually doing something about the issues. Sounds like it could be counter-productive.

My prediction about religion coming back was based on my belief that religion functions as a powerful coping mechanism. Faced with catastrophic events caused by climate change, people will need to find ways to cope. I don't think religion will prevent people from doing anything significant about the issues, nor will it help. Most of what is going to happen over the coming decades will happen regardless of what people do now or in the near future. We are already past some important tipping points (e.g. the so-called Doomsday Glacier).

The Rise of the Nones​

More and or most certainly that is going to happen, haven't the "nones" being stand-alone people created more and or most problems, I understand, than solving any, please, right??

I actually have no idea what problems you are thinking of.

 

[danieldemol]

More and or most certainly that is going to happen, haven't the "nones" being stand-alone people created more and or most problems, I understand, than solving any, please, right??

Regards

Wrong in my view. But since it is merely empty assertion best to apply hitchens razor to it as I see it.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Why call them "The Nones"? I'm not sure I care much for that name. They ought to think of something else. Lest anyone get the idea that we're "nuns." Not that I have a problem with nuns, but I just don't want to be one.

I don't know about that. Get the right hat and things could be really interesting:

The original book cover that the TV show was based upon had a somewhat reasonable hat:

What the heck, one more:

 

[Twilight Hue]

How many the so called "Brights" are there in the world, any idea, please??

Regards

Last I heard , membership was at about 78,000 worldwide.

 

[sun rise]

My prediction about religion coming back was based on my belief that religion functions as a powerful coping mechanism.

Religion is based on reward/punishment whether it be heaven/hell or karma. It also has a lot of rituals which might be beautiful but seem increasingly hollow to many.

An alternative is spiritual communities that help people cope. These communities don't need to be based on formal rituals dictated by a religion.

 

[Dao Hao Now]

Faced with catastrophic events caused by climate change, people will need to find ways to cope. I don't think religion will prevent people from doing anything significant about the issues, nor will it help.

I would posit that religion (though definitely not exclusively) is contributing in preventing people from doing anything significant about the issues currently and find it hard to imagine that will change in the foreseeable future.
There appears to be a very strong correlation with religiosity and climate change denial or at least apathy.

Since significant action would require a massive public outcry for that action in order to overcome the economic and therefore political incentives preventing said action.
The fact that a majority of people are convinced that reality is trumped by a “higher power” that would have the ability to prevent catastrophic occurrences and with sufficient prayers, incantations or reliance on an “all loving god” protecting his flock is in no small part protecting the powers that be from facing public demand for said action.

As for religion functioning as a powerful coping mechanism;
I would contend that it’s main method of coping is offering seemingly plausible denial of reality as a salve for uncomfortable acknowledgment of their lack of control in this world which often prevents work towards taking a modicum of actual control and preventing continuing or worsening conditions.
Kind of like “thoughts and prayers” after mass shootings.

 

[sun rise]

Religion is based on reward/punishment whether it be heaven/hell or karma. It also has a lot of rituals which might be beautiful but seem increasingly hollow to many.

An alternative is spiritual communities that help people cope. These communities don't need to be based on formal rituals dictated by a religion.

There was a thread I started that did not get much attention on this topic Church for ‘nones’: Meet the anti-dogma spiritual collectives emerging across the US

 

[ADigitalArtist]

I would posit that religion (though definitely not exclusively) is contributing in preventing people from doing anything significant about the issues currently and find it hard to imagine that will change in the foreseeable future.
There appears to be a very strong correlation with religiosity and climate change denial or at least apathy.

Since significant action would require a massive public outcry for that action in order to overcome the economic and therefore political incentives preventing said action.
The fact that a majority of people are convinced that reality is trumped by a “higher power” that would have the ability to prevent catastrophic occurrences and with sufficient prayers, incantations or reliance on an “all loving god” protecting his flock is in no small part protecting the powers that be from facing public demand for said action.

As for religion functioning as a powerful coping mechanism;
I would contend that it’s main method of coping is offering seemingly plausible denial of reality as a salve for uncomfortable acknowledgment of their lack of control in this world which often prevents work towards taking a modicum of actual control and preventing continuing or worsening conditions.
Kind of like “thoughts and prayers” after mass shootings.

This is, I think, almost exclusively a Christian problem, even Islam largely places environmentalism as a non-optional divine test of stewardship. I totally agree with you that if a house is burning, you probably shouldn't prioritize the people who think it's prophesied to burn and everything gets better afterward to help save it. Or people who think Earth was a gift given for them to reign supreme on and use things however they want. So I would agree with the statement that 'most religious people' rather than 'most religions.'

Because most Abrahamic (though I'm a little information light on environmentalism in Judaism and Baha'i), as well as dharmic, neopagan, druidic, animist, etc religions hold Earth much more closely, even divinely. With environmentalism being a natural extension of their practice.