Changes

== Global decline of nones in the 21st Century ==

== Global decline of nones in the 21st Century ==

 

According to the Pew Research Forum:

According to the Pew Research Forum:

{{cquote|These projections, which take into account demographic factors such as fertility, age composition and life expectancy, forecast that people with no religion will make up about 13% of the world’s population in 2050, down from roughly 16% as of 2010.

{{cquote|These projections, which take into account demographic factors such as fertility, age composition and life expectancy, forecast that people with no religion will make up about 13% of the world’s population in 2050, down from roughly 16% as of 2010.

Some experts believe the Christian population in China is rising while the religiously unaffiliated population is falling. If this is true – and the trend continues – religious “nones” could decline as a share of the world’s population even more than the Pew Research Center study projects.<ref>[http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/03/why-people-with-no-religion-are-projected-to-decline-as-a-share-of-the-worlds-population/ Why people with no religion are projected to decline as a share of the world’s population], Pew Forum</ref>}}

Some experts believe the Christian population in China is rising while the religiously unaffiliated population is falling. If this is true – and the trend continues – religious “nones” could decline as a share of the world’s population even more than the Pew Research Center study projects.<ref>[http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/03/why-people-with-no-religion-are-projected-to-decline-as-a-share-of-the-worlds-population/ Why people with no religion are projected to decline as a share of the world’s population], Pew Forum</ref>}}

[[Eric Kaufmann]] told a secular audience in Australia: "The trends that are happening worldwide inevitably in an age of globalization are going to affect us."<ref>[http://fora.tv/2010/09/05/Eric_Kaufmann_Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth Shall the religious inherit the earth]</ref> Furthermore, Kaufmann also argues that secularization may reverse itself significantly earlier than 2050 in the West due to religious immigration and a religious population which is increasingly resistant to secularization in Europe.<ref>*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/08/european-christian-immigration-will.html European immigration will pour Christian creationists into Europe]

[[Eric Kaufmann]] told a secular audience in Australia: "The trends that are happening worldwide inevitably in an age of globalization are going to affect us."<ref>[http://fora.tv/2010/09/05/Eric_Kaufmann_Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth Shall the religious inherit the earth]</ref> Furthermore, Kaufmann also argues that secularization may reverse itself significantly earlier than 2050 in the West due to religious immigration and a religious population which is increasingly resistant to secularization in Europe.<ref>*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/08/european-christian-immigration-will.html European immigration will pour Christian creationists into Europe]

Research also shows that [[atheism|atheists]] are more prone to depression/[[suicide]] and are also more prone to having lower social skills (see: [[Atheism and depression]] and [[Atheism and suicide]] and [[Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence]]).

Research also shows that [[atheism|atheists]] are more prone to depression/[[suicide]] and are also more prone to having lower social skills (see: [[Atheism and depression]] and [[Atheism and suicide]] and [[Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence]]).

== Past long Term Increase in Those Who Have No Religious Identity ==

== Past long term increase in those who have no religious identity ==

Over the longer term there has been a substantial and relatively steady increase in the number of Americans having no religious identity.  Gallup has been specifically tracking this trend since 1948.<ref>[http://www.gallup.com/poll/128276/Increasing-Number-No-Religious-Identity.aspx Gallup: In U.S., Increasing Number Have No Religious Identity]</ref>  At that point a mere 2% of Americans volunteered "no religion".  In the intervening years, however, the numbers have steadily grown so that in 2008 the figure had reached some 16% of the population.

Over the longer term there has been a substantial and relatively steady increase in the number of Americans having no religious identity.  Gallup has been specifically tracking this trend since 1948.<ref>[http://www.gallup.com/poll/128276/Increasing-Number-No-Religious-Identity.aspx Gallup: In U.S., Increasing Number Have No Religious Identity]</ref>  At that point a mere 2% of Americans volunteered "no religion".  In the intervening years, however, the numbers have steadily grown so that in 2008 the figure had reached some 16% of the population.

This trend has affected popular statistics and has also served to exaggerate the loss of religious faith and evangelical influence in America. Most previous research missed a new phenomenon: that members of nondenominational churches often identify themselves on surveys as unaffiliated or even as having “no religion.” Because traditional surveys do not provide categories that adequately describe those who attend nondenominational congregations, their members often check “unaffiliated” in typical surveys and questionnaires...

This trend has affected popular statistics and has also served to exaggerate the loss of religious faith and evangelical influence in America. Most previous research missed a new phenomenon: that members of nondenominational churches often identify themselves on surveys as unaffiliated or even as having “no religion.” Because traditional surveys do not provide categories that adequately describe those who attend nondenominational congregations, their members often check “unaffiliated” in typical surveys and questionnaires...

Similarly, claims that Americans, including evangelicals, are falling away from the faith contradict seven decades of survey research confirming that only 4 percent of Americans are atheists.,,

Similarly, claims that Americans, including evangelicals, are falling away from the faith contradict seven decades of survey research confirming that only 4 percent of Americans are atheists...

...We found no statistically significant difference between younger and older evangelicals on other moral and political issues, however. Younger evangelicals were, in fact, sometimes more conservative than their elders.

...We found no statistically significant difference between younger and older evangelicals on other moral and political issues, however. Younger evangelicals were, in fact, sometimes more conservative than their elders.

== Religiously unaffiliated and suicide ==

== Religiously unaffiliated and suicide ==

''See also:'' [[Atheism and suicide]]

{{See also|Atheism and suicide}}

In 2004, the ''American Journal of Psychiatry'' reported:  

In 2004, the ''American Journal of Psychiatry'' reported: