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Line 9: − − == Previous 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. − − The bottom line of the research is described as follows: − {{cquote|Gallup surveys confirm a downward drift in religious identity among Americans, as well as a slight increase in the number of Americans who view religion as old-fashioned and out of date. − − Lack of identification with a formal religious group does not necessarily mean religion is irrelevant in a broad sense in a person's life. One can remain quite religious, or at least spiritual, while at the same time eschewing attachment to or identity with a formal religion or denomination. − − Still, trends on an additional Gallup question indicate that there has in fact been a slight uptick in the percentage of Americans who say religion is not very important in their daily lives -- from a range of 11% to 14% through most of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s to 19% over the past two years. This suggests that there may be some diminution of "inner" religion accompanying the reduction in explicit religious identity and the increased perception that religion is largely old-fashioned and out of date.}}
→Previous Increase in Those Who Have No Religious Identity
Regarding belief in the divine, most Nones are neither [[atheism|atheists]] nor [[theism|theists]] but rather [[agnosticism|agnostics]] and [[deism|deists]] (59%) and perhaps best described as [[Philosophical skepticism|skeptics]].<ref>[http://commons.trincoll.edu/aris/2009/09/22/american_nones_the_profile_of_the_no_religion_population/ Press: Americans Who Don’t Identify with a Religion No Longer a Fringe Group]</ref>}}
Regarding belief in the divine, most Nones are neither [[atheism|atheists]] nor [[theism|theists]] but rather [[agnosticism|agnostics]] and [[deism|deists]] (59%) and perhaps best described as [[Philosophical skepticism|skeptics]].<ref>[http://commons.trincoll.edu/aris/2009/09/22/american_nones_the_profile_of_the_no_religion_population/ Press: Americans Who Don’t Identify with a Religion No Longer a Fringe Group]</ref>}}
== Demographics and the expected further decline of American secularism ==
== Demographics and the expected further decline of American secularism ==