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 The Reason Rally, sponsored by secular organizations, draws a crowd to Washington.
May 29th, 2013
03:06 PM ET
Poll: America losing its religionBy Dan Merica, CNN Washington (CNN) – More than three in four of Americans say religion is losing its influence in the United States, according to a new survey, the highest such percentage in more than 40 years. A nearly identical percentage says that trend bodes ill for the country. "It may be happening, but Americans don't like it," Frank Newport, Gallup's editor in chief, said of religion's waning influence. "It is clear that a lot of Americans don't think this is a good state of affairs." According to the Gallup survey released Wednesday, 77% of Americans say religion is losing its influence. Since 1957, when the question was first asked, Americans' perception of religion's power has never been lower. According to the poll, 75% of Americans said the country would be better off if it were more religious. The poll doesn't reflect Americans' personal religiosity, such as church attendance, but rather how large events and trends shape shared views, Newport explained. For example, the sexual revolution, the Vietnam War and the rise of the counterculture fed the perception that religion was on the wane during the late 1960s, he said. Views of a secularizing America peaked in 1969 and 1970, when 75% of Americans said faith was losing its clout in society. A similar view dominated from 1991-94 and from 2007 to the present. Americans saw religion increasing its influence in 1957, in 1962 and at a few points during the Reagan presidency in 1980. This number also spiked to its highest point ever - 71% - after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The pollster didn't speculate on the contemporary factors that led to the current views on faith's influence. Still, the poll numbers are dramatically influenced by church attendance, according to Gallup. More than 90% of people who attend church weekly responded that a more religious America would be positive, compared with 58% of Americans who attended church "less often." The Gallup poll was conducted via telephone from May 2 to May 7. A total of 1,535 people were sampled for the poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. soundoff (6,389 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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there are some religions that are taking the world backward.
Slllaayyeer!! 😉
AND WHY THE ***** is it loosing its religion?
Because people want there freedom to do what they like. And they have a problem with athority .
Education & the easy dissemination of ideas via the internet.
Athiests can bring their opinions to the consciousness of millions now, and many listen because the arguments are far more rational than the opposition.
Rynomite, seared con-sciences through vain philosophy???? EEEeeeeeewwwww, that's not exactly rational.
Yes religon is the real man-- where would the world be if not for religon
In the beginning there was God and with God, came the word and with the word ,came beleivers and with beleivers came religon all in the foundation of the world .
Yes, America has been "loosing" religion on all of us for far too long. It is time to reign in their powers and take away their exclusive special rights and tax exempt status.
Oh, and you might want to learn how to spell the words you attempt to use.
Woh aonmg you deos not unrdstnad me.
the hmaun bairn is cpablae to udnesrtnad and raed tihs... when the first and second letters of the word are in their correct places
Such great news.
ok guys i need to do a project and they ask me to look for new that include foreing policy in it. how can this article be related to the ideological objective ( gain support for a way of thinking or to prevent an apposin viewpoint) GRACIAS!
You're crowd sourcing your homework?
why, are u gonna help me?
sure. For one thing, we don't prevent apposing view points in America.
No matter what I you need help we will always be there.
What??? I guess it's you that needs help with English. Sorry, I am booked up today.
i dont get it. if 77% of american think that america is losing its religion... how come 75% says that america would be better if it was more religious?????!
neeeeeeeeeeeeever mind!
Because 75% of Americans are irrational.
Roughly 85-90% of Americans are religious (Christian, Muslim, etc.). Of course most of them think we would be better off with more religion.
There are too many great scientific minds of people who happen to be religious.
Do you refuse treatment from a Jewish doctor or refuse to board an airplane with a Christian pilot?
The people who think we're losing are religion are the same people who think we need more?
That would be a wild guess.
ok guys i need to do a project and they ask me to look for new that include foreing policy in it. how can this article be related to the ideological objective ( gain support for a way of thinking or to prevent an apposin viewpoint) GRACIAS!
As long as they aren't relying solely on prayer to do their job, then yes.
@Laura
I don't think this is a good article for your project.
WHAYYYY dont say that im gonna cry. find one for me then 😉 hahahahah
Think of all the things you could do if we let you .
You could fill your perverted mind with all of hells bells – right
You could do all the things you realy what to do that only you and I know about.
Tell me what is stoping you . ?
Consequences.
I've never stoped before – how do you do it?
You don't "let me" do anything. I do what I like.
Human decency preceeds religion.
"Think of all the things you could do if we let you .
You could fill your perverted mind with all of hells bells – right
You could do all the things you realy what to do that only you and I know about.
Tell me what is stoping you . ?"
Christianity allows for doing whatever you want. Just do whatever you feel like, then ask for forgiveness, accept jesus as your saviour, and all is good.
The entire faith is based on the absence of morality.
Huebert, you posted "You don't "let me" do anything. I do what I like."
Answer: That's the same lie that Jodi Arias believed.
ALSO BOYCOTT KFC WHO IS NOW CLONING BONELESS CHICKNS
also report them to the authorities for their illgal practices.
Please be careful, and do not eat the bones.
That's pretty funny. Not true, but hilarious nonetheless.
Atheists are rapidly becoming the Jehovah's Witnesses of the Left.
Everything is their cue to preach.
Pretty much every discussion of the Moore tornado turned into an anti-religion soapbox.
Wow, troll, you sure know how to repeat yourself every page. Do you like being boring?
Atheists do not go door to door trying to disseminate their propaganda like religious zealots do.
And just because someone is an atheist does not mean they are on the "left".
You seem to use every opportunity to troll, so why judge others?
I find that Christians are on their soap boxes way more than non-believers. Anyhow not having a religious affiliation does not automatically prone to doing unethical or immoral things. You just don't pray to any "higher authority" about it or try to proselytize and annoy people.
You're right Martin, Christians never try to convert people to Christianity.
Is the percentage of Americans who do think it's a good thing that religion is losing its influence not increasing?
well, if it is at its highest point ever it can't be decreasing.
Religion is a broad term. There are many religions around the world. This article doesn't specify, which is good, but what religion would we want influence from?
Should one religion influence everyone?? I think not. Just as one religion isn't any more righteous than another.
I don't think it's "America" that's losing it's faith. I think it's organized religions losing their followers, and they're upset about it since their job and income require they have followers.
We travel many paths to find answers, and some of those paths are not meant for long term travel. I went from Catholicism to being lost. Once I found Buddhism I knew I was where I needed to be. Regardless of the path you follow, there are basic morals and ethics that everyone should learn from a young age. Those should be done by parents and family.
It looks like you have a problem with athority .
It looks like you have a problem finding the reply button.
Only when that authority comes from a corrupt and unfair system.
We reject that supposed authority
Repent haters ! You are destroying your nation and your behavior is self destructing.
Yeah christians....what he said.
See you should probably specify which "haters " you mean.
Seriously. I could think this is a poe.
No matter what you think is going on its not what you think.
All notions think they can make it without God but as all nations learn it Cannot be done .
You should read the history book called the bible . We are writing your story as I speek.
The bible is a collection of myths, not a history book.
The bible is NOT a history book. What are you 12?
The bible is a conglomeration of myths stolen from previous cultures.
We do not need gods. We get along without them just fine. We have every day and will continue to.
You live without god as well. and always will, since god is the product of men's imagination.
I don't think the Bible was ever intended to be thought of as a "history book".
It is a collection of stories, myths, geneaologies, poetry, songs, testaments, wise sayings, ancient wisdom, parables and much more.
It points to God, our creator.
@michael: our secular government has been doing just fine without the interference of your "god". your "history book" was written by sheepherders, assembled by pagans and distributed by war-popes. not such a good "history book" to be following seeing it even gets how the universe was created wrong.
@Richard
How do you steal a myth from another culture?
OMG,
The Bible points to the fantasies and superst'itions of a group of Middle Eastern Hebrews.
POE
The bible is a power tool meant to curb the masses. Just like every other religious book. It is a story that should strike fear into the powerless to rule over them in fear mongering ways.
OMG
Ask the men who wrote the bible. They did it throughout it.
Michael: Jeebus is waiting for you. Got a sidearm?
The Bible is honest. It paints an honest picture of the people – warts and all.
There are some human truths that have not changed after thousands of years.
@OMG: "How do you steal a myth from another culture?"
ever heard of halloween? yeah that was a myth that was stolen from other cultures, see not that hard.
@ WASP
To me, Halloween is a secular holiday influenced by other cultures.
I think a better term is "influenced by" over "stolen".
All cultures borrow from each other. That is part of being human.
I haven't seen any reliable information about the Bible plagiarizing or stealing from other books.
The Hebrews borrowed stories from other cultures. Openly.
Not stealing. Come on!
@OMG: borrowing means you intend to return the item.
stolen is what the stories of jesus etc etc etc are. he11 even how jesus is depicted to look is oddly similar to the old norse and roman depictions of their thundergods, zues and odin.
Horus: Egyptian, 6000 BC
Dionysus: Greek, 1500 BC
Attis: Greek, 1200 BC
Mithra: Zoroastrian, 600 BC
Krishna: Hindu, 400 BC
Jesus: Christian, 30 AD
A) Born on Dec. 25 – Horus, Attis, Krishna, Dionysus, Mithra, Jesus
B) Virgin Birth – Horus, Attis, Krishna, Dionysus, Mithra, Jesus
C) Sign of Star in the East – Horus, Krishna, Jesus
D) Adorned by 3 Kings – Horus, Jesus
E) Teacher at age 12 – Horus, Mithra, Jesus
F) Ministry started at 30 – Horus, Jesus
G) 12 Disciples – Horus, Mithra, Jesus
H) Travelled with Disciples Performing Miracles – Horus, Krishna, Dionysus, Mithra, Jesus
I) AKA The Truth, the Light, God’s Shepherd – Horus, Dionysus, Mithra, Jesus
J) Betrayed – Horus, Jesus
K) Crucified – Horus, Attis, Jesus
L) Buried 3 days – Horus, Attis, Mithra, Jesus
M) Resurrected – Horus, Attis, Krishna, Dionysus, Mithra, Jesus
Doc,
http://zeitgeistchallenge.com/
You shouldnt have a problem winning right?
A) Born on Dec. 25 – Horus, Attis, Krishna, Dionysus, Mithra, Jesus
Jesus Christ probably was not born on December 25th.
I understand Americans, both religious and secular (including our government) observe his birth on this date).
Fables = fairy tales, myths, oh my favorite (cough) the atheists use Sky Fairy, etc. How many years ago did Jesus have Holy men scribe His truth?
2 Timothy 4:2-4
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Amen.
B) Virgin Birth – Horus, Attis, Krishna, Dionysus, Mithra, Jesus
There are lots of virgin birth stories.
There are even Native American virgin birth origin stories. Did they canoe over to ancient middle east and steal them from Greeks?
Can you show 1 credible report about a Mithra virgin birth?
The only story I can find has Mithra emerging from a rock – as a fully mature man.
OMG
Stolen, plagarized whatever,,,the same applies to all intellectual property. worrying about the the exact word is really pretty pointless.
thebible is just a collection of previously told myths...is that better?
@ Richard
Can you cite some examples? I've discussed this with other people – and they always refer to atheist sites that do not have credible sources.
It seems like people try very hard to make a case – and I usually just can't see their point.
Yes, people share and tell other people's stories.
If it is a truth about God – it is for all people.
Nobody can find credible sources?
OMG
SInce I have no idea what you would condier a reliable source, I won't bother in putting up individual links.
You can do your own searches, try searching "mithra" and "christianity based on other relgions" for a start. If you do enough research, you will find far older religons, ow considered myths that christianity has changed a few of the stories around, but you can see the direct relationships from one story to the next.
You'll have to do your own legwork on this one. I have studiesd a lot of this for years so a quick fix answer is not forthcoming. Good luck believing in your myths once you see where they have come from.
BOYCOTT THE ADVERTISERS THAT WASTE MONEY ON THIS DEGENERATE, SICK, HATE-FILLED PERVERSE MOUTHPIECE 4 NAZI GOD HATING FASCISTS
2DAY, 2MORROW, 4EVER
STARTING NOW
I may have to donate to the Satanic Church in your name.
I'm not a member, but i bet they will still take my money.
The Nazis believed that they were doing God's will.
Mark 9:24
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Amen.
Hey faith
Take a hike in the forest you will learn something !.
Huebert,
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)
Amen.
@Alias really ? U would go as far as supporting a satanic church that sacrifices innocent babies as an offering to satan.? That's wrong even when u leave God out of it
You quoting the bible has as much meaning to me as me quoting Batman does to you.
@HS: timothy said it best: TIMOTHY 2:11-12 "11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.
I can quote verses also, so follow what your bible said and don't think yourself above men.
HeavenSent
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death."
You are a man (or woman). Your way seemeth right to you, huh? So.....
(it's turtles all the way down...)
@godschild
You know nothing about the true worshippers of Satan.
Their religion predates christianity.
This is embarassing to have to tell you, faith, but your caps lock is showing.
Martin Luther King, Jr's faith in Jesus Christ motivated him to lead a civil rights movement.
A Frayed Knot, I have been posting Jesus truth.
@OMG
Wrong! MLK (like so many other leaders inhistory) wanted to influence the masses and used religion to unite the people and give himself/his cause credibility.
@Heavenstench........... "A Frayed Knot, I have been posting Jesus truth."
You have been posting quotes from a book of fairytale mythology....... nice going!
@ Alias
His cause was to bring justice to oppressed Americans. Our founding fathers created one of the most hypocritical declaration of independence where all men were created equal (by God).
Our founding fathers seemed only interested in white, wealth land owners.
MLK helped free God's people.
Really Bill, the priests that committed crimes and the RCC hierarchy that were accessories by not reporting them to the authorities were not considered better than other people, really? If the perp was just a member of the laity they would have turned his ass over in a heartbeat. Your condescending tone to all others on this blog is probably due to your low self esteem than anything else, pathetic.
It might help with your frustration at not getting questions answered if you posted them on the relevant thread.
I have sinned but never murdered anyone mea culpa; If the question no matter how misplaced is too tough just duck it like the coward you are.
And yes, I was using the handle catechism sucks to get under your skin, mea culpa again. The catechism I once owned made superior toilet paper.
@OMG
Politicians have always, always, always played to the wealthy.
Our founding fathers were politicians, not saints.
umm....religion is not supposed to influence our laws.....period!!!
Pam
umm....religion is not supposed to influence our laws.....period!!!
thus saith pam the idiot
yes sar bhoss. whatever u don say masser
Why not?
What is supposed to influence our laws? Money?
@omg
Philosophy and ethics.
Run Pam Run! Before it's too late!
Key word on "supposed".
Article 1, Section 4 of the Texas state const-itution: "RELIGIOUS TESTS. No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office, or public trust, in this State; nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being."
Huebert, Isn't religion philosophy and ethics?
@OMG: logic, math and equality are suppose to influence our laws, not magic and fairytales.
@bill
Religion is the organized worship of a supernatural deity. Many religious thinkers have written about philosophy and ethics, but they are not the same thing.
I suggest every person look at what the the meaning of "separation of church and state" means.
If you cannot grasp it, try again. Religious beliefs are NOT to be codified into law in our SECULAR nation. As Pam said, PERIOD.
Those that try to be codified will inevitable be struck down as being unconstitutional.
Psalms 15:2
He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
Amen.
Ah, I think we find room for agreement. I believe we should keep religion out of government but allow for the influence of the philosophy and ethics of religious people. Don't you?
Religious people are free to believe and be influenced by whatever they like, so long as they allow me and all others the same freedom. This does not mean that the philosophies ethics, and beliefs of either religious or secular individuals should be free of criticism.
Poor cowardly Bill just cannot be quiet until the questions get too hard for him to answer.
Is philosophy and ethics somehow bettercoming from a religious person rather than a non-religious? I don't think so.
Martin Luther King, Jr's faith in Jesus Christ motivated him to lead a civil rights movement.
Religion influencing laws.
If you read the history of MLK Jr you will find he was a bad muther and used religion as a tool. Saying that he did a lot of good for freedom and the advancement of the nation is a given but he was a poor christian as far as sinning goes.
TDM one person is not better than another, whether we proceed from the law or from the Scripture. However, some ideas are better than others.
Bill, remember Isaiah 5:20
Amen.
MLK drank and smoked a lot.
But he did say Jesus Christ spoke to him.
All Christians sin and fail to live to their ideals. We are all fallen creatures.
OMG,
Gandhi did a lot of good too. No Jesus necessary.
I'm citing examples of religion influencing American laws.
I appreciate Gandhi.
OMG...We are not all fallen creatures only the fools that buy into the delusion are. Enjoy your self pity nonsense.
@OMG
Your example doesn't make sense. MLK was spurred by his religion to promote change, but there's no clear cut religious purpose within the civil rights movement that's just for christians.
DOMA for instance is religiously motivated because it's a law based on religious beliefs to obstruct rights of others. The reasoning for it itself is religious in nature for the reasoning behind the civil rights movement might have had a religious leader, but was based on promoting equality without religious verbage.
Not self pity. Honesty.
Chuckles,
"equality without religious verbage."
It's "verbiage".
(sorry, just want you to look good)
@ Chuckles.
He wasn't doing it only for Christians.
I am a Christian that attempts to help my fellow human beings. Not just my Christian brothers and sisters.
"And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old -– spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
@Dippity
Well at least you're equal opportunity when you correct spelling.
catechism doesn't seem to think all men are created equal. Hmm how does that fit in with our law?
@OMG
That's precisely what I'm saying. Religion might have motivated MLK to lead the civil rights, but that's not religion influencing laws.
Religion influencing laws is when reasons to support or oppose a law is based purely on religious grounds. The hot button social issues this country faces are largely made up of the religious so-called "moral majority" trying to legislate their morality on the rest of the country, whether that's ending abortions, legislating that our currency and pledge include the word "god", to stop gay people getting married. The oppositions side is steeped strictly in religious dogma and if religion wasn't present, many of these issues wouldn't be issues at all.
The civil rights, what MLK fought for, was beyond religion the same way that a law like making it illegal to murder people clearly falls outside the wheelhouse of religion.
Good points Chuckles. I agree.
But I think religion exists in people – and there are religious people that influence government.
I think Jesus Christ was more concerned about his followers helping the poor, not legislating or governing others.
@OMG
Sure, you could make the argument that there are religiously motivated legislators and that religion, by proxy, influences laws by acting through legislators but that's you hoping a christian (or muslim, or jewish) legislator is acting in the best interest of his religious morality instead of trying to consolidate power and appease consti.tuents.
As for jesus, yeah he probably was more concerned with helping others, though the prevailing theory in many circles is that jesus was interested in only helping out his fellow man a.k.a. jewish people. He wasn't necessarily huge on helping the Romans or the other external communities, so you have to take what he says with a grain of salt.
So Bill why were the criminal priests not turned over to the authorities as required by the law? Did your lot believe they were more privileged than the "normal" criminal is that what you mean by equal?
I think there are examples of Jesus asking us to help others, not just Jews.
The roman soldier he healed, the parable of the good Samaritan and even before dying on the cross after being abused and humiliated by Romans – he asks God to forgive them.
Did you miss the bit where JC mumbled out, why god did you forsake me. Got a real good feeling that all you delusional nutters will be saying the same thing when you go ti.ts up.
Jesus was reciting a Psalm.
Psalm 22
http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/Psalm%2022.1
"Be not far from me, for trouble is near; For there is none to help
Many bulls have surrounded me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
They open wide their mouth at me, As a ravening and a roaring lion.
I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is melted within me.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And my tongue cleaves to my jaws; And Thou dost lay me in the dust of death.
For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet.
I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me;
They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots. "
I believe Mother Nature waved her wand over a frog and it turned into a prince
Try studying evolution instead.
PLEASE! that frog thing is just a story for kids.
It was a toad.
I'll bet the same people who think it's bad that Americans are losing their religion would love to see Muslims get rid of theirs.
+1
There are a good number of moderate Christian churches in the U.S. that have good inter-faith dialogue with both moderate Islamic churches and synagogues. So, although I don't agree with your statement, I would say that the extreme fundamental Christian presence in the U.S. sets a terrible example for anyone else, including all Islamists.
The unbelievers will never be satisfied, but will weep when satan's chaos rules supreme that they are diligently ushering in.