Largest voting block now ‘non-religious’
Pandering to evangelicals may have lost its effectiveness.
Click here for reuse options!More American voters than ever say they are not religious, making the religiously unaffiliated the nation’s biggest voting bloc by faith for the first time in a presidential election year. This marks a dramatic shift from just eight years ago, when the non-religious were roundly outnumbered by Catholics, white mainline Protestants and white evangelical Protestants.
These numbers come from a new Pew Research Center survey, which finds that “religious ‘nones,’ who have been growing rapidly as a share of the U.S. population, now constitute one-fifth of all registered voters and more than a quarter of Democratic and Democratic-leaning registered voters.” That represents a 50 percent increase in the proportion of non-religious voters compared with eight years ago, when they made up just 14 percent of the overall electorate.
“In 2008, religious ‘nones’ were outnumbered or at parity with white mainline Protestants and white Catholics,” the survey’s lead researcher, Greg Smith, said in an interview. “Today, ‘nones’ outnumber both of those groups.”
Copyright 2016 Liberaland
36 responses to Largest voting block now ‘non-religious’
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KABoink_after_wingnut_hacker July 14th, 2016 at 18:36
This is good news for our country and mankind.
Let’s hope it keeps growing.
Candide Gunn July 14th, 2016 at 19:04
You can thank the republicans for that…the most evil, vile, corrupt and immoral people in America have used religion to scam the gullible and ignorant into giving them unlimited power to write corrupt and unethical laws to enrich themselves and rain down misery on the 99%
Seeing what they were holding up as examples of ‘good Christians’ has sickened the vast majority of the truly good people in this country. Republicans have used up every bit of good will people had for the religious.
burqa July 14th, 2016 at 19:41
Please let me know if you’re ever near Fredericksburg, Va. and have a few hours.
I think you will find yourself having a great deal of good will for religious people after I show you around so you can see what they’re doing.
Maybe you could be here on “fill the truck day” when a big moving van-sized truck is parked at a shopping center, usually. The idea is to fill it up with food which goes to one of the food pantries run by a Baptist church.
Where I live, 78% of the food distributed to the needy is collected and distributed by faith-based organizations.
May be we could go by the Thomas Brisben homeless shelter. It was established by leaders in the religious community and that’s who maintains it. Same with the cold weather shelter we have here.
If you’d like to help feed the homeless, depending on the night, we’ll be heading to a church or faith-based outfit because that’s who feeds the homeless here.
Yes indeedy, once you see first hand and get to meet in person the religious people doing these things and so much more I could show you, I’m certain your heart would be warmed and some of that acid will disappear from your belly.
And the people of faith doing these things span the political spectrum. Some are right of center, some lean to the left, some are in the middle and some are on both extremes. Some are white collar, some are blue collar. Some are white, oithers are black, latino, asian and even a few Patawomeck Indians are pitching in I’d introduce you to.
You’ll see the selfless love these people manifest, inspired by their faith, and you’ll think differently of them. At that point, you will grow as a human being.
Shoot, you may even want to find out what’s going on where you live and pitch in yourself.
You’ll see the power of love and how it can burn bigotry to a crisp…
Robert M. Snyder July 14th, 2016 at 20:06
Well said. Thank you. I haven’t attended church since I started college, except for an occasional wedding or funeral. But like you, I have known many people of faith who quietly give of their time and resources to help others.
burqa July 14th, 2016 at 20:33
I don’t go to church a lot, either. One thing I like to attend though, is the Easter service at St. George’s Episcopal on Princess Anne Street. I know George Washington attended it and I’d imagine his mother, Mary, brother Charles and sister Betty also attended (they lived here).
St. George’s also feeds the homeless on Monday nights.
I described the sorts of things most religious outfits are involved in. I am sure it is pretty much the same in your community and in Candide Gunn’s.
We are surrounded by angels and when we see them and what they do, it is humbling and also cause for appreciation and recognition.
They sure as hell do not deserve to be slimed.
But they do merit defending.
Dwendt44 July 14th, 2016 at 21:02
Is this the same group(s) that refused help from non religious groups?
And of course, the question is, are most of those volunteers doing good because they want to be ‘in good’ with their god, or are they being good because they are good people?
burqa July 15th, 2016 at 16:52
Dwendt44: “Is this the same group(s) that refused help from non religious groups?”
I have no idea what you are talking about. Once again, when it comes to putting food in hungry bellies, providing a bed and shelter for the homeless or giving to the poor, rather than pitch in and help or even find out who is doing these things where you live, your answer is to resort to fiction and fingerpointing, as if that helps someone in need.
Dwendt44: “And of course, the question is, are most of those volunteers doing good because they want to be ‘in good’ with their god, or are they being good because they are good people?”
Come on down to Fredericksburg and you can ask them yourself. I never had time because we had other things on our minds, like loading trucks or cooking the food or serving it to those in need.
I really don’t care why they help out.
I’m more concerned with getting the job done. I’m grateful for those who pitch in, regardless of their motive.
Cackling from the peanut gallery feeds no one, but I bet it makes you feel good so you don’t have to actually roll up your own sleeves and help the less fortunate. You’re much too good for that, aren’t you…..
Dwendt44 July 15th, 2016 at 17:53
Just pointing out reality, Burqa. Much of that ‘help’ is funded in part by government. You can’t deny that. There are plenty of people that are helpful to others without the veneer of religion attached. No sermons, bible quotes, or bible handouts involved.
Candide Gunn July 14th, 2016 at 21:34
are they rabid republicans?
Those are the ones that turned people off…the fake ones who just use religion to attack the poor, the minorities, the women…after 40 years of republicans and their moral majority and Christian right and televangelists and Prosperity Gospel and Pat Robertson and Jimmy Swaggart and Sarah Palin and Louie Gomert and Jim Bakker and Westboro Baptist Church and Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry holding rallies to pray for rain and Family Values and Ronald Reagan…who was an occultist btw… sex-obsessed, arrogant, bigoted, lying, greedy, misogynistic, ignorant, predatory and mean Dominionists with an apocalyptic End
Times theological viewpoint.
THOSE are the ones who tainted it for everyone else…it is not hard to understand since the freaks have been so in your face, making politics into a religion so that they could pass invasive evil religion based laws to make people’s lives miserable and make themselves richer than kings.
It is not hard to understand when you see them making asses of themselves on the news 24/7 for 40 years, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth and the good people get the republican taint on them. People are running from the taint.
bunya July 15th, 2016 at 16:24
Pay no attention to burqa. He comes here every once in a while to trash Atheists. He really, REALLY hates them.
burqa July 15th, 2016 at 17:04
Just the ones who have the record for the most mass murder in recorded history.
The number is 100 million – more deaths than in all the wars in recorded history added together. They did it in under 75 years.
Where I live, it’s the people of faith who are running the homeless shelters and feeding the hungry.
We have lots of atheists here, but they just don’t seem to have the time to pitch in.
For the hungry, tonight supper will be served at Shiloh New Site Baptist Church at 515 Princess Anne St..
Tomorrow night it will be at the Presbyterian Church at 810 Princess Anne St. (the one that still has 2 Civil War cannon balls in the pillars out front)
Sunday it will be at Mars Hill – another faith-based outfit.
Monday supper will be served at St. George’s Episcopal (the church George Washington, his mother Mary, brother Charles and sister Betty attended) at 905 Princess Anne St.
Tuesday supper will be served at Maranatha Music Ministries at 1915 Charles St.
Wednesday it’ll be at Christ Lutheran at 1300 Augustine Ave. (one homeless guy I’ve been helping tells me they serve the best hot meals)
Thursday it’ll be Fredericksburg Baptist Church at 1019 Princess Anne St.
That’s where the job is getting done.
If you’d like to help out, let me know…..
Candide Gunn July 16th, 2016 at 11:20
Oh ok, I wondered how anyone could be so dense as to support that abomination that Reagan ushered in with his ‘Moral Majority’ and ‘Christian Right’
Candide Gunn July 14th, 2016 at 21:37
Oh and by the way, religious people do not have a monopoly on being good.
whatthe46 July 14th, 2016 at 21:48
shhh. you say that out loud and they’ll damn you to hell, then have stakes driven in your eyes and then burn you alive after skinning you. after all, they say they represent the lord, so it’s ok to be violent towards you.
Candide Gunn July 15th, 2016 at 04:10
Hahahaha I know right? What was I thinking?
burqa July 15th, 2016 at 17:12
They can’t.
Their hands are occupied doing the cooking and serving of meals I listed below, for those who are hungry around here.
They’re also too busy at the homeless shelter.
Others are occupied with clothing drives and soon will be collecting school supplies for the needy kids going back to school.
Others are too tired, because there’s a lot of heavy lifting to do when collecting and distributing food at area food banks and food pantries.
Then others are occupied comforting those who have recently lost loved ones. Have you noticed the comfort being provided by churches and people of faith to the loved ones of Alton Sterling, Philando Castille and the 5 cops shot in Dallas?
burqa July 15th, 2016 at 16:20
You’re right, they don’t.
Talk is cheap. I’m interested in who is actually getting the job done in the real world. Hypotheticals and vain imaginings don’t put food in bellies.
But, like I said, 78% of the food given away where I live is gathered and distributed by faith-based organizations.
I was involved in a years-long struggle to get the Thomas Brisben homeless shelter here – that effort was led by people of faith.
People of faith operate it, as well as the cold weather shelter.
If you’re homeless or hungry here, the thing to do is sign up and get on the meal plan.
Tonight, for example, the place supper is being served is Shiloh New Site Baptist Church.at 515 Princess Anne St.
Tomorrow night it will be at the Presbyterian Church at 810 Princess Anne St.
Sunday it will be at Mars Hill, which is a faith-based outfit.
Monday, St. George’s Episcopal Church is where meals will be served.
Tuesday, it’ll be at Maranatha Music Ministries at 1915 Charles St.
Wednesday, it’ll be at Christ Lutheran.
Thursday, it’ll be at Fredericksburg Baptist.
Have you noticed a pattern?
If you’ll get involved, you’ll find the same thing where you live, I bet.
Candide Gunn July 16th, 2016 at 11:29
Blah blah blah I don’t want to hear your bullshit when it is common knowledge that only 1-2% of the money all churches combined in this country actually goes to help the poor… the vast majority goes to build and maintain those segregated social club buildings.
The fact that you indicate that there are so many of those buildings is proof that the donations are not being well spent. How about all the billions of dollars those groups spent on edifices be put into housing for the poor instead?
burqa July 29th, 2016 at 17:26
When you’re homeless, a more important stat is 100% – which is the percentage of shelter space here provided by religious organizations. I was involved in the effort here to establish the Thurman Brisben homeless shelter. It was a long, tough fight led by people of faith. Those in the struggle were white collar, blue collar, conservatives, liberals, gays, straights, white, black and brown.
When it comes to food given to the hungry from food pantries and food banks, 78% is provided here by religious organizations and when you look at secular outfits here, you find that nearly all the time the people getting the job done are people of faith, motivated by their faith.
People carping from the peanut gallery don’t put food in hungry bellies or provide shelter for the homeless or collect clothes, blankets, tents or other needed items. They don’t drive the bus taking poor people to soup kitchens or the cold weather facility we have here on Rt. 3 during the winter.
Take up my invitation if you’re ever in the area. When we go around to the different churches serving meals to the poor, you’ll see that their congregations are not segregated like you claim, nor are the people they feed, clothe and give shelter to while you uselessly bitch on the sidelines…..
Chip01 July 16th, 2016 at 07:25
A quick google for these mysterious “good deeds” should find us a few stories about a truck, food, Fred. VA … Right??
burqa July 29th, 2016 at 16:53
The local paper of record is the Fredericksburg Free Lance Star.
Here are some links to who is getting the job done. I’ll extend the same invitation to you – if you’re ever in the area, let me know and I’ll be happy to show you around.
Tonight from 5-7, supper will be served to the homeless at Shiloh New Site Baptist Church at 515 Princess Anne St.
Since you asked, start with Micah Ecumenical Ministries:
http://www.micahfredericksburg.org/
Here’s an article about Micah:
http://www.fredericksburg.com/news/local/micah-weighs-future-as-it-bursts-at-seams/article_0ab13826-3f79-5c35-9114-47ac151262c5.html
Here’s a list of soup kitchens, food pantries and food banks in this area:
http://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/cgi-bin/id/cityfoodbanks.cgi?city=Fredericksburg&state=VA
Chip01 July 29th, 2016 at 18:12
So much for quick.
It Took you 15 days to find 3 good deeds, by a group who claim to do them all the time….
Not very impressive at all.
Guy Lauten July 14th, 2016 at 19:09
Gee, try and shove your wacko dogma down someone’s throat and after a while they no longer want to listen to you; what a concept.
burqa July 14th, 2016 at 19:27
A lot of people of faith do not regard themselves as “religious.”
Even though these things tend to ebb and flow, the trend overall is to a higher percentage being agnostic or atheist.
Post a survey like this and it tends to bring out the agnostics or atheists who are hateful. It’s like opening a cage to let a rabid animal out – they lunge forward, foaming at the mouth, trying to attack and tear down people whom they accuse of being – – – – – – – – just like themselves
Mike July 14th, 2016 at 21:10
Organized religion needs to take a bit of responsibility too…
The Catholic Church might have built hospitals, schools, retreats, housing, etc., but they also covered up tens of thousands of crimes committed by pedophile priests.
Generally speaking, modern day Christians can hardly be called representative of what Jesus was all about.
Evangelicals seem to have rejected everything about the new testament and gone back to the old…they spew hateful divisive rhetoric, take political positions and claim other religions are their enemy..
I wish I lived in a Christian Nation…we’d have no hungry children, free healthcare, a social safety net no one fell thru, racism wouldn’t exist, we’d respect everyone’s religion as we do our own…there’d be no wars, no invasion of other countries to usurp their natural resources, prisons would try to rehabilitate people, drug addicts would be shown compassion instead of thrown in a hole to suffer…
Of course there are numerous exceptions and selfless religious people all over the country trying to help their fellow man, but it seems as though it’s getting tougher and tougher to believe that when a party adopts a platform that seeks to separate us from them… like LGBT’s are a diseased people in need of treatment and such a threat they won’t let them marry or raise kids…that’s the religion we see more of than anything else.
I’m not a religious person but it doesn’t mean I’m not spiritual. It doesn’t mean I’m hateful or look down on those that are…and I will never try to force you to accept my beliefs the way Christians want to force theirs on me. Just look at the deceitful practices they have employed to circumvent Roe v Wade…
burqa July 15th, 2016 at 15:51
Your post reminds me of times back in the 60s when we set out to integrate segregated areas of our society. People would be stand-offish, focusing on negative things they’d heard about a different group in order to avoid integration.
But once they were thrown in together, a lot of attitudes began to change and we found out it was ok. This is how we got beyond stereotypes, which some on the Left are trying to reintroduce.
Take any group with over a billion members and you’ll find plenty of criminals.
Mike: Generally speaking, modern day Christians can hardly be called representative of what Jesus was all about.
See my post below, responding to Candide Gunn.
Have you ever checked out who feeds the hungry or takes care of the homeless where you live?
How about taking the challenge that scares bunya and a few others off?
Google a half dozen or so churches in your area. Most have, on their front page, a listing of activities they sponsor. You’ll find out what they’re doing with little or no fanfare.
Better yet, volunteer.
I believe you’ll find the same thing I did, that these stereotypes about Christians are false. You’ll find what I did, that you’ll be surrounded by Christians running the homeless shelter. get involved with food pantries and you’ll be surrounded by them there, too.
Once you see what large numbers of your neighbors are doing, I think your attitude will change. Those people don’t make the news with outrageous comments or crimes they committed or fraud they perpetrated. Whole armies of angels around you are quietly doing wonderful things for those in need.
When you see these things firsthand, I am sure your attitude will change and you’ll see, as I do, that they deserve credit and not to be lumped in with the kooks.
As for “forcing” their beliefs on you, it is hoped you are not looking for a pretext to advocate censorship. It looks like you’re headed down that road….
Dwendt44 July 15th, 2016 at 17:45
I’m sure some churches are helping others less fortunate. I’m also sure that most of those have a string attached of some sort. Many others limit their ‘help’ to their own church members only. Still others couldn’t care less about the poor-the purpose it enrichment of the leaders both monetarily and power wise.
Not to mention that many, if not the majority, of those helped are also being helped by public assistance agencies of all levels of government.
burqa July 29th, 2016 at 16:34
Instead of supposition, what’s holding you back from finding out for sure?
How about actually looking at what they are doing where you live? Then you can actually know rather than guess. Google up a half dozen or so in your area. Usually they have a list of activities they support in the community and many have efforts in foreign countries they support as well.
Better yet, do what I do – volunteer. Find out firsthand who is doing what.
I believe you will find what I did, going back to 1974 when I first volunteered – that we are surrounded by angels manifesting incredible love, selflessness and devotion to helping those in need.
When you get around people like that, your whole perspective on humanity will change.
Life will become sweeter because you’ll be inspired to help even more, and will, once you have the opportunity.
It’s one thing to read about local food pantries, but it’s something altogether different to go down there, help out, get to know the ones making it happen, and having them offer you a chance to pitch in.
You will love bigger and that love will melt away a lot of bitterness, selfishness and pessimism.
bunya July 15th, 2016 at 14:19
If you want to support the hate and divisiveness religious organizations promote, that’s your choice, but for you to come here and trash others for something you, yourself, practice is not only hypocritical, but it make you look like an imbecile.
burqa July 15th, 2016 at 15:35
It’s not my choice.
That’s just you telling a big fat lie in order to duck my point.
Since you can’t address what I said I consider you to be conceding my point.
bunya July 15th, 2016 at 16:16
You have no point. You come here every once in a while for the mere purpose of trashing others. Why don’t you take your hatred and bigotry somewhere else? And if anybody is, as you say, “hateful” and wants to “tear down people”, you need to look any further than the Christians.
burqa July 15th, 2016 at 17:15
Sure I do and you are here to illustrate it for me.
Thanks!
spacegod July 14th, 2016 at 19:39
Thank God.
amersham1046 July 14th, 2016 at 21:07
From 9% to 11% , the Druids are gaining ground
Mike July 14th, 2016 at 21:15
A bit misleading…79% of the population still considers themselves religious…and that’s not a “bad” thing either…
Chip01 July 15th, 2016 at 21:02
But.. What will happen to the pitchfork and torches industry, if their primary market dries up??