Losing Our Religion

[SecularMotion]

"This study illustrates, in a rough way, why the Northeast, the upper Midwest and the West Coast are Democratic strongholds, while the South is dominated by Republicans. Basically, the split is between "non coastal" Evangelicals and Mormons versus the rest of the nation, which is now increasingly diverse and secular.

This split has enormous implications for the nation. Now that discussion of faith and values in the political sphere is now requires by anyone seeking national political office, we can see the political and public policy implications of having one political party - Republicans - beholden to religious dogma and the other political party - Democrats - committed to reason and secularism. So many people have been turned off by the use and abuse of religion in the public sphere that it's a major reason why the "Nones" are growing in number. "

http://www.american-reporter.com/4,256/592.html

[Dawson Leery]

1. It is perfectly reasonable to agree with this:

"So many people have been turned off by the use and abuse of religion in the public sphere that it's a major reason why the "Nones" are growing in number."

[Arugula Latte]

2. This part gives me hope:

"The explosion of the non-religious, or the 'Nones,' as ARIS called them. They now make up 15 percent of the population, and they are the fastest growing denomination in the United States."

[struggle4progress]

3. This is sloppy thinking. People's political attitudes are influenced by a number of factors:

(1) Material interests play a significant role, since it is common for people to adopt self-justifying views which reflect their social position and personal desires;
(2) Traditional cliches and historical mythology, formed decades earlier, continues to circulate and helps form ideas, despite being out-of-date;
(3) Propaganda from the mass media is ubiquitous; and
(4) Personal experiences also play a role

So if you want to change people's political attitudes, it's necessary:

(1) To analyze clearly and to expose how particular views serve particular material interests;
(2) To understand and to expose the inadequacy of historical cliches as analytical tools;
(3) To perceive and to expose the propaganda concealed in mass media messages; and
(4) To put people in motion in ways that empower them and extend their experience

The ARIS 2008 data isn't entirely reliable, I think: did the Catholics really drop from 26.2% of the population (1990) to 24.5% (2001) and then rise again to 25.1% (2008)? This suggests estimation problems or statistical artefacts

The author, Holhut, seems delighted by what he read in ARIS, but ARIS 2008 says: The historic Mainline churches and denominations have experienced the steepest declines while the non-denominational Christian identity has been trending upward particularly since 2001. But as a general rule, of course, the mainline churches are more liberal than the non-denominational churches. So the trend that Holhut celebrates may actually mean this: the more conservative non-denominational churches are doing a better job recruiting youth than the the mainline churches are. And that of course suggests a future in which religion is more stridently tied to conservative causes