America's nonreligious are a growing, diverse phenomenon. They really don't like organized religion

[moonshinegnomie]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Emile (a host of the General Discussion forum).

im one of them. i detest organized relgions. as far as im concerenced all they care about is fleecing money from their flock and amassing as much power as they can

https://rapidcityjournal.com/life-entertainment/nation-world/faith-values/nonreligious-growing-in-number-in-united-states/article_ffb65887-8517-513d-aa3c-64a79c823645.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

[NewHendoLib]

1. Count me as one! Left organized religion behind decades ago

[RKP5637]

2. Yep, religion today is nothing but big business, lots of cash to be made fleecing the flocks. n/t

[Mosby]

6. You know what else is big business?

Christmas.

The average American may spend nearly $1,500 on the holidays. 'Tis the season to be spending. Holiday retail sales are predicted to soar as high as $960 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. In 2021, overall holiday spending reached a record $889 billion.

92% of Americans partake.

[Delphinus]

14. I proudly do not

and have not for 30+ years.

[NNadir]

15. You mean the Saturnian Festivals?

I own a Santa Claus suit. This has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with culture.

The point is what?

[Mosby]

20. Then call it Saturnalia.

Instead of Christ Mass.

[NNadir]

22. I'll call it Christmas, like everybody else, with the possible exception...

...of obsessive lecturers who insist on whining about trivialities.

I have no religion to be sure, but I think I'd be a total asshole if I followed religious browbeaters by browbeating with "in-your-face" "look-at-me" rhetorical nonsense.

I certainly don't think about the hallowed dead on Halloween, and I don't give the kids who come to my door a lecture. I give them a nice treat and tell them how much I like their costumes.

[edisdead]

16. I have no problem with Christmas

as a non-religious holiday.

It is a great time to spend with family and to give and brighten other people’s day and I have no problem with it as a consumer holiday at all. None.

[whathehell]

12. Demagoguery, and the use of a 'greater cause' to

fleece people is hardly limited to organized religion..It occurs in virtually all of our institutions, and we don't dismiss them entirely on that basis.

[RKP5637]

25. FYI, I did not dismiss religion, I said it was big business, etc. n/t

[Lemonwurst]

3. I was raised a Christian (Catholic) and noticed in the 60's

They tried…. halfheartedly… to modernize, by taking a more casual, worldly view of Jesus’ teachings. Others my age might remember this as the “Kumbaya, my Lord” era.

But then, wham!! The conservatives, as usual, decided the church should just regress backwards, and how that helps them keep the flock populated, I can’t figure, but logic never seems to come into play with that crowd.

At this point, I’m like you - just sick of it all. Because I live in MA, it’s not in my face - thankfully - but I just constantly fantasize a world without religion and how much different, better, that world be.

[Act_of_Reparation]

8. I mean, you gotta ask yourself what modernizing would actually accomplish.

Let's say the Catholic Church ditches some of its more regressive ideas. Does that mean people are going to line up around the block to rejoin the church?

I don't think that's the case. Many mainstream Christian denominations are in decline, while the most liberal denominations are extremely small by comparison. What that tells me is that liberals aren't just sitting around waiting for a Church they can stomach joining... it's that they just don't have much use for religion.

This is a trite comparison, but it's funny so I'm going to make it anyway:

In the mid 1990s, MC Hammer released a gangsta rap album called The Funky Headhunter. This was a huge mistake because he wound up alienating his core audience (who favored his lighthearted, radio-friendly approach to hiphop) in an attempt to gain clout with a new audience (West Coast g-funk fans) who were never going to accept him.

That's where the Church is. The traditionalists are the ones who show up every weekend. The Bishops aren't going to alienate them on the slim chance that they might bring some fresh faces into the pews.

[doc03]

4. The so-called Christians are responsible for the MAGAs that want to

kill democracy.

[highplainsdem]

5. A lot of the nonreligious in that poll do believe in God, but not organized religion.

Article on that AP poll:

https://apnews.com/article/religion-ap-poll-nones-survey-111e9f5bbcaaa47ea522f1aae9c24df9

GOD WITHOUT RELIGION
Forty-three percent of all nones professed belief in God or a higher power — including 61% of nothings in particular, 40% of agnostics and 4% of atheists. Overall, 79% of U.S. adults professed faith in God.

BELIEFS
About half of nothings in particular said they believe in angels, the power of prayer and heaven. So did about a quarter of agnostics. Agnostics and nothing in particulars were less likely to believe in hell or Satan. Almost no atheists believed in any of that.

But most agnostics (67%) and nothings in particular (79%), and 44% of atheists, agreed “some things can’t be explained by science or natural causes.”

UNCONVENTIONAL
Nothings in particular were at least as likely as other Americans to accept various beliefs and practices outside of the Judeo-Christian tradition, including astrology, yoga as a spiritual practice, reincarnation, spiritual energies in physical things, the interaction of spirits of the dead with the living and karma.

[Deminpenn]

26. Spiritual rather than religious

Mt

[uponit7771]

31. +1

[uponit7771]

30. +1, "79% of U.S. adults professed faith in God."

[Pantagruel]

7. Reagan got it right

[peggysue2]

9. The aversion to organized religion has been a long time coming

Interestingly enough, I rewatched an old movie the other night, The Name of The Rose, with Sean Connery (and an unbelievably young Christian Slater). It's basically a medieval mystery story but also deals with ignorance, superstition, censorship, cruelty and violence (murder being but one manifestation), all under the eye of the Roman Catholic Church. The movie is based on the novel by Umberto Eco, circa 1980.

Very relevant to the nonsense and widespread cruelty we're witnessing today, perpetrated by so-called Christians.

Everything old is new again!

I left the Church many years ago because I absolutely hated the RC's attitude towards women. I have my own spiritual beliefs and that's good enough for me.

[highplainsdem]

11. "I have my own spiritual beliefs and that's good enough for me." Same here. Raised

Catholic, in an extended family that included a nun and a priest. Left the Church in my teens.

[anciano]

10. "The Christian theory is little else than the idolatry of the ancient mythologists,

accommodated to the purposes of power and revenue." ---- Thomas Paine

[Initech]

13. I tried organized religion. It wasn't for me, moved on.

And especially now that I see what the church has become merging with ultra far right conspiracy theorists and modern white supremacism, I'm very glad that I left. I definitely want no part of that shit.

[keithbvadu2]

17. Religion and politics use each other to gain power and wealth.

[LakeArenal]

18. I consider Christmas as a Solstice celebration.

Because no matter anyone’s belief, the Solstice is inarguable. It is real.

[Sky Jewels]

27. I think it's funny that Christians are always saying that "Jesus is the reason for the season."

Ummm, NO. Axial tilt and the winter solstice are the true reasons for the season, not some silly mythology made up by Middle Eastern goat herders.

Same goes for Easter. Spring and the Equinox and fertility are the true reasons for the season, not the stupid bastardization of a pagan holiday based on nature and science, which are real, unlike magical undead Jesus.

[Maru Kitteh]

28. Similar here - we consider it a season of lights. Cheerful lights in the quiet hush of

snowy, high mountain nights.

A good time to gather with friends and family. That's more than good enough for me.

[LakeArenal]

29. Fellowship and goodwill to all aren't just for Christians.

[NutmegYankee]

19. Every child worthy of a better tale.

[Archae]

21. Same here. I usually don't mind those who are religious...

Unless they are Fundies.
Wherever Fundies show up, they create chaos.

I've challenged those preaching to me, to show actual evidence of their stories being true.
All they do is make excuses. The most common one being "God is not to be tested..."

[Tree Lady]

23. Leaving the church 30 yrs ago

best decision I made. So much judgement, gossiping, telling you how to live your life and only caring if you paid your tithes.

I still have a spiritual side to me but it's without church, god, any bible.

I believe more in mindfulness and being present with your life, not dwelling on past or future. Takes away anxiety.

[moonshinegnomie]

24. I was raised jewish

Tried to go to yiskor services on Yom Kippur. Temple said not without a ticket. Last time I stepped foot in a temple except for relatives bar mitzvahs and the like

[Emile]

32. After an alert locking post.

SOP for General Discussion

Threads about the existence/non-existence of God, threads discussing the merits (or lack thereof) of religion in general, and threads discussing the truth/untruth of religious dogma are not permitted under normal circumstances and should be posted under Religion.