Spiritual but not religious [View all]

[cbayer]

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-nicolaou-religion-undeclared-20121228,0,4606917.story

One of America's growing number of 'Nones' is making it her mission to find out what she might be missing.

By Corinna Nicolaou
December 28, 2012

I'm a "None." That's what pollsters call Americans who respond on national surveys to the question "What is your religious affiliation?" with a single word: "None."

According to the Pew Research Center, the ranks of the Nones have ballooned in recent years, making the fastest-growing religious affiliation no affiliation.

Between 1972 and 1989, about 7% of Americans identified as having no formal religious affiliation. However, between 1990 and 2012, that figure jumped to 19.6%. Among people under age 30, just over 30% say they have no religious affiliation. At the same time, the percentage of the U.S. population that identifies as Christian has experienced a steady decline, and other faiths have experienced modest growth at best.

The number of religious services I attended growing up could fit on one hand, with enough fingers left over for a peace sign. I hardly know a Catholic from a Protestant, let alone the belief systems of other world religions.

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