Unbelief is now the world’s third-largest’religion’

[morningfog]

A new report on global religious identity shows that while Christians and Muslims make up the two largest groups, those with no religious affiliation — including atheists and agnostics — are now the third-largest “religious” group in the world.

The study, released Tuesday (Dec. 18) by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, found that more than eight in 10 (84 percent) of the world’s 7 billion people adheres to some form of religion. Christians make up the largest group, with 2.2 billion adherents, or 32 percent worldwide, followed by Muslims, with 1.6 billion adherents, or 23 percent worldwide.

Close behind are the “nones” — those who say they have no religious affiliation or say they do not believe in God — at 1. 1 billion, or 16 percent. That means that about the same number of people who identify as Catholics worldwide say they have no religion.

“One out of six people does not have a religious identity,” said Conrad Hackett, a primary researcher and demographer on the study. “But it is also striking that that overwhelming majority of the world does have some type of religious identity. So I think people will be surprised by either way of looking at it.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/unbelief-is-now-the-worlds-third-largestreligion/2012/12/19/1db89f74-4a06-11e2-8af9-9b50cb4605a7_story.html

Setting the careless semantics of referring to atheists and agnostics as a 'religious group,' it is promising that more people as a percentage are losing the chains of archaic religions. Good trend to see.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I feel very proud to be a part of the 3rd largest group of people.

[truebrit71]

8. Me too!!

[valerief]

2. I'll bet a good chunk of those who give a religious affiliation are saying it as a cultural thing,

not really religious. I used to say I was Catholic, because I was raised Catholic. But I've been an atheist since I stopped believing in Santa Claus. I'm certain people still say they're, for example, Catholic, when they're actually also non-believers.

[byeya]

3. About 30 years ago a Sociology Prof sent his students to every church one Sunday

morning to research church attendance vs claimed church attendance. This was a small but pious Ohio county
where almost 50% claimed weekly worship. By actual head county, less than half the number showed up.

[ShadowLiberal]

5. Studies have shown that America's church attendence is similar to Europe, which is much lower

Americans are just much more likely to lie about attending church more frequently. Probably because it's less culturally acceptable to say you don't believe in god/aren't a Christian. No religion/atheist/agnostic consistently rank below even gays in polls of "would you be willing to vote for a qualified [insert minority group here] for president".

In Europe on the other hand, it's much more acceptable to not belong to any religion.

[Puzzledtraveller]

4. How can unbelievers et al be classified as having a "religion"

[kentauros]

6. I really wish stories and studies on this subject

would differentiate between "no religious affiliation" and "no spiritual beliefs" because they simply are not the same thing!

I'd also like to see a breakdown of what part of that 16% are atheist/agnostic and what part still have beliefs.

[randome]

7. I think many will not fit into any category.

For myself, I am much closer to what is commonly known as an atheist. But I don't call myself that. I won't belong to any club. I'm simply randome.

[kentauros]

11. And that's really the best way to look at it all.

No Labels

[randome]

9. I wonder if this is part of what drives Conservatives nuts.

They KNOW, deep down, that religion doesn't hold water any longer. But they deny it as much as possible and the conflict spills over into their behavior.

Hence, the meanness and petulance.

[Ichingcarpenter]

10. Are they Tax exempt like churches?

The preferential tax-exemption that churches and other religious organizations obtain, despite noncompliance with electioneering restrictions, amounts to more than $100,000,000,000 annually in tax-free contributions made to churches and religious organizations in the United States.






American Atheists files suit against IRS




American Atheists and two co-plaintiffs today filed in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Kentucky a lawsuit demanding that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) stop giving preferential treatment to churches and religious organizations via the process of receiving non-profit tax-exempt status under the Internal Revue Code (IRC) procedures and definitions.

“American Atheists receives tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3),” said American Atheists President David Silverman, “but because the organization is not classified as religious it costs American Atheists, along with all other secular non-profits, significantly more money each year to keep that status. In this lawsuit, American Atheists and the other plaintiffs are demanding that all tax-exempt organizations, including those characterized as religious by the IRS, have the same requirements to achieve tax-exempt status.”

For example, in order to qualify for nonprofit tax-exempt status, any religious or secular organization must demonstrate it exists to benefit the public. After that basic element is established, religious non- profits are almost always declared automatically tax-exempt under the current IRC rules and definitions. However, secular non-profits face a lengthy application and a fee, which can be as high as $850.


http://atheists.org/american-atheists-files-suit-against-irs

[s_emerson]

12. Global non-religous Census - be sure to be counted

For those who wish to be counted among the numbers of Atheists, Freethinkers, Humanists, Rationalist, Secularist, Agnostic or 'non-Religious', please be sure to be counted as part of the global census at the link below. And FYI, this is the only data they collect:

> As a non-religious person which title do you prefer?
> In which religion, if any, were you raised?
> What is your education level?
> What year were you born?
> What is your gender identity?
> What country are you from?
> and your email address (for validation purposes)

---------------
http://www.atheistcensus.com/
.