U.S. is still overwhelmingly Christian, study finds

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-religion26feb26,0,4582086.story

Yeah, in other news the sky is still blue, but I found this interesting:

But Catholics also lost more adherents than any other single religious group in the United States, with one in three adults who were raised as Catholics no longer in that church, the study said. Roughly 10% of Americans are former Catholics.

"These losses would have been even more pronounced were it not for the offsetting impact of immigration," the study said.

[Verily]

My guess is that, with nonreligious and atheist identification becoming more mainstream, nonreligious people who in the past identified as Catholic (due to heritage, ceremony, etc.) are now identifying as nonreligious. Nonreligious people identifying with a religion has, historically, been pretty much exclusively a Catholic phenomenon, so it would strike Catholicism harder for "no religion" to become mainstream.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

My guess is that, with nonreligious and atheist identification becoming more mainstream, nonreligious people who in the past identified as Catholic (due to heritage, ceremony, etc.) are now identifying as nonreligious. Nonreligious people identifying with a religion has, historically, been pretty much exclusively a Catholic phenomenon, so it would strike Catholicism harder for "no religion" to become mainstream.

But only 16.1% of Americans in the study are unaffiliated, and ex-Catholics make up around 10%. There's clearly some overlap, but that's not just it.

[War on Want]

Yay. Christianity is still cool in America.

[Keystone Phil]

Only 51% are Protestants now.

[Gustaf]

My guess is that, with nonreligious and atheist identification becoming more mainstream, nonreligious people who in the past identified as Catholic (due to heritage, ceremony, etc.) are now identifying as nonreligious. Nonreligious people identifying with a religion has, historically, been pretty much exclusively a Catholic phenomenon, so it would strike Catholicism harder for "no religion" to become mainstream.

Jews.

[War on Want]

Only 51% are Protestants now.

Who cares? We are still a majority!

[Alcon]

Only 51% are Protestants now.

Who cares? We are still a majority!

Self-identified Protestants are, actual Protestants are probably not (for the first time, maybe)

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Only 51% are Protestants now.

Who cares? We are still a majority!

Self-identified Protestants are, actual Protestants are probably not (for the first time, maybe)

What's the difference?

[Alcon]

Only 51% are Protestants now.

Who cares? We are still a majority!

Self-identified Protestants are, actual Protestants are probably not (for the first time, maybe)

What's the difference?

Cultural Protestantism/Methodism/whatever.

[phk]

Only 51% are Protestants now.

Who cares? We are still a majority!

Self-identified Protestants are, actual Protestants are probably not (for the first time, maybe)

What's the difference?

Cultural Protestantism/Methodism/whatever.

Being a member of a church or a denomination of "community" reasons?

[Alcon]

Yes.

I know a good portion of my friends were "Methodists" and "Lutherans" without having a shade of an idea of what that was, and even being unable to identify themselves as "Protestants."  One thought they were a Catholic.

Cultural Protestantism is possible too.

[The Dowager Mod]

And a pretty large percentage of these self professed "christians" attend services on maybe christmas and easter.
A better question would be how many americans are Practicing or active christians.

[ilikeverin]

And a pretty large percentage of these self professed "christians" attend services on maybe christmas and easter.
A better question would be how many americans are Practicing or active christians.

Welcome back!  *hughughug*

[dead0man]

And a pretty large percentage of these self professed "christians" attend services on maybe christmas and easter.
A better question would be how many americans are Practicing or active christians.

Right.  Studies like this mean nothing if they don't tell us how many people actually go to church (or otherwise actively worship) at least once a week.

[War on Want]

And a pretty large percentage of these self professed "christians" attend services on maybe christmas and easter.
A better question would be how many americans are Practicing or active christians.

Pretty much.

[patrick1]

And a pretty large percentage of these self professed "christians" attend services on maybe christmas and easter.
A better question would be how many americans are Practicing or active christians.

I tend to think that many if not a majority of the Easter and Christmas attendees are better Christians in practice than the weekly front pewers. Church, like most humanly organized endeavors, can lend itself to self righteousness, hypocrisy and gossip.

[Verily]

My guess is that, with nonreligious and atheist identification becoming more mainstream, nonreligious people who in the past identified as Catholic (due to heritage, ceremony, etc.) are now identifying as nonreligious. Nonreligious people identifying with a religion has, historically, been pretty much exclusively a Catholic phenomenon, so it would strike Catholicism harder for "no religion" to become mainstream.

Jews.

There aren't enough Jews in the country to change the numbers much. Maybe if you were doing a New York City-area subsample or something it would be worth looking at.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

And a pretty large percentage of these self professed "christians" attend services on maybe christmas and easter.
A better question would be how many americans are Practicing or active christians.

I tend to think that many if not a majority of the Easter and Christmas attendees are better Christians in practice than the weekly front pewers. Church, like most humanly organized endeavors, can lend itself to self righteousness, hypocrisy and gossip.

^^^

[Stranger in a strange land]

And a pretty large percentage of these self professed "christians" attend services on maybe christmas and easter.
A better question would be how many americans are Practicing or active christians.

I tend to think that many if not a majority of the Easter and Christmas attendees are better Christians in practice than the weekly front pewers. Church, like most humanly organized endeavors, can lend itself to self righteousness, hypocrisy and gossip.

^^^

this is probably impossible to quantify: for one thing Americans tell pollsters they attend church more than they actually do. I have a feeling ppl who doubt the existance of God but who live in communities that are strongly religious are unlikely to admit their doubts, even to an anonymous pollster.

I for example pray almost every day, but rarely go to church.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I attend church at least 3-4 times a month, usually.  I haven't been in the past month because of weather and moving, but I normally go to church at least 3 Sundays every month.  I don't normally go on Wednesday nights because I'm usually too busy getting ready for work Thursday morning.  I do pray about 4-5 times a day on average just as a friend talks to a friend or as a child talks to a father.  I read my Bible at least 5-6 days a week outside of church.

I don't believe that these actions make a Christian, but that as a Christian, I WANT to do these things.  As long as you believe in Christ, your place in heaven is secured and guaranteed whether or not you do the actions that I mentioned.  I believe, though, in order to be an effective Christian on this earth and live as Christ called you to live that you do need to do those things.

[Person Man]

Hmmm... lemme gues...

51% protestants
25% Fundies
10% mainline protestants
15% non-practicing protestants


16% agnostic
21% catholic 
  2% jews
  5% mormon
  5% pegan and muslim