Seattle
Valued Senior Member
Will religion in the U.S. die out from increasing non-belief due to higher education or from a reduction in what it means to be religious? In other words will it recline/die from people just not believing anymore or from believing in name but behaving in such a progressive and non-literal manner that they effectively are not religious in any way other than name or self-identification?
Many people just stop believing once they go to college and take science classes and also when they take comparative religion courses and actually learn more about various religions.
Others, generally through education as well, just stop identifying with the religious establishment (which is generally not progressive) and act in the same progressive manner they would even if they weren't religious.
They may vaguely believe in God and they may hope there is an afterlife but live as if there is not so in effect they are religious in name only.
How do you see this playing out?
Of course, the answer could be "both" regarding the two possibilities outlined above. They could begin as religious in name only and with passing generations drop even the religious in name only part.
Many people just stop believing once they go to college and take science classes and also when they take comparative religion courses and actually learn more about various religions.
Others, generally through education as well, just stop identifying with the religious establishment (which is generally not progressive) and act in the same progressive manner they would even if they weren't religious.
They may vaguely believe in God and they may hope there is an afterlife but live as if there is not so in effect they are religious in name only.
How do you see this playing out?
Of course, the answer could be "both" regarding the two possibilities outlined above. They could begin as religious in name only and with passing generations drop even the religious in name only part.