Atheists, Humanists and "Nones"
A recent Pew Center report said 19% of Americans claim no religious affiliation
While political candidates are quick to claim a religious faith, you sometimes have to wonder to whom they are speaking.
A recent Pew Center report said 19 percent of Americans claim no religious affiliation. A Trinity College report said that the so-called “nones” – spelled n-o-n-e-s – are the fastest growing group on the religion landscape. Who are the nones, and why do they matter?
And you might think Hartford is an epicenter of some kind of movement within the religious landscape. Last October, the Freedom From Religion Foundation held its annual convention in Hartford – in part because members wanted to tour the home of that famous agnostic, Mark Twain. A report done in part by Trinity College said that the one group that has grown in every state – including Connecticut – were people who profess no religious affiliation.
Today, we’ll talk with a Connecticut humanist, a Connecticut atheist – and there is a difference – as well as someone from that Trinity College report.
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Comments
This is a great question,
This is a great question, Lois. A politician will always be influenced by his or her own beliefs, including religious ones, and there is nothing wrong with this. Separation of church and state does not mean religious people should be barred from the political process. But when a politician displays more adherence to his or her religion than to the needs of constituents, it is the duty of the voters not to reelect them, in the same way they should with politicians who appear more motivated by campaign contributions. Of course, few voters pay enough attention to actually enact this change, but the necessity remains.
Ideally, religion, if practiced at all, should be something that is personal, and not forced upon society through legislation.
Listener Email from Lois
As much as a lot of us want separation between church and state, is it really possible? Politicians are individuals, each with an individual set of beliefs, often influenced by personal religion. (Eg Pro-life vs pro-choice issue) These beliefs influence legislation for all of us. What objectives do you believe are realistic in terms of dealing with this?