Among those aged 30 to 49, 34 percent were religiously unaffiliated, compared to 23 percent in 2013.
That's the parenting age, and the time more people return to church so they can raise their kids in religion. That's what I did-- quit it all at 18, returned to (very mainstream) church at 31 to get the kids baptized (to placate my parents), stayed with that church for 12 years because it was free entertainment and community for families, then when the kids wanted to quit, I eagerly agreed.
Anyway, if more than a third of parenting-age people are declining religion, maybe the next generation will have fewer, um, credulous people.
not that my own experience was bad. I and my children are natural skeptics who could appreciate the easy benefits of a church, like music and potluck dinners and rituals, and just ignore the dogma. I actually think mainstream churches can give kids an understanding of what a normal church would be like-- no tithing, no thundering, no forced chastity vows, no absolute trust demanded for the preacher. So if when they're grown, they encounter Jerry Falwell, they'll know this is not God's prophet no matter what he says.
My father used to call this "cafeteria Christianity," which I think is a good thing actually! You take what you like and leave the rest.
But so many people have had toxic experiences with abusive churches, and they don't ever want their kids to do that, and that's good thing, and would account for the large percentage here.
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