More and more Americans claim no religious affiliation, which is a substantial shift from generations past. In the 1950s, only 4 percent of the adult population identified as nonreligious, while today the number is 23 percent. Does the absence of religion in their upbringing negatively impact children? Not really, according to some recent research.
Duke University Study
A 2010 Duke University study found that children who grew up in nonspiritual families were less likely to be racist and are “less vengeful, less nationalistic, less militaristic, less authoritarian, and more tolerant, on average, than religious adults.” Secular upbringings have also been found to give children a sense of security and morality.
Fantasy vs. Reality
A 2014 Boston University study contributed other interesting information on the pros and cons of raising children in secular households. It found that kids raised in nonspiritual households could more easily distinguish between fact and fiction when they were read realistic, religious and imaginary stories. The children who struggled with this exercise may have found it harder to differentiate fantasy from reality.
The Golden Rule
One idea that has been proposed is people with no clearly defined religious beliefs largely subscribe to the “Golden Rule” when making decisions. Their more religious peers may be more inclined to draw on spiritual influences. The Golden Rule states “treat other people like you want to be treated,” and this philosophy does not rely on specific religious principles.
Religion and the Prison Population
A correlation has also been drawn between religion and the prison population. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, in the 1990s less than 1 percent of prison inmates were atheists. This reaffirms what many criminologists have believed for over 100 years: nonreligious people commit fewer crimes.
The Longitudinal Study of Generations
The Longitudinal Study of Generations is an ongoing research project that is the biggest study ever of religious affiliations of families in the United States. One data point highlighted by the professor overseeing the study was that numerous nonreligious parents were found to exhibit a stronger and more consistent dedication to ethical principles than some who identified as “religious.”
Demographics of the Unaffiliated
A recent Pew study identified some interesting trends in the unaffiliated population.
- More men than women identify as unaffiliated.
- The West is the least religious part of the country and the South is the most.
- The number of (non-Hispanic) whites claiming no religious affiliation has noticeably increased in recent years, while there has not been a major change for blacks and Hispanics.
Unaffiliated but Still a Believer
While the downward trend of people claiming no religious affiliation is well documented, a Pew – PBS research survey did find some interesting trends in the beliefs of the 46 million American adults who identify as nonreligious.
- 68 percent say they believe in God
- Over half have a strong tie to nature and the planet
- 21 percent pray every day
- Many adults in the U.S. who have no religious affiliation believe that society benefits from the work of churches and other religious organizations
Age Matters
The cultural shift in the importance of religious affiliation had been primarily tied to large groups of younger, less spiritual people coming of age and an older, generally more religious population passing away. According to the Pew Research Center, 32 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds claim no religious affiliation, while only 9 percent of adults 65 and older do. The number of people who rarely or have never participated in a religious service has also increased incrementally in the past decade.
It is clear religion is less important to people today than it used to be, and an increasing number of families are choosing to raise children in secular households. Research on the subject seems to indicate that there are no striking negative consequences for kids when parents opt to raise them without significant religious influences.