Religion is on its way out. More and more people are turning their backs on humanity’s most powerful institutions.
People Less Religious
A Gallup poll from 2021 found that less than half of all Americans belonged to a religious congregation, down from 70% twenty years ago.
Pew Research found a rise in the number of Americans who call themselves “unaffiliated” and a decrease in the amount who label themselves Christian.
Why the Turn Away?
The data has researchers, and religious leaders baffled. Why are people turning away from religion in such high numbers?
Where there’s a question, there’s an Ask Reddit conversation. Users laid out their most significant concerns with modern religion, pointing to the myriad of reasons people turn away.
Hypocrisy
Religious leaders need to take a hard look as to whether their behavior and followers’ behavior reflect their beliefs.
Many people turn to religion because of the followers rather than the institution. They see the most hateful humans preaching Christian love and decide they don’t want anything to do with it.
It’s About Money and Power
Religious institutions hold vast swaths of wealth and enjoy massive political influence. However, they use the cash to build mega-churches and the power to restrict people’s rights.
Many believe that if a god exists, that’s not what he’d want.
Holier Than Though
Many people run into the religious folks who think they’re superior to everyone else because they believe in the “right” religion. They don’t feel the need to do good deeds or be decent people because their belief is enough to make them “better.”
Protecting Abuse
The Catholic Church scandal brought religious abuse to light. Religious institutions are filled with predators, but the flock works to protect the perpetrators rather than help the victims.
People who think it’s just the Catholic church are mistaken. Many powerful men in other religions use their positions to subjugate and abuse women and children. Victims are hushed or punished for coming forward, while the men who engage in abusive behaviors are protected.
Tithing
Some churches push tithing so hard that their poorest members give their last dollars to support the cause. We get that churches make money through tithing, but too many guilt and manipulate their parishioners into giving what they can’t afford.
Destroys Agency
Some folks find comfort in all knowing deity that controls everything, but others find the concept terrifying. A belief in god takes away our agency. Things happen because “god wills it,” not because of anything we did. Bad things are “gods plan,” and good things are “god’s grace.”
What about what we want?
Keeps People Complacent
Many religions push suffering as the ultimate sacrifice to God. Suffering on Earth will earn you good graces in Heaven. People don’t push for better conditions because they truly believe they’ll be rewarded in the afterlife.
What if none of it is true, and the only life we’ll ever have is the one we’re living now? Would people accept their suffering so readily if they didn’t have an eternal reward to look forward to?
It’s More Culture Than Faith
A lot of religions are cultures masquerading as faith. People wear their symbols and praise their lord without ever cracking open their religious texts or considering what the faith truly means. Most don’t live according to the belief system. They simply call themselves whatever religion.
No Evidence
There’s no evidence outside of the Bible that proves the bible is true. Some folks struggle with the concept of faith, relying instead on hard evidence to form their beliefs.
Bigotry
Religions create an in-group and an out-group. In most of the world’s major religions, straight men are in while everyone else is out.
Religious teachings justify all forms of misogyny and bigotry, and many people are starting to see through it.
Cherry Picking
People like to pick and choose which aspects of their religion to believe when it suits them. The idea that you can just decide you don’t like something about what God said and not do it implies that none of it really matters.
Globalism
People today have the opportunity to connect with others who grew up with different religious teachings and perspectives. Our ability to communicate across the globe shows us that our way isn’t the only way, our truth isn’t the only truth. This broadening of perspectives highlights the wide range of belief systems around the world.
Which is Right?
Everyone thinks their religion is the right one. They were lucky enough to be born into a culture and family that just so happened to believe in the exact right religion out of the thousands that have existed.
It’s easy to see why people who look at this logically have a problem with this.
It’s Abusive
Many religions pattern abusive relationships. You must worship God because you’ll suffer eternal punishment if you don’t.
If you experienced something like this in any other relationship, your friends and family would tell you to run.
Science
Hundreds of years ago, humanity didn’t have a lot of answers. We didn’t know why the sun rose in the east, the seasons change, or why the world abounds with such variety.
Now we know.
We don’t need religion to fill in the gaps. We ask science and vigorously research the problem until we develop a solution.
What is Goodness?
Many people are turned off by religion’s claim that you need it to be good. Is the fear of punishment the only thing keeping you from slaughtering thousands?
What is goodness anyway? Is it doing what a religious leader says regardless of who it harms, or is it treating every other human with respect and dignity irrespective of their views?
Terrible Track Record
Throughout history, people have done horrendous things in the name of their religion. Religion played a role in the Spanish Inquisition, burning people at the stake, the Crusades, and Nazi Germany.
Religion has a way of making people commit atrocities.
Religions Need to Change
If religious groups want to keep people invested, they will need to change their ways.