Data shows ‘Nones’ aren’t totally opposed to religion

When it comes to religion in the United States there is a group larger than the Catholic population called “Nones.”

Nones are people with no religion.

What’s being studied right now, however, is why Nones are insisting their children go to church, while they continue to sit it out.

Dr. Christel Manning, a professor of Religious Studies at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, wrote a book about Nones. She faced the exact same scenario as others in the country.

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Dr. Manning told KIRO Radio’s Colleen O’Brien that Nones are a diverse group. They run the spectrum from those who were brought up in the church but no longer go, to clear-cut atheists. According to Census data, 23 percent of the country identifies as a None, and 21 percent identify as Catholic. When you narrow Nones down to those under the age of 30, affiliation jumps to 33 percent. That means one-third of Millennials identify as a None.

The data doesn’t necessarily indicate America is losing its religion because of the phenomenon of Nones continuing to send their children to church.

It’s something KIRO Radio’s Tom Tangney can identify with. He was raised Catholic and went to Catholic schools, but he only sent one of his two daughters down the same path &#8212 a decision based on the schools’ quality. He doesn’t consider himself theologically Catholic. He says being raised with religion can be positive because Bible stories make for great lessons and raise issues for children.

Though younger people are more likely to not identify with a religion, Dr. Manning says people end up going to church when they have families. Sociologists have noted that young people tend to be turned off by the way religion is identified with politics, she says.

KIRO Radio’s John Curley says if someone with religious beliefs feels they are under attack, they should push back.

John Curley: If you feel as if your religion is under attack by politics, then you push back and respond to politics.

Tom and Curley’s entire discussion can be heard here.

Colleen O’Brien contributed to this story.