Ask Americans what their religion is, and nearly 1 in 3 say this -- none. That’s according to the U.S. adults surveyed by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/6336372

Mike Dulak grew up Catholic in Southern California, but by his teen years, he began skipping Mass and driving straight to the shore to play guitar, watch the waves and enjoy the beauty of the morning. “And it felt more spiritual than any time I set foot in a church,” he recalled.

Nothing has changed that view in the ensuing decades.

“Most religions are there to control people and get money from them,” said Dulak, now 76, of Rocheport, Missouri. He also cited sex abuse scandals in Catholic and Southern Baptist churches. “I can’t buy into that,” he said.

  • xkforce@lemmy.worldEnglish
    27·
    1 year ago

    One side of my family is very catholic. The church kicked out my father for being divorced. The rest of the family doesnt acknowledge I exist because my parents were never married. My mother’s side HATES LGBT people so I end up having to defend my friends’ right to exist to my own family. Between that and me being an atheist, very few of them maintain any relationship with me. I lost one half just existing and most of the other half when I dropped religion.

    At the national level, women in red states lost their bodily autonomy because the supreme court and an entire political party have been captured by conservative christianity. And women are dying because of it.

    I dont really know how you couldnt despise organized religion in general given what it does to people.

  • Cranakis @lemmy.oneOPEnglish
    27·
    1 year ago

    They. Really. Don’t. Like. Organized. Religion. Nor its leaders. Nor its politics and social stances.

    Yes, YES!!!, and Yes.

    Edit: Personally I am an atheist. I went through a long agnostic, hopeful phase while deconstructing. Even now, as an apostate to my original faith, I hope to find some higher truth still. Higher than I know now. That cause still seems worthy.

    Christianity fails. At every turn. My indoctrination still affects me even past middle age. It is difficult to overcome childhood indoctrination. It isn’t right to do to children. It starts with genital mutilation, for boys, and some very early sexualizing coupled with shaming and dominating for girls. Looking back on more than half my life now, I see how much it fucked me and everyone I grew up with really.