Religious practice is active in the US

August 23, 2022 | 28 comments

There is so much talk in the press about religion dying away in America, that it was refreshing to read an article testifying to the opposite.

Two authors contend that religious practice in the United States is far more active than recognized. You just need to know where to look, they argue.

According to their studies, vast numbers of adherents are not accounted for in the statistics circulated. Their discoveries make for an interesting read.

Here’s the article, “Religion Is Dying? Don’t Believe It,” published in the Wall Street Journal. The byline reads, “Many of the ‘Nones’ aren’t secular; they belong to minority faiths. The problem is how to count them.”

28 thoughts on “Religious practice is active in the US”

  1. Thank you, Evan a very encouraging article I am sure, but I can only get
    part of a short paragraph at the start, and then it says you have to subscribe
    to the Wall Street Journal in oder to continue reading.

  2. Religion is certainly not dying here in New Zealand .. we have seen a real resurgence of it – posts in social media bring comfort to believers and reminders of man’s inherent freedoms. Also on protest marches one sees many placards quoting scripture. This appears to apply to Australia as well. I’ve not seen statistics to prove my point, but compared to 20 years ago, people are very ready to discuss religion and their faith.

  3. Thanks for sharing this thoughtful article, Evan! Look for a 2 minute condensed version of the article available to listen for free. (just below the video).

  4. There Is a very large following in the world of Joel Goldsmith and his teachings. His main book is The Infinite Way but he has many more books and talks. He did not establish a church but the people who study his writings are connected on the Internet.

    1. Joel Goldsmith was a Christian Scientist who broke off and started the Infinite Way. The CS textbook is a complete statement of Christian Science

      1. I have a good friend who follows Joel Goldsmith. I shared with her the fact that he was not just a Christian Scientist, but a CS Practitioner for perhaps 16 years or more before going off and developing something called the infinite way. When I listened to some of his lectures that my friend shared, there is so much Christian Science exuding from what he said. I understand that his father had quite an outstanding healing in Christian Science and that is what led him into it in the first place,

  5. So true ! I see churches popping up, I hear of many Bible studies available , universities combining biblical “wisdom” in teaching,, etc Thank you Evan!

  6. I had no problem reading the whole article. Keep scrolling down the page past advertisements. Don’t open WSJ.

    1. Thanks for trying Terry, but the surrounding horrid ADS! Yuk! Too hard to avoid/wade thru/etc.

      I’ll listen to God, and to my heart, about what to think and conclude… So far I’ve gotten: “Humankind yearns, as ever, for Love, Love, Love.”
      “Love is the Answer.”
      “All we need is Love.”
      “Love, sweet Love!”
      “Don’t Talk of Love, SHOW ME!”
      “Love One Another, Word of Revelation…”
      “Love for God and man…”
      “Divine Love meets human needs.”
      “I love you! (with all your “warts!”)

      Feel better, don’t you?

      :<))))))))

  7. Thank you. Evan, for alerting all of to what we can be very grateful in mankind’s quest for spirituality. And, Terry, thank you so much for the link to the entire article referred to by Evan!Ja

    1. Yes. The most googled word in the entire world during the Covid Pandemic was the word “PRAYER!” That is a strong indication of where humanity is going today. So very grateful!!!

  8. Thank you. Evan, for alerting all of to what we can be very grateful in mankind’s quest for spirituality. And, Terry, thank you so much for the link to the entire article referred to by Evan!

  9. In my middleschoolyears I had an American girl as correspondence friend. My great interest was always the English language. She was a member of “Rainbows”, and I understood that it was or is a sect. I know that the US has always been much more religious that for instance Germany. And therefore I am very very grateful that God lead me to Christian Science, and my stepfather sent me to Sundayschool in Hamburg when I was 10 years old. For me it was very interesting that Christian Science also looks lovingly after there members in need; I mean the Christian Science Nurses, and that interested me very much. Later for several years I became a Journal listed CS Nurse. Also surely today I know that America is still very religious.

    1. She may have been a member of the rainbow girls which is a young woman’s organization attached to the Freemasons free and accepted masons which is not a religion but it is religious you have to believe in a Supreme Being to be a Mason whether that Supreme Being is God or Allah or any other name that refers to the Supreme Being .
      I believe that the age group for the rainbow girls was 10 to 18 or maybe 12 to 18 years old anyway I just thought it would tell you that whether it means anything to you or not have a great day

      1. Oh yes Gene, thanks for the interesting Infos. And indeed, she sent me a foto with a note that she is 12 years old and is celebrating the entrance to the Rainbows. The foto showed her in a very ptetty dress, waering white gloves and with a pretty handbag, and on her head she waer a pretty light hat. That all is decades ago .
        We are not anymore in contact, But your Info is very interesting, thanks again.
        Here it is Evening – abt. 8 p.m. now.
        Have you a lovely day, dear Gene♡

  10. Many people say that they are “spiritual” but not “religious,” equating religion with institutions and spirituality with a private practice of meditation or something else that is free of institutional requirements.

  11. This article is heartening! Even without statistics, I sense the quest for spiritual ideas all around. I feel the pandemic has turned many to look deeper for life’s meaning and to seek healing through spiritual means- since medical science is just not able to deliver. Our Sunday church attendance is up and we have had more and more first time attendees of a CS church.
    However our church has had a lower attendance for Wednesday night services. Many attend on zoom instead but most don’t participate during the testimony period.
    Any other churches experiencing this?

  12. My husband is not a Christian Scientist. He does not consider himself religious,– more of a “realist”. He is very accepting of my practice of Christian Science, but when I try to explain it to him he says he doesn’t understand it. This dear, precious partner has wonderful spiritual qualities,– gentleness, kindness and integrity.
    Occasionally I’ll accompany him to a Sunday service at the Vedanta Temple. The Vedanta teachings are comprehensible to him, and he finds solace and inspiration to pilot his life journey. Many times the talks are so filled with the metaphysical truths and love contained in the teachings of Christian Science they remind me of a well prepared Christian Science lecture,– reminding me that truth is truth and that all paths inevitably lead to God.

  13. Yes Lisa thanks for mentioning this, I remember reading that statistic. I was not surprised, but it is encouraging.

    I feel there is nowhere else and nowhere better to turn when things are challenging than into the arms of our ever-present, loving father-mother God. Also when things are going well we can express humble gratitude to God for His wisdom and guidance in all things.

    Deep down, regardless of religious belief or lack thereof, we are all longing for that natural spiritual connection, that oneness. In 12-Step programs they talk of a “God-shaped hole,” meaning that whatever seems wrong or missing can only be filled by God, though humanly we may try to fill it with so many other things that ultimately fail us and are dissatisfying.

    Evan thank you for bringing up this important topic.

    1. Sorry, meant to post my remarks under the comment from Lisa from Vancouver about the most-searched word being “Prayer” during this recent period.

  14. GREAT NEWS! THANK YOU. iT SEEMS TYPICAL OF NON-BELIEVING SOURCES TO BLARE OUT THE MISINFORMATION REGARDING CHURCH ETC. IT IS REFRESHING TO SEE THE OPPOSITE ABOUT THE SUBJECT. JUST RECENTLY MY FAMILY HAS BECOME INVOLVED IN SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS OF CHILDHOOD CHURCH AS THEY SEARCH FOR A NEW MINISTER. .

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