Month: November 2009

“Nones” Grow While Zealots Decline

Trish

At last, some good news on the American religious front. A new study shows 15 percent of Americans claim no religious affiliation. Only 10 percent of the 34 million people who are being called “Nones” say they don’t believe in God. Rather, they don’t believe in people who believe in God. To put it another way, they think what they think and don’t need a church full of loonies to tell them how to live.

In 1990, just 8 percent of the population claimed no affiliation with a religious denomination. In terms of education, income, and marital status, Nones are similar to the general population, though they are more likely to live in the Northeast or Pacific Northwest. In Vermont, they actually make up the largest single “denomination.” Nones are, on average, younger than the general population—a factor helping to make them the fastest-growing segment of the religious landscape.

Who could blame people for turning away from churches? In recent years, the scandals outnumber the success stories. From meth addict Ted Haggard to Tony Alamo and Warren Jeffs having sex with little girls to televangelists who rip off their flocks to fruitcakes like Fred Phelps whose views are incomprehensibly twisted…who needs it?

A recent national poll found that the proportion of Americans who believe that religion can “answer all or most of today’s problems” has fallen to 48 percent—an all-time low. Many believers, says religion writer Julia Duin, “are perplexed and disappointed with God.”

I don’t think it’s God’s fault that we’re acting out some very strange behavior. But I do think it’s a healthy sign that we’re beginning to pull away from all that.

“If current trends continue and cohorts of nonreligious young people replace older religious people,” the Trinity study states, “the likely outcome is that in two decades, the Nones could account for around one-quarter of the American population.” Nonreligious citizens tend to hold more liberal political and cultural views than regular churchgoers, suggesting that a continued decline in religious affiliation could be accompanied by a rise of liberalism.

Like I said, this is not a bad thing.

Who Wore the Klan Robe to the White House Halloween Party?

Trish

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We love this official White House photo, taken by Pete Souza, of the president and first lady giving out Halloween candy. But we have one question.

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What’s up with the Klan costume?

Seriously, we’re sure there’s a reasonable explanation and this is, despite the white robe and white pointy hat, not really a Klan outfit. So. Does anyone have that reasonable explanation handy? If so, please elucidate ye.

Update: No, we don’t think it’s Joe Biden.

Poll Shows Crist Going Down in Tea Bag Flames

Trish

How disgusted are Floridians with Gov. Charlie Crist? So disgusted they’d be willing to have Jeb Bush back in Tallahassee. A new poll shows 46 percent of the registered voters asked wish that Jeb were still in the governor’s mansion, while 41 percent would rather keep Charlie, even though he hardly ever spends any actual time in said manse. Among Republicans, who will be selecting either Crist or former state House Speaker Marco Rubio as their U.S. Senate candidate soon, it’s way worse news for Crist. A landslide 71 percent prefer a hypothetical Jeb as governor to Crist, with only 22 percent backing Charlie.

The grimmer detail to emerge from this poll, which was commissioned by the St. Petersburg Times, Miami Herald, and Tampa’s Bay News 9, is that Jeb Bush could have a future in the White House.

“This is absolutely a proxy war between two Republican clans,” MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, the former Republican congressman from Pensacola, told the St. Petersburg Times. “And it’s not just about Florida, but about what Florida politician gets to the front of the line to run for president. It’s a zero sum game. Any advantage Charlie Crist gets hurts Jeb Bush, and any advantage Jeb Bush gets hurts Charlie Crist.”

George Will on ABC’s This Week predicted Rubio would be the winner of the Senate primary, based on the recent upheaval in New York’s U.S. Rep. District 23 race. Republican Dede Scozzafava suspended her campaign after those backing third-party Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman ran ads that described Scozzafava as “Obama’s choice” and hit pretty much every FOX News note.

Dede Scozzafava is one liberal ACORN that’s fallen right from Barack Obama’s liberal tree. A tax-raising liberal who supports gay marriage and abortion for any reason at all — ACORN’s choice, NOT our choice.

The message, in case anyone could miss it, is that if Republicans want to appeal to fearful, angry, racist tea bag types, they better purge themselves of any shred of rationality or moderation. Translation for Charlie Crist: This whole Senate thing ain’t gonna happen.