One in 20 Americans Say They Are Atheists: Are Americans Abandoning Religion?

All we can do is hope... Hope that eventually reason will continue to push faith to the side. Maybe by the time Ken Ham, Fred Phelps, Kent Hovind, Ray Comfort, and Pat Robertson join their god in non-existence, they will already be a fringe. Who knows?

I thought that it would be more like 8 in 20 Americans are atheists....
About half of my classmates I would say are atheists. It's very rare to have a friend who commits to going to church every week if they are Christian.

Classmates? Are you in college? Because that would explain a lot. Educated people are mostly ahteist or at least agnostic.

No unfortunately. 1 in 20 is nothing. 1 in 2 would be a sign....

You don't need religion to be a moral or ethical person. Yes religion is dying out I feel, but SLOWLY.

As modern day society moves forward and progresses, the ancient myths and legends of religion will likely gradually fade into obscurity and die out, replaced by logic, reasoning, and rationalism.

Just my thoughts on the subject. :)

Approx. 80% of people world-wide practice some sort of religion (and some of them are religious atheists). Religion is not going anywhere anytime soon. Btw, North America has three countries, not "several".

Several is simply a generic word for a number greater than 2 and less than 10.

I am GOD, worship me.

Unlikely

It was bound to happen, I mean does anyone still belive in Thor?

THE MODERN APOSTACY HAS BEEN GOING STRONG OVER 150 YEARS! *(THE WORD OF GOD DEFINED THIS TIME ON EARTH VERY CLEARLY AND ACCURATELY! MENS HEARTS HAVE GROWN "VERY COLD!")

Well, this is not an opinion. This is why Sodahead sucks. You cannot debate fact. The fact is, yes, on average less and less people are religious. The only answer is yes. The question should be "In your opinion, should people abandon religion?"

There are several Atheist authors and people can't afford to go to a church and make some preacher rich who criticizes them over things that they secretly do themselves. And yes I know some preachers are poor.

Oh god I hope so.

It's been very slow. Religion of old seems to be nearly gone from the main stream, having evolved to fit with an increasingly better understanding of reality. Eventually it will become so thin as to be barely- if at all reconcilable with its original superstitions. Probably not in our lifetime, but- barring some catastrophe- it is inevitable..

Shame on all of you atheists! Don't you know that 'murica should be run on the values of being brainwashed, hating certain groups for no logical reason, and killing brown babies in the name of God?! We are such morally superior people, and atheists should leave 'murica! USA! USA!!

I don't care for religion.. If a person needs to have a predetermined set of beliefs to make themselves feel special then more power to them. I just don't want their nonsense spilling over in to my world.

A nation that abandons it's Christian faith,abandons hope and salvation

A. It isn't 'religion' they're rebelling against - its submission to God
B. They never were [true] seekers OF God
C. They don't truly know what awaits their rebellion

Implying then that you believe in an evil god. Am I wrong?

Seems like it.
Oh well.

Logic wins!

Here's hoping.

I am an atheist, and where I am I have noticed atheism on the rise. Especially with the internet memes mocking religion so much, I understand why people are seeing religion and life differently.

In my mind atheism is nothing more than another religion. Atheists are as pigheaded as anyone else who pushes their ideology down your throat. I understand that the judeo-christian faith makes up a large portion of the population of the USA. Because of that I'm not offended that our money says 'in god we trust'. On the other hand I do think that religious morality is overplayed in our government and shouldn't be a part of the legislative process.

I don't believe in an all knowing creator, or that Jesus is my savior, or that the Dalai Lama is the incarnation of Buddha (etc,etc). I believe in an ever evolving universe filled with beauty and randomness. Even though I hold these beliefs I would never call myself an athiest.

That's only 5% of the population. I'd say no, American's are still 95% religious (not including agnostics, which probably take at least 10% of that number).

Agnostics can be either theists or atheists.

1 in 20 = 5%.

Who needs religion. All religions are man made anyways. Everybody thinks their religion is always better than the other man made religion. I'm one who does not need a man made religion all I need is Yahweh..

When we cease to be one nation under God, we will be a nation gone under.....

Reason. Humanity. The future. There's three possibilities.

I can only hope, as this world needs more people to join together to face common issues, not more people joining faiths that further divide them into sects.

Do you people ever actually read? That is not what the Poll says. This is the problem in America today, we have to many people graduating with a gutter education.

So what does the poll say?

The Poll clearly states that people who claim to be "religious" dropped from 73% to 60%.

Quote: "...religious” dropped from 73 percent in 2005 (the last time the poll was conducted) to 60 percent.

The Poll also clearly state that those calming to be Atheist only rose from 1% to 5%, 95% of all Americans believe in something.

Quote: "At the same time, the number of Americans who say they are atheists rose, from 1 percent to 5 percent."

So why is that?

That is because many Americans have moved away from traditional religions and are embracing non-traditional faiths such as Wicca. There are also those who may be a non-practicing Christians for example, but still believes in a God. Then there are those who follow no faith of any kind, but still believe in a higher power.

You fools are so clouded by your own propaganda, you can't even see the truth when it is staring you in the face.

I am one of those "non-religous" Americans.

The only thing you are overlooking is the gargantuan percentage of people who don't even know what the word 'atheist' even means. That people don't typically understand that the laymen definition of 'agnostic' is actually a type of atheism. That atheism does NOT mean 'belief that no gods exist' or 'the absolute assertion that no gods exist'. This fact very well may have skewed the polls and made a great many atheists not want to say so.

Looks like we are finally evolving!

By God I hope so!!!

I sure hope so.

Yes, but why assume that people "abandoning" religion are Atheist? Could it be possible at least some are leaving their religion behind to become closer to God?