Religion and Non-Religion in America

Religion and Non-Religion in America

Did you chance to see the article by religious columnist Richard Ostling in the Daily News Sun? It was headed "Non-religious Americans Increasingly Important for Democrats." The article provides valuable insights about religious trends in American politics.

He cites Geoffrey Layman of the University of Maryland, "Seculars have become an increasing portion of the Democratic electoral coalition and especially of the party's activist base." According to Louis Boice of City University, NY, "a religiously linked values clash is redefining U. S. Politics." "The parties have become markedly different on disputes that divide secularist and religious traditionalists." A recent poll by University of Akron of those with no religious affiliation found that 17% of self-identified Democrats are in this category. About the same percentage of Democrats are Black Protestants and White Catholics. At the 2000 party conventions, delegates were polled. It was found that 59 percent of Republicans worshipped weekly while only 35 percent of Democrats did so. Boice also found that more than half the Democrat convention delegates expressed "hostility toward evangelical and fundamentalist Protestants" (We fall into this category.) Boice developed a 10 point check list of issues important to secularists. Democrat senators averaged 8.9% while Republican senators averaged 0.95.

Christians need to be aware of what is happening in their society. We are to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves (Matt. 10:16). We have no choice but to live in the world, but Christ expects us not to be of the world (John 17:14,16).

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