How Allergic to Religion Are the People of South Dakota?
It's easy to see why so many people, especially those who profess to be born again Christians believe we are living in the beginning stages of what the bible describes as the end times.
I mean look at the world right now, I think we can all agree on some level, it's a mess at the moment. The massacre going on in Ukraine, the threat of a World War breaking out, a never-ending pandemic, inflation, worldwide economic problems, racial divide, lawlessness, and high crime, climate, and natural disaster issues, the list goes on and on and on.
You would think at a time like this more and more people would be leaning into religion for comfort and guidance, but in fact, the exact opposite is happening. According to an article from theguardian.com, only 47% of Americans now claim to be religious and belong to a house of worship.
Is this yet another sign? Could it be the beginning of what is described as the "Great Falling Away" during the end times, as more and more people abandon their faith?
With more than half of the country now claiming to have an allergic reaction to religion right now, it makes one wonder.
In the article from theguardian.com, religion has been on a steady decline in this nation since the start of the year 2000.
What's fueling it?
Their research claims it's the religious right, and primarily the beliefs and policies of the radical right in the Republican party that is leaving such a bad taste in people's mouths. If you choose to believe the studies findings, it claims right-wing politics and Christian views pursued by many within the Republican party are helping to drive many people, especially millennials away from religion. A trend their research sees as only accelerating in the future.
So that poses the next question, what states still claim to be the most religious?
If you guessed the states in the deep south you would be right. In an article from World Population Review the top five most religious states in the U.S. right now are:
- Alabama 77% religious adults
- Mississippi 77% religious adults
- Tennessee 73% religious adults
- Louisana 71% religious adults
- Arkansas 70% religious adults
Personally, I would guess the bulk of the Midwestern states would be close behind, but surprisingly enough we are not.
In this part of the country, we South Dakotans are the most religious. We rank #16 in the nation with 59% of the people here in South Dakota still claiming to identify as Christians. The people of Iowa are right behind us at #19, then, there is a fairly significant Midwestern dropoff. Nebraska is next at #25, followed by North Dakota at #29, and Minnesota brings up the rear here in the upper Midwest at #35.
World Population Review received their data from Pew Research Center's Religious Landscape Study. The study looked at four areas to determine what states are the most religious. They included church attendance, how often you pray, your belief in God, and a self-assessment of the importance of religion.
Source: The Guardian.com/World Population Review
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