IS THE DECLINE OF RELIGION SYMPTOMATIC OF EVOLUTION?

A Pew poll showed that over a decade, Christian affiliation has dropped from 78% to 65%, and those without a religion rose from 16% to 26%.

Of course, church attendance is also declining.

A particularly interesting aspect of this survey is that:

• Millennials (the youngest generation polled) declined the most, 16%, while the older Silent Generation only dropped by 2%.
• By race:
• Whites  -12%
• Blacks  -11%
• Hispanic  -10%
• Education:
• Less than a college education  -11%
• College graduate  -13%
• Region:
• Northeast  -15%
• South  -12%
• Midwest  -10%
• West  -9%
• Political party:
• Republican  -7%
• Democrat  -17%

More details about generation gap beliefs:

Those with no religion grew by 30 million:

According to Pew, here are the least affiliated countries in the world:

The map seems to indicate that the U.S. is among the most unaffiliated countries.  However, the color code is misleading, for, apparently, only 18.6% of Americans are unaffiliated, meaning that 81.4% must have a religion.  From yet another Pew survey:

• 90% of Americans believe in some kind of higher power.

• More details about religion and what is higher power:

Top 10 Least Religious Countries (by percentage) - Pew Research 2020

1. Czech Republic - 78.4%
2. North Korea - 71.3%
3. Estonia - 60.2%
4. Japan - 60%
5. Hong Kong (China) - 54.7%
6. China - 51.8%
7. South Korea - 46.6%
8. Latvia - 45.3%
9. Netherlands - 44.3%
10. Uruguay - 41.5%

Or the complete list:

 CSV JSON

Country	Unaffiliated %	Unaffiliated	2022 Population
Czech Republic	78.40%	8,280,000	10,736,784
North Korea	71.30%	18,070,000	25,990,679
Estonia	60.20%	770,000	1,321,910
Japan	60.00%	74,780,000	125,584,838
Hong Kong	54.70%	4,090,000	7,604,299
China	51.80%	720,100,000	1,448,471,400
South Korea	46.60%	23,250,000	51,329,899
Latvia	45.30%	960,000	1,848,837
Netherlands	44.30%	7,550,000	17,211,447
Uruguay	41.50%	1,450,000	3,496,016
New Zealand	39.60%	1,910,000	4,898,203
Mongolia	36.50%	1,160,000	3,378,078
France	31.90%	20,830,000	65,584,518
Falkland Islands	31.50%	< 10,000	3,539
United Kingdom	31.20%	20,070,000	68,497,907
Belgium	31.00%	3,370,000	11,668,278
Vietnam	29.90%	28,760,000	98,953,541
Sweden	29.00%	2,860,000	10,218,971
Belarus	28.60%	2,690,000	9,432,800
Australia	28.60%	6,990,000	26,068,792
Luxembourg	26.70%	140,000	642,371
Germany	26.30%	21,150,000	83,883,596
Canada	24.50%	8,950,000	38,388,419
Cuba	23.20%	2,600,000	11,305,652
Switzerland	22.80%	1,800,000	8,773,637
Spain	21.00%	10,190,000	46,719,142
Finland	20.80%	1,140,000	5,554,960
Hungary	20.30%	1,970,000	9,606,259
Bermuda	19.40%	10,000	61,939
Slovenia	18.80%	380,000	2,078,034
United States	18.60%	62,310,000	334,805,269
Botswana	17.50%	390,000	2,441,162
Mozambique	17.30%	5,020,000	33,089,461
Jamaica	17.00%	500,000	2,985,094
Singapore	16.50%	970,000	5,943,546
Slovakia	15.80%	880,000	5,460,193
Isle of Man	15.40%	10,000	85,732
Macau	15.40%	90,000	667,490
South Africa	15.30%	8,220,000	60,756,135
Russia	15.20%	21,190,000	145,805,947
Austria	14.50%	1,250,000	9,066,710
Taiwan	13.70%	3,190,000	23,888,595
Italy	13.40%	8,100,000	60,262,770
Sao Tome And Principe	13.20%	30,000	227,679
Nicaragua	13.00%	870,000	6,779,100
Ukraine	12.50%	5,370,000	43,192,122
Argentina	12.10%	5,320,000	46,010,234
Denmark	12.00%	680,000	5,834,950
Monaco	11.70%	< 10,000	39,783
Norway	11.60%	600,000	5,511,370
El Salvador	11.20%	740,000	6,550,389
Dominican Republic	10.90%	1,230,000	11,056,370
Haiti	10.70%	1,230,000	11,680,283
Honduras	10.50%	950,000	10,221,247
New Caledonia	10.40%	30,000	290,915
Lithuania	9.80%	310,000	2,661,708
Chile	9.70%	1,800,000	19,250,195
Venezuela	9.70%	3,220,000	29,266,991
Cayman Islands	9.40%	< 10,000	67,277
Belize	9.00%	30,000	412,190
Cape Verde	9.00%	50,000	567,678
Andorra	8.80%	< 10,000	77,463
Portugal	8.60%	890,000	10,140,570
Brazil	8.40%	17,620,000	215,353,593
Ivory Coast	8.10%	1,970,000	27,742,298
Costa Rica	8.00%	420,000	5,182,354
Republic of the Congo	8.00%	410,000	5,797,805
Ireland	7.90%	400,000	5,020,199
Zimbabwe	7.60%	1,110,000	15,331,428
Madagascar	7.30%	2,010,000	29,178,077
Poland	7.30%	2,780,000	37,739,785
San Marino	7.20%	< 10,000	34,085
Colombia	6.70%	3,510,000	51,512,762
Aruba	6.20%	< 10,000	107,609
Suriname	6.20%	40,000	596,831
Togo	6.20%	450,000	8,680,837
Greece	6.10%	690,000	10,316,637
Saint Lucia	5.80%	10,000	185,113
Gabon	5.70%	110,000	2,331,533
Mexico	5.70%	7,240,000	131,562,772
Ecuador	5.60%	920,000	18,113,361
Benin	5.20%	600,000	12,784,726
Cameroon	5.20%	1,260,000	27,911,548
Angola	5.20%	1,270,000	35,027,343
Croatia	5.10%	220,000	4,059,286
Equatorial Guinea	5.00%	40,000	1,496,662
Panama	5.00%	200,000	4,446,964
French Polynesia	4.90%	10,000	284,164
Montserrat	4.80%	< 10,000	4,965
Bulgaria	4.70%	320,000	6,844,597
Turks And Caicos Islands	4.60%	< 10,000	39,741
Nauru	4.50%	< 10,000	10,903
Guinea Bissau	4.40%	80,000	2,063,367
Bolivia	4.10%	480,000	11,992,656
Anguilla	4.00%	< 10,000	15,230
Kazakhstan	4.00%	720,000	19,205,043
British Virgin Islands	3.90%	< 10,000	30,596
French Guiana	3.90%	10,000	314,169
Iceland	3.90%	10,000	345,393
Guatemala	3.90%	720,000	18,584,039
Saint Pierre And Miquelon	3.80%	< 10,000	5,759
Ghana	3.80%	1,160,000	32,395,450
United States Virgin Islands	3.70%	< 10,000	103,971
Niue	3.30%	< 10,000	1,622
Sint Maarten	3.30%	< 10,000	43,966
Curacao	3.30%	< 10,000	165,529
Serbia	3.30%	260,000	8,653,016
Cook Islands	3.20%	< 10,000	17,571
Israel	3.20%	280,000	8,922,892
Montenegro	3.10%	20,000	627,950
Peru	3.10%	1,010,000	33,684,208
Bahamas	3.00%	10,000	400,516
Rwanda	3.00%	430,000	13,600,464
Gibraltar	2.90%	< 10,000	33,704
Liechtenstein	2.90%	< 10,000	38,387
Lesotho	2.80%	70,000	2,175,699
Greenland	2.50%	< 10,000	56,973
Saint Vincent And the Grenadines	2.50%	< 10,000	111,551
Guadeloupe	2.50%	10,000	399,794
Malta	2.50%	10,000	444,033
Samoa	2.40%	< 10,000	202,239
Chad	2.40%	350,000	17,413,580
Martinique	2.30%	< 10,000	374,087
Kenya	2.30%	1,200,000	56,215,221
Seychelles	2.10%	< 10,000	99,426
Puerto Rico	2.10%	80,000	2,829,812
Guyana	2.00%	20,000	794,045
Reunion	2.00%	20,000	908,061
Bahrain	2.00%	30,000	1,783,983
Syria	2.00%	500,000	19,364,809
Malawi	2.00%	410,000	20,180,839
Barbados	1.90%	< 10,000	288,023
Cyprus	1.90%	20,000	1,223,387
Namibia	1.90%	50,000	2,633,874
Trinidad And Tobago	1.80%	30,000	1,406,585
Guinea	1.80%	230,000	13,865,691
Algeria	1.80%	740,000	45,350,148
Antigua And Barbuda	1.70%	< 10,000	99,509
Guam	1.70%	< 10,000	171,519
DR Congo	1.70%	1,450,000	95,240,792
Saint Kitts And Nevis	1.60%	< 10,000	53,871
Tanzania	1.60%	1,000,000	63,298,550
Marshall Islands	1.50%	< 10,000	60,057
Tajikistan	1.50%	130,000	9,957,464
Liberia	1.40%	70,000	5,305,117
Tuvalu	1.30%	< 10,000	12,066
North Macedonia	1.30%	30,000	2,081,304
Armenia	1.30%	40,000	2,971,966
Moldova	1.30%	40,000	4,013,171
Palau	1.20%	< 10,000	18,233
Vanuatu	1.20%	< 10,000	321,832
Turkey	1.20%	960,000	85,561,976
Paraguay	1.10%	90,000	7,305,843
United Arab Emirates	1.10%	100,000	10,081,785
Northern Mariana Islands	1.00%	< 10,000	58,269
Sudan	1.00%	440,000	45,992,020
Vatican City	< 1%	< 10,000	799
Tokelau	< 1%	< 10,000	1,378
Wallis And Futuna	< 1%	< 10,000	10,982
American Samoa	< 1%	< 10,000	55,030
Dominica	< 1%	< 10,000	72,344
Tonga	< 1%	< 10,000	107,749
Grenada	< 1%	< 10,000	113,475
Micronesia	< 1%	< 10,000	117,489
Kiribati	< 1%	< 10,000	123,419
Mayotte	< 1%	< 10,000	286,259
Brunei	< 1%	< 10,000	445,431
Maldives	< 1%	< 10,000	540,985
Western Sahara	< 1%	< 10,000	626,161
Solomon Islands	< 1%	< 10,000	721,159
Bhutan	< 1%	< 10,000	787,941
Comoros	< 1%	< 10,000	907,419
Fiji	< 1%	< 10,000	909,466
Djibouti	< 1%	< 10,000	1,016,097
Mauritius	< 1%	10,000	1,274,727
Timor Leste	< 1%	< 10,000	1,369,429
Gambia	< 1%	< 10,000	2,558,482
Albania	< 1%	30,000	2,866,374
Qatar	< 1%	20,000	2,979,915
Eritrea	< 1%	< 10,000	3,662,244
Georgia	< 1%	30,000	3,968,738
Kuwait	< 1%	< 10,000	4,380,326
Mauritania	< 1%	< 10,000	4,901,981
Central African Republic	< 1%	50,000	5,016,678
Oman	< 1%	10,000	5,323,993
Palestine	< 1%	< 10,000	5,345,541
Turkmenistan	< 1%	30,000	6,201,943
Lebanon	< 1%	10,000	6,684,849
Kyrgyzstan	< 1%	30,000	6,728,271
Libya	< 1%	10,000	7,040,745
Laos	< 1%	60,000	7,481,023
Sierra Leone	< 1%	< 10,000	8,306,436
Papua New Guinea	< 1%	< 10,000	9,292,169
Azerbaijan	< 1%	< 10,000	10,300,205
Jordan	< 1%	< 10,000	10,300,869
South Sudan	< 1%	60,000	11,618,511
Tunisia	< 1%	30,000	12,046,656
Burundi	< 1%	< 10,000	12,624,840
Somalia	< 1%	< 10,000	16,841,795
Cambodia	< 1%	30,000	17,168,639
Senegal	< 1%	< 10,000	17,653,671
Romania	< 1%	20,000	19,031,335
Zambia	< 1%	100,000	19,470,234
Mali	< 1%	110,000	21,473,764
Sri Lanka	< 1%	< 10,000	21,575,842
Burkina Faso	< 1%	110,000	22,102,838
Niger	< 1%	170,000	26,083,660
Nepal	< 1%	90,000	30,225,582
Yemen	< 1%	30,000	31,154,867
Malaysia	< 1%	200,000	33,181,072
Uzbekistan	< 1%	240,000	34,382,084
Saudi Arabia	< 1%	210,000	35,844,909
Morocco	< 1%	< 10,000	37,772,756
Afghanistan	< 1%	< 10,000	40,754,388
Iraq	< 1%	50,000	42,164,965
Uganda	< 1%	230,000	48,432,863
Thailand	< 1%	200,000	70,078,203
Iran	< 1%	100,000	86,022,837
Egypt	< 1%	< 10,000	106,156,692
Philippines	< 1%	110,000	112,508,994
Ethiopia	< 1%	60,000	120,812,698
Bangladesh	< 1%	< 10,000	167,885,689
Nigeria	< 1%	790,000	216,746,934
Pakistan	< 1%	30,000	229,488,994
Indonesia	< 1%	240,000	279,134,505
India	< 1%	900,000	1,406,631,776

Some final thoughts:

• Traveling all over Japan, there are shrines, churches and religious festivals everywhere.  Yet, 60% of the population is unaffiliated.
• Only 15.2% of Russians are unaffiliated, but the Czech Republic leads the world at 78.4%.
• Vietnam at 29.9% unaffiliated sits between Belgium and Sweden.
• The USA at 18.6% is just above Botswana at 17.5%.  We have more than 62 million unaffiliated people, but from one of the above graphics, many of them still believe in some higher authority.
• The Chinese government is anti-religion.  So:
• China unaffiliated  51.8%
• Taiwan unaffiliated  13.7%
• Religious Italy unaffiliated  13.4%
• 67 countries have less than 1% unaffiliated.  Only 0.06% of India's population is unaffiliated.

So is the decline of religion symptomatic of evolution?  

• Certainly much of the world remains very religious.  
• Some countries like China and North Korea discourage religion, while the general populace of Japan, especially the younger generations, has arrived at the reality of what is to come after you die.  
• True also for much of Europe, especially former Soviet countries.  
• The U.S. seems inclined now to follow this path of belief evolution.
• One could thus suggest that the Republican party seems inclined to decline.
• As the world gets better educated, the trend is obvious.

The following is just something less spiritual, but nevertheless endearing, to end this Sunday.

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