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American membership in houses of worship has plummeted to below 50% for the first time in eight decades of Gallup polling, from 70% in 1999 to 47% in 2020. And that shift away from organized religion has dovetailed with the rise of an intense form of partisan politics that some see as quasi-religious – providing adherents with a sense of devotion, belonging, and moral certitude.
From MAGA devotees on the right to social justice warriors on the “woke left,” political activism that can feel “absolute” in a religious way is rampant.
Especially among young people, “if your candidate wins, you have that ecstatic feeling,” says Ryan Burge, an expert on religion and politics at Eastern Illinois University who is also a Baptist pastor. A stump speech can feel like a tent revival. Donating regularly to candidates is like tithing.
Zuckerman: Secular values voters are becoming an electoral force in the US – just look closely at 2020 s results | Tribune mdjonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mdjonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Commentary: Secular ‘values voters’ are becoming an electoral force in the US – just look closely at 2020’s results
By Phil Zuckerman, Pitzer CollegeThe Conversation
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The voting patterns of religious groups in the U.S. have been scrutinized since the presidential election for evidence of shifting allegiances among the faithful. Many have wondered if a boost in Catholic support was behind Biden’s win or if a dip in support among evangelicals helped doom Trump.
But much less attention has been paid to one of the largest growing demographics among the U.S. electorate, one that has increased from around 5% of Americans to over 23% in the last 50 years: “Nones” – that is, the nonreligious.