What’s your religion? In US, a common reply now is “None”

By LUIS ANDRES HENAO, KWASI GYAMFI ASIEDU and DAVID CRARY
Associated Press

When Americans are asked by pollsters about their religious identity, the fastest-growing major group consists of those who don’t affiliate with any organized religion. Some are atheist, some agnostic, and many describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. According to one new survey — by the Pew Research Center — they now account for 29% of American adults, up from 19% ten years ago. The religiously unaffiliated used to concentrated in urban, coastal areas. But they now live across the U.S., representing a diversity of ages, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds. About 30% say they feel some connection to God or a higher power even though they’re not church members.