REJOYCED: Nuns or Nones?

JOYCE TSUI
Editor in Chief

I grew up in a household that did not consist of Sunday mornings at church, but at a temple. As I grew up, my knowledge of religion expanded and I realized my parents’ religion was just that; it was their religion and not mine. While I believe the deity they believe in exists, I don’t adhere to their beliefs and practices as there is no one God I look up to.

It seems nowadays that the biggest religious preference is no preference at all. Recent studies have shown that about twenty percent of the American population are checking the “None” box when it comes to identifying their religious preference—the “None” category including the Agnostics, Atheists, freethinkers, skeptics and humanists. While I do believe in a higher being, spiritually, I don’t partake in a particular religion. Now, why is that percentage growing?

Today, it seems that all people really talk about when it comes to religious topics in politics is abortion and same-sex marriage. Granted, in the past presidential election, these were some of the main issues that were argued about; however, is that really the extent of people’s knowledge when it comes to subjects regarding spirituality? These issues have become so prevalent, and because both are affiliated with religious beliefs, it seems that most are straying away from faith because of certain controversial ideals, such as keeping marriage between a man and a woman or taking a life post-conception, be it a fetus or a fully grown human being.

The “Nones” may be a growing trend for young adults, but for the most part, it is not because they are not spiritual; they simply do not affiliate themselves with an organized religion. Ultimately, it is one’s own choice to be a part of a specific religion or not to believe in spirituality, at all. To keep the church alive, maybe the generations to come just need to be more informed, otherwise, soon the only religion left will be “None.”