Ask Americans what their religion is, and nearly 1 in 3 say this -- none. That’s according to the U.S. adults surveyed by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Mike Dulak grew up Catholic in Southern California, but by his teen years, he began skipping Mass and driving straight to the shore to play guitar, watch the waves and enjoy the beauty of the morning. “And it felt more spiritual than any time I set foot in a church,” he recalled.

Nothing has changed that view in the ensuing decades.

“Most religions are there to control people and get money from them,” said Dulak, now 76, of Rocheport, Missouri. He also cited sex abuse scandals in Catholic and Southern Baptist churches. “I can’t buy into that,” he said.

  • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
    0·
    1 year ago

    I think the only thing we lose is community – I’m jealous that religious people automatically have that.

    The solution of course is trying to return to having neighborhood communities.

    • callouscomic@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      1 year ago

      I’m telling you from experience that their “community” is fake. The people are fake. Under the fake stuff that looks nice on the outside is a deep culture of judgment and shame and fear. It’s not any community I would ever want. Like family get together for family’s that hate each other but they fake it.

      To those who will try to tell me “well not ME or MY church.” I don’t care and I don’t believe you. I have been harmed too much too consistently by these groups.

      • kshade@lemmy.world
        0·
        1 year ago

        Under the fake stuff that looks nice on the outside is a deep culture of judgment and shame and fear.

        Funny, that’s what Christianity seems to be mostly about anyway.