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| Neither Nuns Nor Nones (Beyond My Ken) |
It used to be that religious groupings inevitably included "Nuns."
These days, they inevitably include "Nones."
The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life reported back in 2012 that "Nones" were on the rise. Their
accompanying explanation was that "one-in-five [U. S.] adults have no religious affiliation."
This 20-percent figure (which increases to 30 percent when just those adults under the age of 30 are taken into account) breaks down in the following manner: 6% "self-described
atheists and agnostics," and 14% "who say they have no particular religious affiliation."
In writing for The
Interfaith Observer, Anne Benvenuti (an Episcopal priest - as well as a licensed clinical psychologist, poet, photographer, professor, spiritual director, etc.) makes the point that many of the "Nones" should instead be called "Alls." That
previously-mentioned 14% includes "people who, while they don't want a religious label, also don't want the traditional secular-rationalist-humanist label."
Many of these supposed "Nones" have stated that they practice yoga. Perhaps many also meditate. (Meditation was not specifically asked about.) The majority responded that they "felt close to the natural world."
Benvenuti states that she knows quite a few "Nones" who distrust "prepackaged beliefs," yet value "spiritual heritage." They are often "more comfortable in a variety of religious settings than they would be in only one."
Hence, "All" seems more descriptive of their beliefs than "None" does…
Resources
http://www.pewforum.org/Unaffiliated/nones-on-the-rise.aspx
http://theinterfaithobserver.org/journal-articles/2013/5/15/the-nones-are-off-the-bus-and-many-of-them-are-alls.html
Copyright July 18, 2013 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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