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Subscribe to RSSIt's a voting bloc as big as Hispanics, 18- to 24-year-olds and the staunchest pro-lifers, and it broke for the Democratic presidential nominee by a margin of 44 points.
"Religiously Unaffiliated Voters For Obama" doesn't really have a bumper-sticker catchiness to it, but it rang true in 2012.
Larry Downing / Reuters
President Barack Obama acknowledges supporters while addressing his election night victory rally in Chicago, November 6, 2012.
Voters who say they don't have a specific affiliation with a particular religion -- increasingly referred to with the minimalist moniker "the nones" -- made up 12 percent of the electorate in 2012 and 2008, a share that has more than doubled since 1980 and is up by 3 percent since 2000. Even more, 17 percent of 2012 voters said they never attend church.
Pew study: 'Nones' on the rise
"This is a big group, it's a growing group, and it's politically a pretty important and consequential group in that the religiously unaffiliated are one of the strongest Democratic constituencies in the population," said Greg Smith, senior researcher at the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion and Public Life.
And there are many more who haven't shown up to the polls. In a new study, Pew found that in 2012, nearly one in five survey respondents nationwide classified themselves as "atheist," "agnostic" or "nothing in particular."
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga.; Bloomberg White House Correspondent, Julianna Goldman; NY Times White House Correspondent Helene Cooper; Washington Post Associate Editor Bob Woodward discuss the power the president feels he has since winning re-election.
All of that adds up to a substantial chunk of the American public in a country that just nominated (but didn't elect) its first non-Protestant presidential ticket this year. The unaffiliated bloc is comparable with the share of the electorate made up by either black or Hispanic voters. They make up nearly a quarter of Democratic or Democratic-leaning voters. In 2008, they were as reliable a constituency for Barack Obama as white evangelical Protestants were for John McCain.
That's not to say that the Democratic Party has gone out of its way to court them.
Lauren Anderson Youngblood, spokesperson for the Secular Coalition for America -- which lobbies on behalf of atheists, agnostics and other "nontheistic" citizens -- says that Democrats have been, at best, confused about how to reach out to non-believers, if not completely dismissive of the "nones" as a group.
"If you want to reach out to someone, you will. If you want to work for their vote, you will," she said. "We're still a very stigmatized community that people don't necessary want to be associated with because the word 'atheist' has all of these negative connotations."
Broderick Johnson, a senior adviser to the Obama campaign who concentrated on outreach to Catholics, said that while the campaign concentrated on messages of societal values that may appeal to unaffiliated voters, there was not a specific effort to court them as a unique constituency during the 2012 race.
The final result for the 2012 presidential election still isn't official, but the numbers keep flowing in day to day. The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd takes a deeper look at what the votes all mean with the Cook Political Report's David Wasserman.
"I don't know of an effort which was predicated on the idea that there was a large group of people who are unaffiliated with any particular religion, and the way to them was to talk about a certain set of issues," he said.
Data show that these voters' liberal affiliation comes primarily from social issues, like LGBT and abortion rights. Socially liberal but divided on issues of government and public life, religiously unaffiliated voters are far more likely than the general public to embrace same-sex marriage and to believe that all abortions should be legal.
But at the same time, half of them also say that they prefer a smaller federal government that provides fewer public services. One in five calls their political ideology "conservative," and another 40 percent describe themselves as "moderate."
"That segment really feels ignored," Youngblood said. "This is viewed as a very liberal movement, but there is also a segment that would identify as Republicans if it weren't for a lot of these social issues. It's really the intermingling of religion and government that's turning nontheistic Americans and religiously unaffiliated Americans off from the Republican Party."
The formal institutions of secular thought aren't exactly over the moon with the current president, either. While it clearly favored Obama over Romney, the Secular Coalition for America gave Obama an overall "C" grade in its presidential "election scorecard" this year, with failing marks for the categories of "Discrimination by religious organizations receiving taxpayer funding" and "Role of religion in decision making as president."
Those grievances reflect one of the common threads that link the "nones," even those who say they believe in God in some form: a distrust of institutionalized religion's exertion of political influence.
Fully two-thirds of the group said that churches and other faith-based organizations are too involved in politics, and 70 percent say that religious institutions are "too concerned with money and power."
Of course, money and power -- or at least the organizational structures that foster it -- are what make faith groups like evangelical Christians and Catholics ripe for targeting by campaigns that can gather data from churches about potential voters, plugging into the vast communication networks that unite congregants.
That's one advantage that unaffiliated voters, who have little formal structure outside of groups like the Secular Coalition, don't have.
"It's hard to know how, organizationally, they might be reached or mobilized, " Smith said. "That's the question."
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Fat Daddy Jack It seems that Everyone here is still trying to understand what is ultimately true. Just remember there is a difference between fact and belief. I personally like to think that all these comments are beliefs and may or may not be fact.
As I previously said, (I will say it differently this time) What ever or who ever "runs" the universe is not understandable for the small human being. Please note that I said universe and not just earth, the universe is vast and never ending.
I am still trying to figure everything out, the same as everyone else is. I am 62 years old and I still am trying to figure it all out. I started the "what, who, why, when" questioning when I was little and will keep it up until the day I die. Maybe just maybe I will understand it all when I die. Who knows? Trying to find the FIRST cause of something is what I try to do and to get to that answer one must ask and question. (Example, why did the child's hand get burnt. Because he or she put their hand on the hot burner. Why did he or she put their hand on the burner? Did somebody push his or her and onto it or was it an acident? Which ever is the answer to that question can also be followed up with another question. Getting to a fact can be a never ending persuit. I still try to get to the end and eventually some where along this chain of questions I realize that the one true answer is too big to understand. This is why I say whoever or whatever runs the universe (call it God or whatever) is to big for us small human beings to comprehend. Our minds, souls, spiritual essence, bodies are too small to understand everything.
As I've said before everyone making comments here are correct. Look at the elephant explanation above.
Does this finally mean if I'm curious or asking questions I won't be accused of being a democrat, republican or complaining heh heh?
And now to the original article post...
There are politicians trying (or seemingly trying) to push their religion onto everyone else. To the politicians...I have my own thoughts about how things really are. Please do not try to push your beliefs onto me, I throw up very easily. I will not try to push my beliefs onto you. I will "save" you from throwing up. Throwing up is an uncomfortable feeling. Anyway, in either case, I honor your beliefs because it is part of the total truth.
And to the religious leaders...I originally thought religious leaders teach about religion. Please don't change these things in mid stream. And maybe, just maybe, people come to your church because they like being exposed to religious beliefs. Keep to religion, you are supposed to be the "expert" on religion. The politicians are supposed to be the "expert" on politics. Or maybe I missed something along the way and was not taught by some "well meaning" person that religion and politics do not mix.
Oh, yes, I almost forgot...Europe and for the rest of the world for that matter had/has forced religion, in whatever form, onto everyone.
I believe that the constitution is correct...FREEDOM OF religion...it does not say FREEDOM of religion as long as you believe what I believe.
Please, please religious leaders and politicians do not force your beliefs onto others who may not believe what you believe. Scientist do not push...they put their beliefs out but they do not push. The same goes for the other areas of our society.
I will ask the "expert" in each field if I want to know something, then I'll decide for myself. You do not have to decide for me, I'm a big girl now.
By the way...just a side thopught/question...has anyone looked at the "religion
I think the "nones" are missing the point. It doesn't matter if the president courts the religious affiliated groups or not it matter frankly how he preforms his job. Frankly i don't care if the president ever talks to me or talks to a group I affiliate myself with in the end I will judge him by his actions and his accomplishments, nothing more.
We didn't vote for him because we aren't religious. That just happens to be correlated with other things..
Did I forget to mention "extremist" when I use common sense heh heh. I also get tired of people using the word "universe" when describing our solar system or galaxy when in fact they are only a small part of our universe lol.
I hate typing in the dark, can't see the keyboard heh heh
By the way...just a side thought/question...has anyone looked at the "religion" of small farming...one can just go to any farmer's field or look in their barns if that's the case, and see the farmers "practising" their religion. They are in their fields and barns everyday,not just Saturday or Sunday and not just during pre-election time, but every day living their "religion". Please note that I did not include big, corporate farming (the owners are not out in their fields or barns everyday, their employees are.) Just asking.
Thanks again for letting me "voice" my opinion.
With kind regards,
PatA1
Yup, it's called "feeding the multitudes" heh heh. It's a good, honest, self-satisfying occupation but not to appreciated heh heh. I know, I'm one of the employees who've worked in ag all my life lol
Stephen Roberts
I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours
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Seneca the Younger 4 b.c.- 65 a.d.
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.
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Richard Jeni
You're basically killing each other to see who's got the better imaginary friend
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Epicurus
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
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unknown
Don't pray in my school, and I won't think in your church
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Blaise Pascal
Men never commit evil so fully and joyfully as when they do it for religious convictions
449 4803
Emo Philips
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realised that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me.
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Unknown
Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer
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Unknown
George Bush says he speaks to god every day, and christians love him for it. If George Bush said he spoke to god through his hair dryer, they would think he was mad. I fail to see how the addition of a hair dryer makes it any more absurd
"This myth of Christ has served us well." Pope Leo X
Will...great post! Mind if I plaigorize for use in other other conversations? I would love to hear Rev Larry Gasbag Robinson's reponse to it!! LOL!
I've been saying this for years....just not as eloquent as this.
America is finally catching up and accepting science over myth.
Yeah, I have rocks im my yard that are older than how old evangelicals believe the earth is...go figure
The vast majority of hatred, violence and war throughout the worlds history has someones religion involved...including you christians...I refuse to belong to a group that feels anything they do to convert non beleivers is appropriate...organized religion and the religious are the problem with this country and the world...they are the racist clowns amongst us
It doesn't matter if you believe in god or not, but you should never ever accept religion in government.
The Nones graded Obama a "C" regarding keeping religion out of presidential decision making. They were being kind. On the other hand, if actions speak louder than words, then the USA in general seems to be avoiding a failing grade from unbelievers. "In God We Trust"? For what? Have we turned the protection of the genocidal Israelites back to Jehovah, who led the chosen people's bloody path from Egypt to Palestine in the first place? Have we decided to save billions of wasted dollars on airport security when God can do it with a word? Can we trust God for animal welfare? Can we trust God for anything?!
Also, many of the "nones" graded Obama no better than a "C" on other issues as well. I'm with them. And I'm giving Obama straight "C's" as well because- oh what the heck - It's the holiday season and I'm in a charitable, generous mood. *eyes roll*
This article is news? Really? The vast majority of people, regardless of their religious affiliation (if they have one) have ALWAYS looked at the issues PRAGMATICALLY before voting. They will continue to do so. Fact is, most of America is mainstream. All whack job extremists on ALL political, religious and non -religious sides sukk. Moot point.
Humans are more comfortable with containers. We put everything into containers. The idea of species is nothing more than a container. The idea of nationality is a container. The idea of race is a container.
We are always expanding our containers, to compensate for new learning, new discoveries, but the containers are always there.
We can't comprehend anything without a container. The cosmos without boundaries would be a cosmos without an end, which would then, also, not have a beginning.
God and the bible are merely containers for humans to put things into. The problem is, expansion of that container is restricted by design. A container which is never allowed to expand is obviously a human creation which will have a limited usefulness as history continues to pass it by.
Labels are limiting.
People vote for the true master, the Almighty Dollar, and nothing more. Some vote for politicians who stand for producers keeping what Almightys they earn, while others vote for politicians who will take Almightys from those who DO earn and give it to them so they don't have to earn any themselves.
Who says religion isn't alive and well in this Country, eh????????
The President has nothing to do with "pro life or pro death". They just use that as a campaign tool. The kiddies "broke" for Obama because they are jobless, "broke", live off their parents, pay not taxes, and have been told they don't have to work or invest in themselves to slide by in life off government handouts from those "terrible" successful people who do work and invest in themselves. They have also been indoctrinated in the public schools, or dropped out of the public schools with increasing intensity. Plus, the President had lots of celeb photo ops which really makes them happy.
I suppose even you don't actually believe that, but the nonsense gets tiresome.
No, I think it is pretty much true. Go back and read what your President himself tells them about success. Ouch. And there are a lot of them sitting home with either no education, or wondering why their degrees in Drama and 15th century Russian Literature didn't land them a part on some Disney Channel show. All true.
Most "nones" are more Christian than "Republican Christians".
Like Jesus, most nones believe in tolerance and compassion for others, as well as helping the poor and the sick.
Republicans embrace NONE of those things!
I love how this article states that the "nones" broke Democratic by 44% (i.e., 72% of them voted Democrat vs. 28% voted Republican), and then goes on in the next breath to imply that somehow the Republican's nomination of a non-Protestant was related.
No. The Republican's nomination of a non-Protestant was due to their largely Protestant Christian constituency's ignorance regarding the matter. I just laughed and laughed and laughed the entire election while the Bible thumping Christian right somehow convinced themselves he was of the same religion as them while simultaneously convincing themselves that they needn't vote for the guy (Obama) who actually says he believes the same thing as them...even though this is supposedly their most important issue.
My favorite moment was, during a debate re: Presidential politics with a distant conservative Christian family member, the family member says: "Osama isn't even a Christian. You know he's a Muslim and just pretending."
I literally had to excuse myself from the room for a minute to compose myself so as not rudely to laugh in his face. Upon my return I ask: "Well, what do you think your guy is?"
The response: "Romney believes in the Christian God."
...wan't even sure how to respond to that bit of mental rhythmic gymnastics...
Divide and conquer. The people need to get over the idea of trying to force their morals on others through the govt. . The gov. needs to attend only to the affairs of running the country. The govt. has its hands full if it would confine its actions just to fiscal responsibility. Allow the people to pursue whatever direction in life they wish so long as it does not harm anyone else. Does not the propaganda say we have the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness? The 2 parties use all the social issues to divide the nation into bickering chaos while our nation goes down the tube. Learn to separate personal issues from governmental purpose and vote accordingly. In other words wean the politicians off the morality tit.
Simple - don't bend over backwards for religious theocrats and support freedom and equality on social issues.
Do that and you've effectively courted the non-denominational American without even having to say it.
Organized religion is a joke. They should take away all tax exemptions from all churches, be it in a stand alone building or the zealots on television. More humans have died because of religion than any other cause.
This is the single biggest bloc and one of the fastest growing demographics, yet politicians still feel they need to pander to the squeaky wheels of the religious voters.
Organized religion is a shrinking demographic. You can feel their desperation in trying to hold back progress on their "moral issues" knowing that this is their last chance before they lose their leverage over the next two or three election cycles. Change is inevitable. The religious right can only hope to slow it down temporarily, but they know that they can't stop or reverse it regardless of what they say publicly. Ten years from now people will wonder what all the fuss was about and religion will be a totally private matter as it should be and not associated with political priorities.
I am quite interested in how not being Christian or part of any organized group, equates to being atheist. I made the mistake of mentioning that I did not agree with the Christian teachings and to pretend do so would be hypocritical, so I did not attend church, and was promptly targeted with the pejorative "atheist" over and over. And this from a librarian to a volunteer. I say it was 'pejorative' because that's how it was used. Somehow, I always considered librarians as having a modicum of intelligence. Guess I was wrong. And treating a volunteer that way was incredibly stupid. I used to have no problem with Christians, now I want nothing to do with such bigots. Oh, and by the way, I'm a white senior citizen of Irish descent, not a "minority".
My God isn't dead. Sorry about yours.
Robert -
"My God isn't dead. Sorry about yours."
Prove it...
In this last election, the churches and clergy were testing the boundaries of separation of church and state. The IRS must enforce the clear law that many of these religious non-profit organizations knowingly violated. There can be no other way. If the IRS does not enforce the law through removal of their non-profit status, we'll see much more political bullying from the pulpit.
If we think that simple disregard of their methods during the last election is okay, where is the point at which you may think they've overstepped the boundary? If we have to draw a line for the separation of church and state, then any crossing of that line must be enforced.
If they Practice politics from the pulpit , I say remove their little exemption . BTW Its spelled out pretty clearly , In the US CODE Preachers are not supposed to be politicians .
Organized Religions , in particular , the Southern baptists are the problem . get your Jeebus out of my Government and I will not think AT ALL during your weekly rant .
Tend your flocks gentleman . If you need more than that ??? then you NEED to be TAXED as a business . For it surely is .