What percent of Americans, according to the best and most recent statistics (both GSS and Baylor’s study are nearly the same here), are “spiritual but not religious”? And what is a profile of the “spiritual but not religious” person? (Fascinating.)
Spiritual but not religious: 10%
Spiritual and religious: 57%
Religious, but not spiritual: 17%
Neither: 16%
Now the profile of the 10% of Americans who say they are spiritual but not religious:
Gender: women are slightly more likely
Race: both Whites and African Americans are about the same
Age: 18% of those under 30 say they are … and the numbers decrease as age goes up.
Education: 6% of those who did not attend college are; 12% of those who attended grad school.
More after the jump…
Politics: Repubs 5% Dems are at 11% and Independents are at 16%.
Now it gets even more interesting. It’s all about “conventional religious practices.” Weekly church attendance (14%), prayer daily (27%), Bible reading weekly (13%), the Bible as legend etc (59%)…
Now even more interesting:
Spiritual but not religious see God as a higher power or cosmic force (44%), fatherly (50%), a “he” (24%), mystical (21%) and theological liberal (35%) and feels at one with the universe (42%).
Basically, this group of people rejects a materialistic worldview and conventional religion. The spiritual but not religious people also approve of marijuana use (72%), homosexual marriage (68%), physician-assisted suicide (74%). Of the women who fit this category, 56% consider themselves a feminist.
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