Atheist Nones

     The “none's” are on the rise in the United States. The Pew Research Center shows that the religious non-affiliated has risen 6.7% since 2007. The data also shows that Christianity has dropped 7.8% . In the same time period the number of violent crimes dropped 18.26%, according to the F.B.I Crime Statistics report. The statistics here do not show a causal relationship, but it does show that religion is not necessary to be moral. This goes counter to what many religious leaders would lead their congregations to believe. Atheists aren't necessarily more moral than the religious, but many atheists also identify as Secular Humanists.

     Secular Humanism is a philosophy of consequential ethics relating to human action. Secular Humanism does have a broader definition, but within the confines of this post the one given is sufficient. Secular Humanists do not have any doctrinal or dogmatic beliefs in innate good or evil of any particular person or group.

     Another effect of the rise of secularism, is that more people become aware of the oppressive nature of many religious doctrines. It is important to note that just being secular does not automatically make you the most moral or rational. However, secularism does give people an identity to rally behind in the fight for equality and rational governance.

        The growing number of non-believers becoming more open and active is also giving the LGBT community an ally in the struggle for acceptance and equal rights. Religious doctrine is the

main, if not only, reason for discrimination against the LGBT community.

      The religious are now pushing for more laws to allow discrimination under the guise of religious freedom. Every step we take toward theocracy is a step away from freedom and rationality.