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Study: Atheists Have Lowest 'Retention Rate'


markdohle

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Study: Atheists Have Lowest 'Retention Rate' Compared to Religious Groups

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http://www.christian...s-groups-78029/

Wed, Jul. 11, 2012 Posted: 01:57 PM EDT

Those who grow up in an atheist household are least likely to maintain their beliefs about religion as adults, according to a study by Georgetown University's Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA).

Only about 30 percent of those who grow up in an atheist household remain atheists as adults. This "retention rate" was the lowest among the 20 separate categories in the study.

There were 1,387 atheists (weighted) in the survey. Four-hundred thirty-two weighted respondents said they were raised atheist. Of those, 131 self-identified as atheist.

"What these findings reflect is that in the U.S. atheists are for the most part 'made' as adults after being raised in another faith. It appears to be much more challenging to raise one's child as an atheist and have them maintain this identity in their life," Dr. Mark Gray wrote at CARA's blog.

Gray also noted that, "of those raised as atheists, 30% are now affiliated with a Protestant denomination, 10% are Catholic, 2% are Jewish, 1% are Mormon, and 1% are Pagan."

Jehovah's Witness, congregationalist and holiness churches had the next lowest retention rates at 37 percent, 37 percent and 32 percent, respectively. Thirty-eight percent of those who grew up with no particular religious faith or belief system remained that way.

Hindus had the highest retention rate at 84 percent, followed by Jews (76 percent), Muslims (76 percent), Greek Orthodox (73 percent), Mormons (70 percent) and Catholics (68 percent).

Baptists had the highest retention rate of the Protestant Christian categories at 60 percent, followed by Lutheran (59 percent) and Pentecostal (50 percent).

The study used the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life's 2008 U.S. Religious Landscape Survey. Gray noted that Pew's original report did not include some of the retention rates. Pew provided CARA with the original data sets for the study.

Copyright © Christianpost.com. All rights reserved.

Edited by markdohle
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Is this supposed to justify religious beliefs or something? I am confused.

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Be interesting to see a similar study in a country with a primarily secular populace instead of the heavy Christian one of the US.

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Is this supposed to justify religious beliefs or something? I am confused.

No, actually I was surprised by this. In my family, out of 10 Chlidren, I am the only one who is still Catholic, I thought the drop out rate was higher going by my experience....also surprised at the low retention for atheist. It says nothing bout beliefs per se, people think things through for themselves I guess.

peace

mark

Be interesting to see a similar study in a country with a primarily secular populace instead of the heavy Christian one of the US.

That would be good. Though in China I believe Christianity is growing as well as other religions.

Peace

mark

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Be interesting to see a similar study in a country with a primarily secular populace instead of the heavy Christian one of the US.

Yes, it would (*cough* SWEDEN *cough*)

Edited by Alienated Being
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I dont do any of this.

Not to cuss/take away from the thread.

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"What these findings reflect is that in the U.S. atheists are for the most part 'made' as adults after being raised in another faith. It appears to be much more challenging to raise one's child as an atheist and have them maintain this identity in their life," Dr. Mark Gray wrote at CARA's blog.

Athiests dont raise their children to be athiests. They raise them to think for themselves, unlike many of the religions listed in the OP.

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Athiests dont raise their children to be athiests. They raise them to think for themselves, unlike many of the religions listed in the OP.

Ooooo reeeeaaalllyyyy??!?!?

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Athiests dont raise their children to be athiests. They raise them to think for themselves, unlike many of the religions listed in the OP.

Well this is true for the atheists I have met.. They all say - they want their kids to chose later in life...But that is only the ones I have spoken to...that doesn't mean other atheists would not raise their kids to be atheist lol

Edited by Beckys_Mom
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Athiests dont raise their children to be athiests. They raise them to think for themselves, unlike many of the religions listed in the OP.

I thought Atheist raised their children to believe that there isn't a God? I'm agnostic and encourage my kids to choose for themselves. Maybe I'm confused on what Atheism actually is...

*spell check

Edited by Rye17
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I thought Atheist raised their children to beleave that there isn't a God? I'm agnostic and encourage my kids to choose for themselves. Maybe I'm confused on what Atheism actually is...

Most atheists tend towards being agnostic atheists. Many really don't care about the religion or no religion their kid chooses so long as they're informed about it beforehand at a reasonable age and it's their choice.

And a lot of people grow up in a culture here in the US where it's much easier to be Christian.

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I thought Atheist raised their children to believe that there isn't a God? I'm agnostic and encourage my kids to choose for themselves. Maybe I'm confused on what Atheism actually is...

*spell check

Not all will care to push their beliefs on to their kids.. I for one don't..I do not believe in the bible..but I allow my daughter to follow it...I want her to learn all about it before she is old enough to understand and then make up her own mind..

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I guess I should know better than to speak for anyone other than myself.

Edited by The Mule
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That would be good. Though in China I believe Christianity is growing as well as other religions.

Peace

mark

Yep, but that has to do with China releasing it's hold over it's populace and letting philosophies and religion flood back in.

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I guess I should know better than to speak for anyone other than myself.

I like your attitude..you are honest

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I think a big part of the statistic is the fact that there are no roving bands of athiests actively seeking to recruit more athiests.

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I think a big part of the statistic is the fact that there are no roving bands of athiests actively seeking to recruit more athiests.

Nope, we have the internet. Much more effective.

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In an atheist household, nobody is indoctrinated. They are free to think what they want. Atheism is simply not believing. People who go from Atheism to a relegion as usually more informed and know what they're getting in to, rather than indoctrinated children just doing what they only know.

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In an atheist household, nobody is indoctrinated. They are free to think what they want. Atheism is simply not believing. People who go from Atheism to a relegion as usually more informed and know what they're getting in to, rather than indoctrinated children just doing what they only know.

To add more anecdote on top of anecdote, most of the atheists and theists I know raised in a secular or atheist household I've met tend to be both very relaxed and very knowledgeable about religion.

To what I was saying earlier about China,there's a difference between not being religious, and having your faith taken away from you.What we're seeing in China is people's faith being restored to them. I dunno if I'd count it as atheists converting to theists,these people were supposed to follow the will of the State. Who knows what their private thoughts might have been.

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In an atheist household, nobody is indoctrinated. They are free to think what they want. Atheism is simply not believing. People who go from Atheism to a relegion as usually more informed and know what they're getting in to, rather than indoctrinated children just doing what they only know.

I started off in complete disagreement.... But your last sentence overridded my opposition to the first.

Am I allowed to completely disagree with one statement and fully agree with the next?

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I don't raise my kids to be non-believers, but will answer honestly if they ask. I'm quite happy for them to attend Bible classes at school and they've all done this. Although each one said it was really boring and they only went because they got sweets!

As to the OP: Hi Mark. That's pretty interesting but I'm not sure how significant it is. I recall a post you made in the last couple of days where you stated that some people may be atheists due a rebellious streak. Could be something similar going on here.

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I don't raise my kids to be non-believers, but will answer honestly if they ask. I'm quite happy for them to attend Bible classes at school and they've all done this. Although each one said it was really boring and they only went because they got sweets!

Pretty much like my Becky...When they stopped giving sweets.. she lost interest lol

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Pretty much like my Becky...When they stopped giving sweets.. she lost interest lol

I always enjoyed it. I didn't quite get in trouble, but I often left with questions unanswered.
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Pretty much like my Becky...When they stopped giving sweets.. she lost interest lol

Ha ha!

I was surprised they all found it boring though. All those stories of murder, mayhem and cataclysms - better than 'Transformers'.

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I was raised as a catholic got punished extremely severly for leaving the church at the age of 12, and when my ex wanted to send our kid to Mormon religious class I said it would be OK as long as we would send him the regular Christian stuff; Buddhist school, Rabbinic school and Wiccan school and Zoroastrian school... Our kid never went to anyone of them and the Mormon Elders of Boulder County CO got p***ed.

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