Spirituality
Study: atheism in US has a low retention rate
By
T.K. RandallJuly 13, 2012 ·
68 comments
Image Credit: sxc.hu
New research suggests that those who grow up in an atheist household are less likely to stay atheists.
Conducted by researchers at Georgetown University, the study found that only 30% of those who grow up in an atheist household in the United States are likely to remain atheists as adults. "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," said Dr. Mark Gray. "It appears to be much more challenging to raise one's child as an atheist and have them maintain this identity in their life."
Out of those studied in the research, 30% of those raised in an atheist household later became Protestants and 10% became Catholics.
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.
Source:
Christian Post |
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