NEWS CURRENT EVENT: "NO RELIGION, NO PROBLEM"

With the number of different religions within America it is quite surprising to find out that 1 in 5 Americans do not believe in any kind of God or religion. USA Today stated that "No religion" is the fastest growing religion within the United States Today. Well, I'd say thats quite ironic. The article stated, "More people are willing to identify themselves as being outside of religion or without belief in a supernatural being." In a country such as America where people have the freedoms to create and follow their own beliefs, this is not surprising. Many people may see religion as something that limits their beliefs. People who chose to generate their own ideas might find that their religious beliefs do not necessarily support their ideas, thus leading them to look at their religion as limiting, and completely disown their religious identities. The article also points to the idea that, "I am hoping that this new survey will help bring much-needed changes in the relations between the faithful and those who are outside of the established faiths." This idea leads back the idea of outcasting or looking down upon people based on their beliefs. If those "atheists" ideas do not agree with the ideas of a certain religion, atheists are often looked down upon as being bad, unfaithful, or outcasted. "Americans rank atheists as the most disliked minority group in the country." Again supporting a "my way or the highway concept." Religious followers look at atheists as random, unsupported, untrue ideas. Many times it seems this way because religious believers may feel threatened by the idea that a new form of society is rising, and it is a society who does not share their belief of the importance of God. However, the article illustrates that atheists are just as civil and normal as anyone else. They have families, jobs, beliefs. Just because they are part of a minority does not make their beliefs any less righteous or wrong then any other religion. America has a bad habit of secluding many minorities because although we live in one of the freest countries in the world, we live in a country full of majorities ideas of a "norm."

Lalli, Nica. "No religion? No problem.(NEWS)(United States' religious groups)." USA Today. (April 6, 2009): 15A. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 9 Feb. 2010 .