Religious In
America

In a 2023 article by Jeffery M. Jones (of the Gallup organization), he wrote,

“Nearly half of Americans (47%) describe themselves as religious, another 33% say they are spiritual but not religious, and 2% volunteer they are “both.” Although the vast majority of U.S. adults have one of these orientations toward the nonphysical world, the 18% who say they are neither religious nor spiritual is twice the proportion Gallup measured when it first asked this question in 1999.”¹

In this report, respondents made a distinction between being spiritual, religious or neither. Lauren Ebersole wrote on TheHumanist.com of 27 April 2016 that,

“Now I consider myself a former Catholic and a current atheist. I’m a humanist. I’m a secularist. I don’t believe in a higher purpose, but I do think my life has meaning. I don’t find comfort in thinking someone has a plan for my life. I don’t think things happen for a reason. I don’t think there’s life after death, and I’m perfectly content with that. I have faith—it’s just not in a god… I have faith—I just choose to put my faith in people. I have faith that when I’m sad I’ll find comfort in the arms of my mother. I have faith that when I’m confused my father will provide guidance. I have faith that my siblings will always have my back. I have faith in the restorative power of laughter with friends. I have faith in me, that more often than not I’ll make the right decision.”²

This Faith has its object in her own intention—she chooses what to have faith in and her response in that faith.

Using a different tact, trust in the value of education means that a population is willing to carry the cost of educational establishments with an expectation that education will be beneficial to the society – $857 billion in U.S. during 2024 for K-12 alone. Investors place confidence in the ability of banks or corporations to increase the value of their assets such that the investor will receive a return on that productivity – about 162 million adults in U.S invest in the stock market. Contractors build housing with the expectation that home seekers will desiring shelter, quality and comfort will return profit to them. Elected officials believe that if they make popularly appropriate decisions, they will receive the appreciation of their constituents – over half a million in the U.S.

The University of Portland (Oregon) in its Advising Services for International Students delineates several factors that are values to be experienced in the U.S.:

1. Individualism
2. Equality
3. Informality
4. The Future, Change and Progress
5. Achievement, Action, Work and Materialism
6. Directness and Assertiveness
7. Time ³

Baylor University (Waco) in its September 2011 Wave III Baylor Religion Survey highlighted “The Values and Beliefs of the American Public” as:

Religion
Politics
Health
Equality
Work.⁴

Whether Faith is based in religion, work ethic, tradition, society, education, science or some other personal mantra, Faith is part of the fabric of civilization and must be considered when determining the consistency and durability of any civilization. There is always some underlying belief system that provides a stability and drives that culture forward through changing circumstances.