Well to be perfectly honest, in my humble opinion, of course without offending anyone who thinks differently from my point of view, but also by looking into this matter in a different perspective and without being condemning of one's view's and by trying to make it objectified, and by considering each and every one's valid opinion, I honestly believe that I completely forgot what I was going to say.

He touched on it briefly but, in the US, religion has become increasingly entangled with political extremism, racism, greed and bigotry that has also had an effect on participation.

Left islam a year ago. Never been happier.

I was removed from Sunday school for being a "disruptive influence". Just about the first thing I learned about religion was that asking questions and expecting answers was forbidden. I found community and a sense of wonder, awe and human scale in physics and astronomy instead.

As a 30-something year old, Christianity would be substantially more appealing to me if Christians actually embraced the principles taught by Jesus Christ: Generosity, Kindness, Empathy, and Acceptance.

I'm a 3rd generation Atheist. I am from Rhode Island, USA. My kids are 4th generation. I was raised with love, logic, and education. The same is with my children.

I was raised with religion, and by the time I was 13, I was already wondering about all the logical inconsistencies, and not wanting any thing to do with it. Later in life, I took a deeper look, and know for sure, religious way of seeing the world, is not for me.

I was raised evangelical (the one TRUE religion according to them) and started falling away during high school. I continued going to church for a year or two just to please my mother. When I left home that was the end of church going for me. It took me 35-40 years to work through the indoctrination but at age 75 I can now call me myself a proud atheist. I don't want to believe, I want to know the truth. I'm a science gal now.

Meanwhile, there are tons who were raised with religion. And find it completely unnatural.

As a norwegian I can confirm you pretty much take it for granted that everyone you meet is not religious. And if someone is, one almost assumes they have some emotional trauma they are dealing with. Most "religious" beliefe is a deeply private, personal thing, here. Often found among middle aged or older women who are fairly conservative and kind, concerned with children. It's hardly a theme, here, generally. Nobody speaks much about it in public. It's a matter between friends and family. Something you open up about to your partner or close friend.

Yes, I think this all makes sense. I was raised in the 1960s and 1970's; my parents sent us kids to Sunday school and we all sat for the main service, but they didn't really seem to believe. There was no Bible reading at home, and little mention of religious belief. As far as I know, we attended because they knew it was the way to be accepted and acceptable within the small-town community where we lived. Three of us four kids left religious attendance behind when (or before) we became adults. One of us vehemently despises the hypocrisy and snootiness that she witnessed as the congregation ostracized people who couldn't afford to dress according to their standards. After I left, I looked back on it as mass hypnotism of a sort, or maybe mass delusion would be a better term. I've been away for nearly five decades and can't imagine how I'd be convinced to return to it.

I am from El Salvador, I was VERY religious for 45 years, then I had a spiritual abuse, and then I revaluated, I was religious because 1. I was born and I learned that I was not capable to face my life 2. I was a bad person IF I became free, without depending on God, in this case, on the religious group 3. If you want certainty, love, then you have to look for a religious group, HOWEVER, during the pandemic, I expected the pastors were going to help, however, they received money, our work, cause they were the pastors, who guide us.... too naive, during the pandemic my problems were mine.... all of the promises they made was.... you misunderstand us.

Being able to fact check anything religion claims to do has greatly helped. This trend will continue as information becomes more available to the masses.

Please, someone, get this man a glass of water

What separates me from my parents, their parents, so forth is i grew up with access to the internet, the ability to read and learn about anything i wanted, all they knew was what they were taught by their parents, i have more options to pursue what feels right for me. Those before me didn't have the same options i do with all the knowledge that a few pushes on a keyboard with google can bring. Those before us really only had one thing in the religious category that they knew about, and doors opened up for us presenting us with many different belief systems and religions, it has become more of a people know can carve their own paths instead of going down ones already laid out for us. The ability to be more independent in your religious beliefs i think is quiet nice.

I love this guy's message and delivery. I'm going to add him to my bedtime, relaxing talkers line up. David Butler is still king.

I asked my late twenties Vanuatu taxi driver if he thought it was good or bad that the missionaries changed their culture? He looked me in the eye and said "It was good for you ". "Why is that?" I replied. "He said "Because you probably would taste pretty good".

I have 1 child. My mom had 2. My grandmother had 4. My great grandmother had 8 and wasn't even sure of how many brothers and sisters she had. Her estimate was around 20. Birth control and the internet didn't do religion any favors.

What a relief to hear this. Now 7 years later it's even more so.

Old catholic school joke: "How can you tell the private catholic school kids from the public school kids? The catholic school kids are all atheists." Ha. Sloghtly true. As one myself, I say, "I put my time in."

"You have to be raised with religion to find it natural." Exactly so.

If you don’t grow up with it, you don’t miss it.

I was raised with religion but once I reached third grade, I began asking very uncomfortable questions, the answer for which was either "because it just is" or "do as I say" and neither was satisfying. It caused me to look at actual evidence and realized it is more a grand, shared illusion to enrich a church. I realized if I looked at a church as just another business on main street, things clicked. The difference was they sold lies wrapped as comfort and hatred as love. It was a telling moment for me and I've rejected it out of whole cloth since.

I'm British, 62 years old, and when I had a count up the other day the total number of people I've met in my life who were in any way religious is 12. Half of those were relatives of people I actually knew like their parents who I met only once or twice. Ok so it's 12 too many but I think it throws these censuses into doubt. Many people will reflexively say they are whatever religion their parents are whilst not actually believing themselves or going to church. It's kind of like an ethnic thing rather than a religious one to them. If 50% of the population really was religious in the UK I would have thought I'd have met a lot more of them.

Actually, I'm a US citizen in my sixties and abandoned religion for naturalism fairly recently. It does happen.

*guy talks from an unbiased standpoint about the social and economic causes of religious decline* *comment section wages war over religion vs secularism*

Raised Catholic. I never believed any of it (except Santa Clause). When I got a bit older, I found that it is an option. My parents allowed me to stop going to church. They stopped themselves because they had never believed it-- but they just followed the teaching that it was a good idea to raise a child with religion. That was sometime in the 1970s. I have been non-religious/athiest since.

I am 67, catholic, when I was young in catholic school I was taught to be honest, kind to others, help others, don't judge others, don't try to force your beliefs on other. Teach by example, treat others as you want to be treated. The priest and nuns didn't talk about thier politics , my priest always said if someone believes in God that is good, that there is only one God he is just in many forms. I always took that to mean we all believe in the same God just know him in different ideas. I was always taught to respect others and thier opinions. The key is respect

I can live well without any religion, and feel pretty comfortable with my agnosticism.

Once you begin to question religion,, it begins to not make sense anymore, and when that happens it's over

I once asked religious friends why god created genetic disorders such as autism and downsyndrome. The answer I got was that I should just focus on my life. Is it so hard to just say "we don't know"?

I miss religion when trying to comfort a loved one, or avoiding harsh truths with children, and wishing justice on untouchable scoundrels. But I firmly believe that seeking solace in magical thinking is antithetical to real solutions to all these conundrums.

Buuuurn..."most of the world is religious, but most of the world is underdeveloped..."

Ok, make up your mind, either get in the red circle or get out!

My grandparents, parents, and aunt and uncle ALL of whom (except my father's father who was always staunchly atheist) were at least midly religious early in their early to middle adulthood, ALL lost all religion and vocally and vehemently denied the validity of all religious belief by the time they were 60.

The faster we rid ourselves of the burden of organized religion, the faster we will evolve away from greed and selfishness.

These comment sections are always so friendly and understanding :)))))

It seems pretty straightforward to me. As societies develop, people acquire more education and more leisure time. They aren't struggling so hard just to survive. The simple, magical answers provided by religion no longer satisfy.

When we have conception of that's it,means we have chosen to close all the doors to progress further. We forget that progress is a journey never destination. Whatever we achieve is just one more milestones never final goal /achievement.

My husband and I were very fortunate to escape the Seventh Day Adventist church/cult. Life is soooooo much better and we’re far happier!!

Reason for decline in religion? More and more people have come to see that what really exists has nothing at all in common with what religion says exists. Many people also come to see that "religious" people are not necessarily better people than those without religion and that one can be a good person without it. Many feel that if religion doesn't make you a better person, then why bother with it? Fewer and fewer sensible people are willing to base their lives upon superstition and claims which are totally without evidence. Religion can only thrive where Belief and Faith supersede reason, rationality, and evidence. Fortunately, there are fewer and fewer people where this obtains.

I don’t need religion or a higher power because I am ok “not knowing everything” I don’t need an explanation for everything that is or happens in life. I don’t need to belong to any group to feel safe or loved. The world as it is, is magical and loving enough for me.

Voltaire made similar claims 250 years ago. This also fails to deal with the biological determinism that atheism necessitates. Most people like to live as though they actually have and make choices. Western civilization had little use for the weak and valued honor and strength far more than love prior to the rise of Christianity. The notions of equality and inherent rights so often associated with the Enlightenment are based on Judeo-Christian anthropology, not Greek and Roman. Lastly, you never know when people are or are not going to experience God. I doubt many Romans gave Christianity much of a thought in 60 CE. In short, this talk is based on some presuppositions that are not necessarily true.

One further point to add to my comment is that, there is a trend toward traditionalism within religious groups which was not there 50 years ago where there was a trend toward modernisation within religious groups. That is, there is a sense of less religiosity, but in another sense there is more religiosity among those who remain religious within a more secular society, especially with younger people.

If a perfect omnipotent, omnipresent god existed, who wanted us to believe in him, that god would know exactly how much evidence it would take to convince every single person of its existence.

This man has developed thoughts about religion, whereas most commentators here are merely uttering their emotions and expressing their narrow egotistical world view.

My grandmother was born in the late 1800s in Australia. She was a modern strong woman. Non religious, left her body to science, as did my mother. Imo those that are better educated tend to be less religious. Here in Australia I don't know any religious person in my circle of family and friends

Can't come soon enough. I was dragged to church, most Sundays, throughout my school years, but never connected with any aspect of it ... if anything, the longer I was involved the more the unanswered questions, and evidence of hypocrisy, piled up, which sent me in the exact opposite direction ... science, reason, and reading broadly. When I was finally released from the obligation, it saddened my olde-world father, but I finally felt free of a "nonsensical charade". Realizing I was "Progressive, Humanitarian and atheist" just seemed natural, and sensible. Personally, I think that time would've been far more valuable to society if they taught kids; nutrition, growing, and cooking, food ... or personal finance ... or empathy, and special needs awareness ... or critical thinking ... or animal care, and conservation ... other languages ... almost, any trade or skill would do

I always wondered where Catholicism got their ginormous numbers of adherents, until I learned the Vatican goes by the numbers of those baptized...once that happens and is documented, you are a Catholic forever...regardless.

When I was a child I was afraid of the dark, now that I'm grown up I see the dark for what it is, without light.

Great video and very well presented. One sure sign of religious decline, due to generational displacement, is regular church attendance, online or in person. Which is way down overall and continues to decline. Of course those whose thoughts are hostage to their religious beliefs won't believe that either, for that very reason.

Religious institutions have let us down, just like like civil institutions.... the difference between religion and spirituality has grown larger and people will tend towards there own personal beliefs. This is a good thing!

I believed in god as a child because my parents were believers and everyone we associated with. When I began to think for myself it became obvious to me that everyone was simply pretending to believe in god. I found myself alone in my genuine belief and asked god to reveal himself to me. He did not. I became an atheist at 10 years old. I am 62 now and have never once felt the need for a god or a belief in god. People who know I'm an atheist often tell me they are not religious but still feel there is a god. I know in reality they are no different than me, so I wonder what it is they are calling god. It must be something I also experience. I have concluded that god is simply everything we can't explain to ourselves. The natural limitations of our minds. It seems to fulfill what I observe in those believers around me. It is an excuse to stop thinking beyond a certain point. A crutch. It would be a good thing if we let go of this crutch and walk on our own two feet. Don't be afraid of life.

I hope he is correct. Maybe one day I will be able to see my Mormon grandchildren that are being kept away from me!

I fell out of religion at around 17 years old after meeting people of different faiths and social backgrounds. I couldn’t imagine a god that would burn these lovely people for all of eternity just for simply not believing in him/her. From my current perspective it all seems pretty silly. Like believing in Santa or the Tooth Fairy.

The biggest fallacy of this presentation is that it supposes everyone who claimed to be 'religious' in previous generations, actually were. Perhaps many felt pressured to be seen as religious by society? More accurate would be to determine who were actually religious in the sense of those who are religious today. For example, suppose there is only 1% of people who are outwardly religious in a secular society. A comparison would only be possible if we could know how many religious people of the past would remain outwardly religious in a secular society. The next problem with this presentation is that it treats the population of an underdeveloped society, as if it is the same group of people in a developed society -- this when he says that a society becomes more secular as it develops. The error is that by the time the society had developed, the people are mostly completely different people. The cases of rapid development where it is mostly the same group of people (eg., Saudi Arabia), disprove his thesis. Or, atleast show that when it is the same group of people, development doesn't have a significant impact on the rate of religious affiliation. Another problem is that he does not give much account for people raised in secular families who become religious later in life. A similar trend is seen in the Christianisation of cultures in that they became more Christian as they developed in the 18th and 19th centuries, and at times Christian societies experienced a decline of religiosity then experienced a revival of religiosity. The growth of Christianity with historical development, would serve to disprove his argument unless he replies that correlation does not mean causation -- but then he undermines his own argument. Consistency would require him to say that global religions which correlated with development, were part of the trend toward secularisation.

This phenomenon doesn't seem so obvious every four years in the US.

Religion is losing ground because people are increasingly more educated.

Life got easier and made more sense once I lost my faith.

Any data on the rise of faith in Joe Pesci?

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Who doesn't love a feel good story? ❤

Clearly the US did not get the memo. Oh, how much has happened since the summer of 2015, that none of us could have imagined.

Ahhh, what a soothing voice. I could listen to this man all day.

By all means I understand some of the reasons for the decline in numbers of people professing a faith in these times. In the west a huge contributor has to have been the abuse scandals in all churches, in more recent times people are prepared to stand up and inform about abuse, whereas historically a lot of abuse wasn't spoken about. These 'truths' about the behaviour of 'men' given a special rank within communities, have devastated same communities, when they hear the detail of the role religious leaders played in covering up said abuse, and also moving the abuser on to another unsuspecting parish to continue his abuse. they no longer trust what religious leaders have to say. So religious belief in a way, has been declining greatly in the west because of the behaviour of those who are tasked with teaching this way of life to us.

To be fair, with regard to the religious extremism, abuse and intolerance: perhaps - just *perhaps* - if certain religious people stopped being abusive and intolerant extremists, they'd have a better reputation. Perhaps if religious people stopped trying to cram their religion down the throats of people who are not interested in it and *instead* spent their energy keeping the _others who claim affiliation to that religion_ from being abusive and intolerant extremists (rather than just washing their hands of the situation and saying "Oh, those people aren't *TRUE* adherents of our religion!" as they so frequently do.) If they're not actively being abusive, intolerant and extreme, they're doing absolutely nothing to stop those who are.

Modern culture is evolving and fast. It's a new type of social evolution on the global level, thanks to Internet and modern communications. We are living in the beginning of the Post-religions Age.

If hypocrisy counted as a religion there would be no chance religion could ever disappear.

I grew up in it, left it & dont miss it. Im so much happier now that im awzy from religion.

As an American I have heard of things being a lot worse in places like Europe, true, in terms of religious decline. And yes in America there has also been a religious decline, true, though I suspect that it's not to as great an extent as Europe. However, I realize this video is a few years old, I have seen a trend in more recent years toward religion re-emerging, maybe I'm wrong but just a personal observation for me. Also though, yes religion may be on the decline right now in the West but I sorta disagree that it can't be reversed or that it's permanent. For one I sorta have this view that religion goes through cycles through history, in religious times people start to lose their religion, in less religious times people start to regain their religion. Although yes the decline does seem to have been happening over time. However, there are a few points to keep in mind. One is that yes generations shift, and although the generations now might seem to be losing their religion that is not an indication that future generations will necessarily be the same. Another is, yes governments and nations and cultures shift with time. Even religion itself shifts as time goes by. Even given the stability provided by the Bible in the Christian religion for example. In times of prosperity it can be easy for some people to desert their religion, that could be why in more modernized nations there's been some decline. However, another point to remember is demographics. Religious people generally believe in family and will most of the time have much more children than those without a religion. In the end, with these demographics the less religious people are likely to leave less of an imprint as time goes on. And with everything that's been going on in the world these days, people have been turning to their faith more.

Less people will believe, but the ones that keep believing believes Harder.

Woody Allen: "I was born into the Hebrew persuasion, but when I got older I converted to narcissism"

I was raised in a religion that I thought I believed in, until the need for a real honest faith became necessary. I had to get a personal relationship, without the religion getting in the way. The proof of a creator is obvious when you realize that there is no such thing as a "Simple " life form. There is no such thing as a simple cell. No matter how long you leave a pile of dead elements laying around, they cannot become more complex. Entropy is the law of chaos in the universe not things becoming more complicated, but complicated things breaking down into simpler substances. The one real fly in the ointment for evolution.

When you were born, you remembered nothing from the time before it happened. And when you die it will be like going to sleep but never waking up. You will not exist. Life is the time we have while alive. Death is just the end of that life and after death, it's gone. No religion will save you. We all are born once. And we all die once. Simple fact of all life.

"A mind once expanded, can never turn back."

Is this an ASMR video?

7 years later I think he has to rethink. REAL CHRISTIANITY is growing even in China. My husband and I ( both from dysfunctional non religious homes) became Christians, followers of Jesus Christ, in our teens. He transformed our thinking and the way we lived. We were virgins when we married 51 years ago and have never thought of not following Christ. Through financial struggles, cancers, mockery etc. The Lord has been a constant strength and reality to us. His loving kindness and faithful love our daily gift. The storms of life blow on the true believer as well as well as the unbeliever because we live in this fallen world but our lives are built on the solid ROCK, the Rock of Ages…..so we are not overcome. God will keep His people until the very end of the age. In the midst all of all falling away HE will help is to stay true.

My country is Christian in its majority. However, I have met some people who were raised strictly in the religion, and after years of struggling in finding answers, they are now atheists. It is difficult to believe by dogma, and every time you ask questions, things are labeled a "mystery", so it is really a problem. I am a scientist and always looking for information!

Observant child :- "Why aren't there any Christians or Muslims or jews or buddhists or Hindus in Star Treck? "Ah well, you see Dear, Star Treck takes place in the future"😅

Hearing about the irreversible decline of religion is music to my ears!!! :)

Not just religion, ideologies all forms of human constructs for advantage over the masses.

Can't say I've given it much thought. However since 'religions are 'human-made', can't imagine myself following any doctrine. And I say this knowing my own shortcomings as a human. Spirituality, yes. Too many happenings in my 85 years tell me there's a 'something' higher than myself running my show! grateful!!!

Possibly THE MOST melifluous voice I have EVER HEARD! A total pleasure to listen to.

You Tube is weakening religious enthusiasm by presenting intelligent secular arguments from a variety of sources. To the degree that the audience can hear those arguments, their beliefs will change. David makes a perfect after dinner speaker.

The Latin origin of the word is the same as ligament and ligature:relating to that which ties or unites

I know my picture gives me away, but, I’m of the opinion that this all has less to do with modernization as a process and more to do with prevailing cultural trends in the West. And the thing about cultural trends is, they always change.

As the printing press began the fall of the Catholic Church, the internet is ruining the entire game.

The decline of the dogma of religion and it's harmfull brainwashing is a good thing imo. HOWEVER ,decline in spirutuality(mainly practices such as meditation)would be a very very bad thing.

Good arguments based on social facts. But of course the term *religion* itself needs to be more carefully delineated (or defined). My guess is many people are aware of a spiritual dimension of life even if they don't practice any formal religion. So . . . is spirituality part of religion ? Or is it something totally separate and as yet not clearly defined ? To make sense of trends in the foreseeable future such questions (or similar ones) need to be addressed.

After being an early member of a church, I began evolving into a scientific materialist, however, I experienced an epiphany (Job 4: 13-15) during the controversial Vietnamese war. It made me believe that the spark of life is in every breathing human being and should be revered. Voas presents some thoughtful and learned observations.

It's not just the Western world, it's occuring in the Middle East, in Asia, and other parts of the world. The internet is a big part of this, due to it's ability to help people share their views, and for folks to have access to knowledge. Also, the extremism and violence that often occur at the hands of the religious turn many away from it. The events of January 6th at the Capital Building is just one example.

I grew up in a very religious family. That ended up driving me away from it even more, also, I actually looked at different points of view (especially science) which helped me drop religion. I've been happier since I've dropped religion.

I think the power of religion can be understood in new scientific terms. Peter Sloterdijk terms it 'Theopoesie', decribing the energetically effective performance of the human mind to find a language that creates an experience of God. I think in this energetic sense the future of humans will be more devine than it was. Very pleasant voice to listen to.

Hello.. It was a great talk to listen to. I must say for me religion/belief has been the biggest part of my life . I am currently a pastor in our church. But recently, due to my studies on the actual history of Africa and the African people , which was obviously intentionally left OUT of our western education. I learned that the bible is full of distorted versions of African tales and that over the years so much had been added and taken out . So that it all makes my belief and religion questionable. One then wonders if i could spend my hole life vested in all these alterations of our faith . To much of it is subject to who is in charge at the moment of belief. If i was born 4 decades ago my Christian faith would have been very different from what it now and it may change again in years to come, so what is real . If i was born to Muslim parents i would have been a completely different person. It is very much subject to who has your attention at the time , All beliefs are

You're telling me you don't think Disney is a religion? Have you not seen the devotion people give it. No my friend. Religion is like energy. It doesn't go away, it merely transforms.

I think that religion is declining because the internet and people now finding and searching for information online. Most religious people have been taught by their parents and took it as fact so when hearing other ideas online and learning more they decide they can no longer believe in their previous religious views.

Im very happy to hear this excellent speech. Religion has caused most of humanities atrocities against each other, its good that the younger generations are evolved enough to not fall into the trap of religion.

My takeaway; no matter how old the lie, it will always fall apart. Those who want the truth [future generations] always seek to change to root of the lie.

This is what the church feared so greatly from the medieval and Renaissance eras to actuality. The reason they insisted on dogma and persecuted various scientific minds such as Galilei.

I wonder if and how the results found may have changed after the past 4 to 5 years. I'm mostly curious to see more about the US, but I'm also curious about European and Canadian data. I am curious how the trends may change, if they do at all, because now that a small portion of a population is aware that there are social trends public behaviors may or may not be influenced by the results.