{"id":69533,"date":"2024-01-24T09:50:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-24T14:50:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2024\/01\/24\/are-nones-spiritual-instead-of-religious\/"},"modified":"2024-12-20T13:40:34","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T18:40:34","slug":"are-nones-spiritual-instead-of-religious","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/01\/24\/are-nones-spiritual-instead-of-religious\/","title":{"rendered":"5. Are \u2018nones\u2019 spiritual instead of religious?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In our survey, 49% of \u201cnones\u201d say they think of themselves as spiritual or that spirituality is very important in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And 54% say they sometimes do things (like centering themselves, spending time in nature, meditating, exercising or practicing yoga) to connect with something bigger than themselves, with other people, or with their own \u201ctrue self.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new survey also finds that most \u201cnones\u201d believe animals other than humans can have spirits or spiritual energies. Many also say this about cemeteries or other memorial sites, parts of nature like mountains and rivers, and certain objects like jewels or stones. And three-in-ten \u201cnones\u201d own things (like jewelry, crystals or a home shrine) or have body markings or piercings for spiritual purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, while many \u201cnones\u201d exhibit spirituality in these ways, these beliefs, practices and identities tend not to be unique to \u201cnones.\u201d In many cases, people who identify with a religion tend to be as spiritual or even more<\/em> spiritual than \u201cnones\u201d in these ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, religiously affiliated adults are 30 percentage points more likely than \u201cnones\u201d to think of themselves as spiritual or to say spirituality is very important in their lives (79% vs. 49%). And religiously affiliated Americans are just as likely as \u201cnones\u201d to say they spend time centering themselves or spend time in nature in search of a connection with something bigger, other people or their own \u201ctrue self.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chart<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How many \u2018nones\u2019 are spiritual?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We classify about half of U.S. \u201cnones\u201d as spiritual because they say \u201cyes\u201d when asked if they think of themselves as spiritual or they say spirituality is very important in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By comparison, 79% of religiously affiliated adults are spiritual in these ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among \u201cnones,\u201d most people who describe their religion as \u201cnothing in particular\u201d are spiritual. Most agnostics and atheists are not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most Black \u201cnones\u201d (72%) are spiritual, as are 55% of Hispanic \u201cnones.\u201d Fewer White and Asian \u201cnones\u201d say they are spiritual or that spirituality is very important in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNones\u201d who are women are more likely than \u201cnones\u201d who are men to be spiritual. And more \u201cnones\u201d older than 50 are spiritual compared with \u201cnones\u201d under 30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Table<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What does being \u2018spiritual\u2019 mean to \u2018nones\u2019?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Table<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We asked all spiritual people in the survey a series of questions about what being spiritual means to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether they are \u201cnones\u201d or religiously affiliated, most spiritual people say being connected with something bigger than themselves is \u201cessential\u201d to what being spiritual means to them. Most also say this about being connected with their \u201ctrue self.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, majorities of spiritual \u201cnones\u201d say being open-minded and being connected with nature are essential parts of what being spiritual means to them, while half or fewer of spiritual people who identify with a religion say this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most spiritual people who identify with a religion say being connected with God is essential to what being spiritual means to them, and half say following a religious faith is a core part of their spirituality. \u201cNones\u201d who are spiritual are far less likely to say these things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with something beyond or with someone who has passed away<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In our survey, 38% of \u201cnones\u201d say they have ever experienced a \u201csudden or unexpected feeling of connection with something from beyond this world,\u201d while 25% say they feel the presence of something beyond this world at least several times a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, 35% of \u201cnones\u201d say they have ever experienced a strong feeling that someone who is dead is communicating with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among \u201cnones,\u201d these experiences are all more common for those whose religion is \u201cnothing in particular\u201d than for atheists and agnostics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feelings of connection with something beyond this world are more common among \u201cnones\u201d who are women than \u201cnones\u201d who are men, and among Black and Hispanic \u201cnones\u201d compared with White and Asian \u201cnones.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Table<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Belief that spiritual energies can be located in nature, animals, places, objects<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Six-in-ten \u201cnones\u201d say they believe animals other than humans can have spirits or spiritual energies, while 54% say the same about parts of nature (like mountains, rivers or trees) and 47% say this about graveyards, cemeteries or other memorial sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fewer \u201cnones\u201d say objects like crystals, jewels or stones can have spiritual energies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atheists are less likely than agnostics and people whose religion is \u201cnothing in particular\u201d to believe spiritual energies can be located in animals, parts of nature, memorial sites or objects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And these beliefs are less common among \u201cnones\u201d who are men than \u201cnones\u201d who are women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The survey also finds that the oldest \u201cnones\u201d (those older than 65) are less likely than younger \u201cnones\u201d to believe animals, nature, places and objects can have spirits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Table<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Possessions and body markings for spiritual reasons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We also asked respondents whether they have a number of things \u201cfor spiritual purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Table<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Among \u201cnones,\u201d 16% say they have crystals for spiritual purposes, 15% have jewelry, 13% own a cross, 11% keep a shrine, altar or icon at home, and 11% have a tattoo or piercing for spiritual purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Religiously affiliated people are far more likely than \u201cnones\u201d to say they have a cross for spiritual purposes. Otherwise, the differences between \u201cnones\u201d and religiously affiliated people are fairly modest on these questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Return to the report\u2019s Overview<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find answers to other questions: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n