Irreligion

Irreligion is the absence or rejection of religious beliefs or practices. It encompasses a wide range of viewpoints drawn from various philosophical and intellectual perspectives, including atheism, agnosticism, skepticism, rationalism, and secularism. These perspectives can vary, with individuals who identify as irreligious holding a diverse array of specific beliefs about religion or its role in their lives.^[1]

According to the Pew Research Center's 2012 global study of 230 countries and territories, 16% of the world's population does not identify with any religion.^[2] A 2017 Worldwide Independent Network/Gallup International Association report on a poll from 57 countries reported that 25% said they were not a religious person, and 9% responded as "convinced atheists".^[3]

The population of the religiously unaffiliated, sometimes referred to as "nones", has grown significantly in recent years.^[4] Measurement of irreligiosity requires great cultural sensitivity, especially outside the West, where the concepts of "religion" or "the secular" are not always rooted in local culture.^[5] Those who do not affiliate with a religion are diverse. Pew Research Center's global study from 2012 noted that many of the nonreligious overlap with some religious measures.^[6]^[7]

^ Eldridge, Stephen. "Irreligion | Definition, Overview, & Examples | Britannica". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
^ Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life (18 December 2012). "The Global Religious Landscape". Retrieved 18 December 2012.
^ "Religion prevails in the world" (PDF). WIN/Gallup International. 14 November 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
^ Lipka, Michael (2 April 2015). "7 Key Changes in the Global Religious Landscape". Pew Research Center.
^ Zuckerman, Phil; Galen, Luke W.; Pasquale, Frank L. (2016). "Secularity Around the World". In: The Nonreligious: Understanding Secular People and Societies. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 6–8, 13–15, 32–34.
^ Cite error: The named reference Pew Global Unaffiliated 12/2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Unaff Yet Rel was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1] Eldridge, Stephen. "Irreligion | Definition, Overview, & Examples | Britannica". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 14 April 2024.

[Pew_Global-2] Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life (18 December 2012). "The Global Religious Landscape". Retrieved 18 December 2012.

[3] "Religion prevails in the world" (PDF). WIN/Gallup International. 14 November 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2018.

[4] Lipka, Michael (2 April 2015). "7 Key Changes in the Global Religious Landscape". Pew Research Center.

[5] Zuckerman, Phil; Galen, Luke W.; Pasquale, Frank L. (2016). "Secularity Around the World". In: The Nonreligious: Understanding Secular People and Societies. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 6–8, 13–15, 32–34.

[Pew_Global_Unaffiliated_12/2012-6] Cite error: The named reference Pew Global Unaffiliated 12/2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Unaff_Yet_Rel-7] Cite error: The named reference Unaff Yet Rel was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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