Source 1: the majority of Americans believe in God

Question

but it's a different story in Britain
where in 2009 people of no religion
outnumbered Christians for the first
time and it's not the only country where
religion is in decline in Israel only
39% of the population consider
themselves a religious person in Norway
it's 30 percent in Japan just 13 percent
but China surpasses them all only 9
percent of Chinese people report
themselves as being religious and the
majority say they are committed a
theists making China the least religious
country in the world but how reliable
are the polls in China the Communist
government is officially atheist and
religious freedom is restricted in the
country so it's likely that many Chinese
people who hold religious beliefs do not
report it but globally the picture is
very different 84 percent of the world's
population say they are affiliated to a
religious group around 7 percent a
Buddhist 15 percent are Hindu 24 percent
are Muslim but the largest religious
group are Christian making up nearly a
third of the world's 7.5 billion people
but this is set to change it's predicted
there will be almost as many Muslims as
Christians by 2050
this is because Muslims on average are
younger than members of other religions
and they have more children this has
made Islam
the fastest-growing religion in the
world the religious profile of the world
is changing but even in areas where
religious affiliation is declining
spirituality is not America has become
less religious in recent years but the
percentage of non-religious Americans
who say they often feel spiritual has
risen globally 15 percent of atheists
believe in life after death
so if faith deserts you here there's
always the Hereafter.
Source 2: Introduction
In the United States, religious service attendance plays a significant role in the lives of many individuals. However, over the past few decades, there has been a decline in regular attendance at religious services. This resource aims to explore the findings from Gallup surveys regarding religious service attendance in the United States, including trends among different religious groups and the factors contributing to the decline.

Key Findings
1. Overall Attendance: Only three in 10 American adults report attending religious services regularly, with 21% attending every week and 9% attending almost every week.

2. Most Observant Groups: The most observant religious groups in terms of attendance are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) with two-thirds attending weekly or nearly weekly, followed by Protestants (44%), Muslims (38%), and Catholics (33%).

3. Seldom or Never Attend: A significant portion of the population, 56%, seldom (25%) or never (31%) attend religious services.

4. Jewish, Orthodox, Buddhist, and Hindu Attendance: Majority of Jewish, Orthodox, Buddhist, and Hindu Americans seldom or never attend religious services. However, 26% of Orthodox adults, 22% of Jewish adults, 14% of Buddhist adults, and 13% of Hindu adults attend services regularly.

5. No Religious Affiliation: Americans with no religious affiliation, including atheists and agnostics, are unlikely to attend church, with only 3% reporting weekly or nearly weekly attendance.

Long-Term Decline in Attendance
1. Two-Decade Decline: Over the past two decades, there has been a decline in regular attendance at religious services. In 2000-2003, 42% of U.S. adults attended services every week or nearly every week. This figure fell to 38% a decade ago and currently stands at 30%.

2. Influence of No Religious Affiliation: The increase in the percentage of Americans with no religious affiliation, from 9% in 2000-2003 to 21% in 2021-2023, has contributed significantly to the decline in attendance. The majority of individuals with no religious affiliation do not attend services regularly.
3. Decline Among Religious Groups: Most religious groups have also experienced a decline in regular attendance over the past two decades. Catholics show one of the larger drops, from 45% to 33%, followed by Orthodox (nine percentage points) and Hindu followers (eight points).

4. Exceptions to the Decline: Muslim and Jewish Americans have shown slight increases in religious service attendance over the past two decades. The percentage of Muslim adults attending mosque regularly increased from 34% in 2000-2003 to 38% currently, while synagogue attendance among Jewish Americans increased from 15% to 22%.

Factors Influencing Attendance
1. Younger Americans: Younger adults, particularly those aged 18-29, exhibit weaker attachments to religion. More individuals in this age group (35%) report having no religious preference compared to those identifying as Protestant/nondenominational Christian (32%) or Catholic (19%). Additionally, young adults, regardless of religious preference, are less likely to attend religious services, with only 22% attending regularly.

2. Importance of Religion: Other Gallup indicators, such as the importance of religion to Americans and formal membership in churches and other houses of worship, also reflect the declining trend in religious service attendance.

Conclusion
Religious service attendance in the United States has experienced a decline over the past few decades, with only three in 10 adults attending services regularly. While some religious groups have shown slight increases in attendance, the overall trend points towards a decrease in regular attendance. Factors such as the rise in individuals with no religious affiliation and weaker attachments to religion among younger Americans contribute to this decline. Understanding these trends can provide insights into the changing landscape of religious observance in the United States.

How are both sources similar?

Provide evidence that is corroborated by these documents.

Based on info from both spurces what claim can be made and what evidence supports the claim?

Answer 1

Both sources address the decline in religious affiliation and practice, particularly in Western countries like the United States and Britain, while suggesting that this trend is part of a broader global shift in religious beliefs.

Similarities:

1. Decline in Religious Affiliation:

   • Source 1 states that in Britain, people of no religion outnumbered Christians for the first time in 2009, highlighting a trend of declining religious belief in Western countries.
   • Source 2 mentions that Americans with no religious affiliation have increased from 9% in 2000-2003 to 21% in 2021-2023, underscoring a similar decline in religious identification.

2. Trends in Attendance:

   • Source 1 indicates a general decline in religious belief, suggesting a global trend with regions like Israel, Norway, and Japan reporting low numbers of religious individuals.
   • Source 2 provides quantitative data revealing that only three in 10 American adults report attending religious services regularly, with a notable increase in the percentage of those who seldom or never attend.

3. Youth and Religion:

   • Source 1 notes that even though faith is declining in places like America, many non-religious people still feel spiritual.
   • Source 2 highlights that younger Americans exhibit weaker attachments to organized religion, with a significant portion of them (35%) reporting no religious affiliation.

Claim and Supporting Evidence:

Claim: A significant decline in religious affiliation and service attendance is occurring, especially among younger populations, which indicates a shift towards secularism in Western societies.

Supporting Evidence:

1. Decline in Affiliation: Source 1 indicates that religion is in decline in various countries, notably in Western contexts. Source 2 supports this by providing statistics showing an increase in the proportion of Americans identifying as having no religious affiliation.

2. Service Attendance: Source 2 reveals that only 30% of American adults attend religious services regularly, which reflects the overall trend of declining religious practice also suggested in Source 1.

3. Youth Detachment: Source 1 mentions the increase in spiritual feelings among non-religious people, which aligns with Source 2's findings that younger adults are less likely to engage in religious services and have increasingly identified as non-religious.

Summary

Both sources effectively highlight the decreasing influence of organized religion in contemporary society, supported by statistical trends from polls and surveys. The trend—particularly among younger generations—suggests a shift towards secularism, as evidenced by increased non-affiliation and lower regular attendance at religious services.