This could be significant. For a long time, women have been more religious/spiritual than males. Also, women who were skeptical of Christianity joined alternative religions. Say Theosophy, Spiritualism or New Age. But now, it seems that young women in the United States are increasingly dropping out of religion altogether, and a faster rate than males.
Other surveys suggest that the typical American atheist is a young White college-educated male, so this could indicate a change in the atheist subculture, as well.
Personally, I doubt that this mindshift towards atheism and irreligion is sustainable. Let alone global. Bracing myself for a rebirth of Neo-Paganism followed by a Christian revival when the kids turn 35. If that´s good, bad or ugly, is another topic entirely...
Off topic. Om en nedtystad övergreppshärva med kopplingar till CIA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCSZ9fsqsu8
ReplyDeleteComparatively:
ReplyDeletehttps://sweden.se/life/society/religion-in-sweden
https://www.taurillon.org/belonging-without-believing-cultural-religion-in-secular-sweden?lang=fr
ReplyDeleteBoth are surprisingly accurate. Do the authors live in Sweden? The situation was similar when I was still in school. "Everyone" was a member of the Church of Sweden, but "no one" actually attended any Church services. You went to church maybe three times a year: the closing ceremonies of the school semesters, and St Lucy´s Day (Lucia). But both could also be celebrated at school. I think I was in church exactly once during my time in school (or *maybe* twice), probably around Advent Sunday. And that was dubbed "an educational visit to a church", Muslims and Jews could apply not to attend! The confirmation camps for youth...ha ha, yes, everyone I met said they attended these camps only to get a bike or similar expensive gift from their parents (expensive for 15-year olds). There were also scouting unions, I never signed up, my parents were surprised to learn that scouts (nominally) are supposed to believe in God?!
ReplyDeleteYes, the first article is from the Swedish Institute (Stockholm) and second is from The New Federalist published by the JEF (Young European Federalists) in Brussels with the contributing author granted Erasmus Mundus Master of Euroculture from Uppsala U. and U. of Strasbourg.
DeleteI was a Boy Scout and hence had to learn the Scout Law "to do my duty to God and country." We have at least two Sankta Lucia pageant here put on by an Evangelical Covenant church "of Lutheran Pietist roots" (see wiki) and North Park University.
Hope you were a friendly gnome!
PS: Some evenings we're watching Wallander which is set in Ystadt.
DeleteWhen I said "exactly one", I mean that literally. That is, exactly once during my entire time in school (say 12 years).
ReplyDeleteA propos the articles, stuff like Christmas stars or Lucia pageants are hardly seen as religious, it´s a cultural thing you simply do because you´re Swedish. I was the "gnome" in a Lucia pageant once, ha ha, think I was about ten years old.
ReplyDeleteI had to look it up, a Tomte, who likes a bowl of risgrynsgröt with a pat of butter on top.
DeleteYes, the gnome is dressed in a grey outfit, a red jacket, a red hat, and carries a lantern. Today, gnomes have been mostly replaced by Santa Claus in the St Lucy´s Day celebrations! Haven´t seen a gnome in decades! :D
Delete"Tomte" can mean both Santa and gnome (including the old guardian-spirit variety), so to tell them apart Santa is called "jultomte", his nice gnomish assistant is "tomtenisse" while the old guardian-spirit is either "hustomte" or just "tomte".
DeleteToday, "tomte" can also be an insult, meaning "kook", "stupid person" or something to that effect.
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