The Rise of the Nones in the US

by Khalidou Mohamed

Having read “The Push Away From Religion and the Pull Toward Secularity,” I want to share the three important ideas and my reactions as a humanist.

Important points;

“Push” factors drive people away from religion. The authors discuss how many leave religion because of negative experiences: moral disagreements, hypocrisy in religious institutions, conflict with personal identity, or doctrinal rigidity. These push factors make people question whether religious institutions deserve loyalty.

“Pull” factors draw people toward secular life and nonreligion. Some are attracted by autonomy, freedom from dogma, emphasis on reason, and alignment with modern scientific worldview. Secularity promises a space where people don’t need to defend beliefs by authority, but reason is open.

The rise of “nones” is complex, not monolithic. The authors caution against treating the “nones” as a uniform group. Many are spiritual, agnostic, or hold mixed beliefs. Their detachment from religion is not always an embrace of atheism, but often a reconfiguration of belief.

My feelings, thoughts, and reactions;

I find this piece honest and insightful. It matches many stories I’ve heard: leaving religion doesn’t always come from abandoning faith, but from disillusionment with hypocrisy or rigid rules. As a humanist, I recognize that faith systems often fail integrity tests, pushing sensitive people away.

The “pull” side resonates strongly. Freedom, reason, and autonomy are powerful draws. When someone realizes they don’t need an authority to justify their morality, that transition can be liberating. I’ve experienced that myself: rejecting dogmas allowed me to claim ownership of my values.

But I also agree with the authors that “nones” are not a single category. Many former believers still carry spiritual longing or cultural habits. Some prefer flexibility over strict atheism. That complexity must be respected. Humanists should not demand that every “none” becomes an atheist, instead, we should support freedom to think, whether one ends at atheism or agnosticism.

A caution: secularism sometimes becomes cold if it ignores emotional life. The authors imply that people often leave religion not because they reject God, but because religious institutions fail them socially or morally. So secular communities must build emotional support, meaning, and belonging, not just intellectual critique. Otherwise the vacuum is still there, and people may turn back to religion or fall into radical ideologies.

In summary, the rise of the nones reflects deeper changes in belief, authority, and identity. As a humanist, I hope this trend encourages more open dialogue, respect for conscience, and communities built on reason, empathy, and integrity.