ABSTRACT
Scholars of religion in the United States have been using the term “nones” since the 1960s, despite some qualms about its connotations. The term refers to people who answer a survey question about their religion by saying they have no religion, no particular religion, no religious preference, or the like. Most religiously unaffiliated Americans think that churches and other religious institutions benefit society by strengthening community bonds and aiding the poor. Americans describe their religious affiliation in terms that more closely match their level of involvement in churches and other religious organizations. Young adults are also less likely than older adults to report that when they were growing up, their parents attended religious services regularly. Compared with other adults in the general public, the unaffiliated are less likely to say that belonging to a community of people who share their beliefs and values is very important to them.
