Can you score 5 out of 5 on this quiz about religiously unaffiliated Americans?

By Kelsey Dallas

Last week, Pew Research Center released — and I wrote about — an in-depth new study on religious “nones,” the group of Americans who do not affiliate with a religious group.

As of 2023, 28% of U.S. adults fall into this category because they describe themselves as atheist (17%), agnostic (20%) or “nothing in particular” (63%).

In my story about the findings, I did my best to highlight key takeaways from the survey, but there were many interesting data points that didn’t make the cut.

I want to try something new in this week’s newsletter and highlight some of those numbers in the form of a quiz. The correct answers are listed at the bottom.

Nearly 9 in 10 religiously affiliated Americans (87%) believe in heaven. What percentage of nones do?

A. 44%.

B. 17%.

C. 36%.

D. 57%.

When Americans are asked to explain what factors help them decide between right and wrong, the same answer rises to the top among religiously affiliated people and nones. What is that answer?

A. They don’t want to hurt people.

B. How they were raised.

C. They don’t want to get in trouble.

D. Their religious beliefs.

What percentage of nones identify as or lean Republican?

A. 31%.

B. 45%.

C. 11%.

D. 19%.

Pew asked respondents to fill in this blank: Religion does ____________ in American society. What was the least common response among the nones?

A. More harm than good.

B. More good than harm.

C. Equal amounts of good and harm.

What percentage of religiously affiliated Americans go to a worship service at least monthly?

A. 61%.

B. 73%.

C. 41%.

D. 50%.

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My recent reporting on the “nones” reminded me of a story I read earlier this month about the state of American religion in 2024. The story featured a conversation between Daniel Cox of the Survey Center for American Life and scholar Claude S. Fischer.

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2024/1/30/24053132/religion-quiz-religious-nonreligious-americans