Neighbors with no religion
What neighbors with no religion think, what they celebrate, and what they wish you’d just ask.
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Questions people ask
- Are atheists and agnostics the same? No, but they overlap. An atheist doesn’t believe in God or gods. 2 min read
- Can you be a good person without religion? Yes. People without religion can be kind, honest and generous, and many are. 2 min read
- What happens when we die? What do different faiths teach? Every major tradition has a teaching about death, and no two are quite the same, though many share a shape. 4 min read
- What if my child leaves our faith? It’s one of the most painful things a religious parent can face. 3 min read
- Why do people change religions? For every reason you can think of, and then some. 3 min read
Through time
More than 15,000 years ago: Native peoples in North AmericaAbout 2000 BC: Abraham answers God's callAbout 1500 BC: The Rig VedaAbout 1450 BC: The Exodus and the Torah at SinaiAbout 500 BC: The Buddha teachesAbout 400 BC to AD 200: The Bhagavad GitaAbout 250 BC: Emperor AshokaAbout 6 BC: Jesus is bornAbout AD 30: Jesus' death and resurrectionAD 610: The Qur'an's revelation beginsAD 622: The Hijra1469: Guru Nanak is born1699: The Khalsa is founded1791: The First Amendment1820: The First VisionApril 6, 1830: The Church is organized1965: Immigration and Nationality Act1978: American Indian Religious Freedom Act 1787: No religious test for office1791: The First Amendment1961: Torcaso v. Watkins2007: 16 percent unaffiliated2014: 23 percent unaffiliated2023–24: 29 percent unaffiliated
- 1787No religious test for office. The Constitution says no religious test shall ever be required to hold federal office or public trust.
- 1791The First Amendment. The First Amendment is ratified, keeping the federal government from setting up an official religion.
- 1961Torcaso v. Watkins. The Supreme Court rules Maryland cannot make Roy Torcaso declare belief in God to serve as a notary public.
- 200716 percent unaffiliated. A large Pew Research Center survey finds that 16 percent of U.S. adults have no religious affiliation.
- 201423 percent unaffiliated. Pew's next large survey finds the share of religiously unaffiliated adults has grown to 23 percent.
- 2023–2429 percent unaffiliated. Pew finds 29 percent of U.S. adults are atheist, agnostic or "nothing in particular," a share that has leveled off.
On the show
- I'm an atheist. Am I still your neighbor? One Question, Two NeighborsA pastor and an atheist neighbor Recording soon · about 15 min