By Christy Barritt

Religion Losing Influence

A recent Gallup poll revealed that 77 percent of Americans believe religion is losing its influence on American society. Only 20 percent of those surveyed said that its influence is on the rise. The poll results showed the most negative evaluation of religion’s influence in America since 1970.

Since the question was first addressed in 1957, Americans have generally said that religion is losing its influence. The years that were exceptions were 2005 and 2001.

“The degree to which these views changed during the Reagan years, and after 9/11, suggest that they could change again in the years ahead,” said Gallup Editor-in-Chief Frank Newport.

Of those surveyed, 77 percent of those who attend church weekly felt that religion was losing its influence. Conservatives and Republicans were also more likely to agree with that statement.

Majority of Americans Oppose Obamacare

A CNN poll in May of this year showed that 54 percent of Americans are opposed to the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare.”

Of those opposed to it, 35 percent of Americans said it was because they believe Obamacare is too liberal, while 16 percent said they feel the legislation isn’t liberal enough. Only 43 percent of the public fully support the plan, which was signed into law in 2010.

There’s also a partisan split in the results. Only 16 percent of Republicans favor the plan, while almost 75 percent of Democrats supported it.

Support for the act is low among senior citizens as well. Only 31 percent of those in this demographic said they were in favor of the changes. This survey’s results showed little changes from the previous year.

Nearly Half of China Claims Atheism

The Global Index of Religion and Atheism, put together by WIN/Gallup International, found that 47 percent of people living in China describe themselves as atheists, making it the world’s top atheist country.

Other top atheist countries are the Czech Republic, France, South Korea, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Iceland, Australia, and Ireland.

The top 10 countries with a notable decline in religiosity include Vietnam, Ireland, Switzerland, France, South Africa, Iceland, Ecuador, Canada, Austria, and the United States.

In 2005, 73 percent of people in the United States said they were religious. In 2012, only 60 percent claimed that trait. Globally, atheism rose by three percent.

The top spiritual countries include Ghana, Nigeria, Armenia, Fiji, Iraq, and Brazil.

Moms Primary Providers in Nearly Half of U.S. Homes

A new report based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that 40 percent of households with children have “breadwinner moms.”

A breadwinner mom is one who is the sole or primary source of income for households with children younger than 18.

The Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends analyzed the data to get these results.

Two groups of moms were included in this report. Thirty-seven percent were married mothers who had higher incomes than their husbands, and 63 percent were single mothers. The median income for married moms was $79,800, compared with $23,000 for single mothers.

Another study by the Pew Research Center showed 67 percent of Americans believe women working outside of the home has made it easier for families to earn enough to live comfortably, while 50 percent said this fact makes it harder for marriages to be successful.

Christy Barritt is an award-winning author, freelance writer, and speaker living in Chesapeake, Virginia. She and her husband Scott have two sons.
www.christybarritt.com