Not true historically that God was a Democrat or a Republican. We’ve lived through an unusual period where there was too close of an association of politics and religion. And political leaders and religious leaders have paid a price for this — Republican political leaders in the current election cycle and religious leaders in the “young nones” fleeing the church.
Putnam and Campbell also discuss the “young nones” more: Since 1990, there’s been a sharp rise in alienation among young people who came of age during the heyday of the religious right. The percentages of young Americans who say they have “no religion have skyrocketed since 1990 (from 5% to 35% and climbing). They are leaving not because they are not religious (they are) but because they see organized religion as being Republican and homophobic, when these young nones are typically politically moderate or liberal.
They also discuss public attitudes towards Mormonism, abortion, the Tea Party, and attitudes towards mixing of religion and politics in the 2012 political campaign.
Hear full CNN Profiles interview here.
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