UNITED STATES, December 15, 2025 (RNS): Americans who had a positive religious experience as kids are most likely to keep the same faith as adults. Those who had negative experiences are most likely to change faiths or give up on religion. And while a majority (56%) of Americans still identify with their childhood faith, a third (35%) have switched — including 20% who now say they have no religion. Those are among the findings of a new report from Pew Research Center, based on data from Pew’s 2023-24 U.S. Religious Landscape Study and a survey of 8,937 American adults conducted between May 5 and May 11. Researchers asked Americans what religion they’d been raised in as well as their current religion, then asked those who switched or left their childhood faith about why things changed. They also asked Americans who are religious why they remain part of that faith. Many cited their faith’s beliefs (64%) as the top reason they retained their faith, along with having their spiritual needs met (61%) or finding meaning in life (51%) through faith. Only about a third (32%) said the faith’s social or political teachings are important reasons to keep their faith.

Many of those who left their childhood faith and now have no religion say they don’t need religion and don’t believe, the survey suggests. Among the most important factors were that they stopped believing their faith’s teachings (51%), that religion was no longer important to them (44%) and that they gradually drifted away (42%). Scandals involving religious leaders (34%), unhappiness about social and political teachings (38%) or the way that the religion treats women (29%) were also factors. Researchers also asked those who have no religion about why they are not affiliated with a faith. Among the most important reasons were that they feel they can be moral without a religion (78%), that they question religious teaching (64%) and that they don’t need religion to be spiritual (54%). About half said they don’t trust religious organizations (50%) or religious leaders (49%). About 30% of Americans say they have no religion — a figure that has remained constant since 2020.

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https://religionnews.com/2025/12/15/why-do-people-keep-their-religion-why-they-leave-a-new-pew-report-has-some-clues/

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