Ask Americans what their religion is, and nearly 1 in 3 say this -- none. That’s according to the U.S. adults surveyed by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Mike Dulak grew up Catholic in Southern California, but by his teen years, he began skipping Mass and driving straight to the shore to play guitar, watch the waves and enjoy the beauty of the morning. “And it felt more spiritual than any time I set foot in a church,” he recalled.

Nothing has changed that view in the ensuing decades.

“Most religions are there to control people and get money from them,” said Dulak, now 76, of Rocheport, Missouri. He also cited sex abuse scandals in Catholic and Southern Baptist churches. “I can’t buy into that,” he said.

  • @protovack
    7•1 year ago

    is this the part where twenty somethings on the internet gather to exclaim loudly “I hate hypocrites too”?

    then you should love jesus, because he hated religious hypocrites just as much as you do. In fact, it was those hypocrites who killed him.

    If jesus returned today, he would be killed at a MAGA rally, probably.

    i’m a christian in SPITE of the church, not because of it.

    • @TheHighRoadEnglish
      16•1 year ago

      Your not gonna get a lot of love, but I hear you. Jesus is the enemy of modern Christianity.

    • @[email protected]
      12•1 year ago

      I’m not Christian but there are some good bits in the Christian Bible I’d be happy if more people followed. “pray in the closet” , the good Samaritan, and the sheep and the goats mostly.

      Unfortunately a lot of people use religion as an excuse to be a huge asshole.