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.

    • cantstopthesignal@sh.itjust.works
      88·
      9 months ago

      Religion was at the center of everything 500 years ago. It’s gonna take credit for a lot of stuff because you could barely do anything art related without religious involvement.

    • tetris11@lemmy.ml
      16·
      9 months ago

      I do like the sense of harmony that comes from singing together, but yes you don’t need a church for that.

    • JesusLikesYourButt@lemmy.world
      9·
      9 months ago

      The Shining’s opening theme was based on a medieval Christian hymn, day of wrath or Dies Irae. I love deep vocals and latin lyrics, it’s so soothing.

    • seth@lemmy.world
      6·
      9 months ago

      Many older hymns were religious words added to melodies ripped off from pub/folk songs. Perhaps surprisingly, some hymnals attribute the original composers or mention where they were adapted from. Perhaps unsurprising, I was so bored with hearing the same sermon messages throughout my youth that I would read the hymnal indices to figure out which composers I liked the best…