Why Are We Losing Our Religion? Because Internet

The number of the religious unaffiliated in the United States has doubled since 1990. Almost no Americans used the Internet in 1990, while 87 percent use it today.

Is the Internet causing us to lose our religion?

Yes, says Allen Downey, professor at the Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts. He analyzed data and found that the statistical increase of those who claim no religious affiliation can be partially explained by an increase in Internet use.

Downey found correlations between a decrease in religious affiliation and three factors: a drop in religious upbringing, increase in college education, and an increase in Internet use. He controlled for factors such as income, socioeconomic status, and rural versus urban environments. Religious upbringing is the most influential factor — 25 percent of the decline is linked to those raised without religion. Only 5 percent of the decline is linked to an increase in college education. About 25 percent of the decline, however, is linked to increased Internet use.

Confident in his conclusion, Downey says: “Correlation does provide evidence in favor of causation, especially when we can eliminate alternative explanations or have reason to believe that they are less likely.”

About half of the decrease is unexplained, and Downey is still seeking an explanation.