The only way is UP!

According to a recent survey the number of people with no religion in the USA grew from 8% of the population in 1990 to 15% today (2009), if this survey is accurate then it means non-religious people are the fastest growing segment there.

Here is the press statement from team at Trinity College who ran the survey.

The percentage of Americans claiming no religion, which jumped from 8.2 in 1990 to 14.2 in 2001, has now increased to 15 percent. Given the estimated growth of the American adult population since the last census from 207 million to 228 million, that reflects an additional 4.7 million "Nones." Northern New England has now taken over from the Pacific Northwest as the least religious section of the country, with Vermont, at 34 percent "Nones," leading all other states by a full 9 points.

"Many people thought our 2001 finding was an anomaly," [Ariela] Keysar said. We now know it wasn't. The 'Nones' are the only group to have grown in every state of the Union."

This is good news for the USA and probably the world, I'd feel a lot safer with a rational finger on the trigger than a superstitious one; and I always liked New England, nice ice cream, bit chilly in Winter though.