I don't have a problem, with the term "nones". While most nones have some sort of belief or spirituality, they are the type of people who support similar goals and values as atheists do. I have one close friend who identifies as Christian but could be a none as well. She hates organized religion and never goes to church. She doesn't take the Bible literally and she and I can joke about her god. She's not highly educated, but she's very smart, struggles to make ends meet, like many of the nones who hold onto some sort of vague belief.
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2024/01/24/who-are-the-nones-how-are-they-defined/
Most “nones” describe their religion as “nothing in particular” (63%), while 17% say they are atheist and 20% say they are agnostic.
We use the terms “religiously unaffiliated” and “religious nones” interchangeably. Sometimes we also refer to the “nones” as people who claim “no religion” or people who don’t identify with any religion.
Meanwhile, we use the term “religiously affiliated” for respondents who identify with one of the religions listed above – including a relatively small number who choose “something else” and then write in what it is, as well as those who say they have more than one religion.
Demographics of religious ‘nones’
Age and gender
The population of religious “nones” in the U.S. is younger than the population of Americans who identify with a religion.
Among “nones,” 69% are under the age of 50, while 31% are 50 or older. By comparison, 45% of U.S. adults who identify with a religion are under 50, while 55% are ages 50 or older.
“Nones” overall are roughly split between men (51%) and women (47%). The populations of atheists and agnostics include far more men than women. The same is not true for people whose religion is “nothing in particular.”
The positive thing is that more people are moving away from organized religion, although most are holding onto some type of spiritual belief, which in some cases, might just be the awe experienced by nature. I think this is something to feel positive about.
While these are just statistics, when it comes to demographics, most of my atheist, agnostic and spiritual but not religious friends are female and over 50, with a few who are over 40. Perhaps as we get older, we feel the need for community and that is why so many Freethought groups are made up by so many older adults. I found the same to be true when we attended the Atlanta Freethought Society. Most of my friends there were over 50, and one was in his 90s, with a good percentage in their 70s. Quite a few are deceased now. Most were white, but Atlanta also has "The Black Nonbelievers" group. Things are changing. We need to be patient. Let's not forget the atheists that attend church for the need for community. I've known a few of them. Plus, recently a Black guy who works where we bought our last two cars, told me that it was hard being a Black atheist in the South. He told me that religion was all about trying to control people. He seems to be heading toward atheism or is a new atheist. He might still attend church at times. I didn't ask him. Our Black car salesman told us that while he identifies as Baptist, there was no true religion and religioun was the biggest cause of wars. Is he a none?
Right now, the fight we need is against the White Christian Nationalists who are desperately trying to make this country into some sort of theocratic autocracy. People need to vote and the majority of nones vote Democrat, but too many of the younger nones don't participate in voting. As one who has voted since I was eligible, who votes in every single tiny election and who considers my right to vote as the only little power that I have to make my voice heard, I don't understand, those who don't vote. I have known of people who never voted or who voted for the first time when they were about 50. Get the nones out to vote if you want to help preserve freedom of religion, which includes freedom from religion for those of us who have no religious beliefs.