A new study from the Pew Research Center shows that 72 percent of the United States public thinks religion is losing influence in American life, the highest level in Pew Research polling over the past 10 years. Significantly, most of the respondents who say religion's influence is waning describe this as a bad thing.
This matters because even though the trends are unmistakable, religion remains an important part of our social fabric and civil society. That’s one of the reasons religion is protected in so many places around the world as a fundamental freedom, including the right to express one’s beliefs and make them known in the public square.
Over the past several years, Church leaders have repeatedly described religion’s positive influence on society. Most recently, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “We all have a vital interest in religion because religious belief in right and wrong is fundamental to producing the needed voluntary compliance by a large number of our citizens.”
Furthermore, the Church has published dozens of in-depth commentaries on MormonNewsroom.org that find resonance in these Pew findings.
One commentary emphasizes the many ways that religion strengthens society. “The value of religion speaks as loudly through soup kitchens, hospitals, schools and countless other humanitarian works as it does through sermons and hymns. Simply put, religion builds social capital. Research shows that more than 90 percent of those who attend weekly worship services donate to charity, and nearly 70 percent volunteer for charitable causes.” (Read “Why Religion Matters: The Salt of Society.”)
See our Religious Freedom page for simple explanations of what religious freedom is, why religion is vital to society and what you can do to help preserve religion’s role and influence in everyday life.