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If you walk through Florida State's campus, it's likely you'll see church groups handing out fliers to passersby, students joining hands in prayer or maybe the occasional student meditating on Landis Green.
You might see advertisements for the Muslim Student Association or the Freethinkers scrawled out in chalk along the sidewalks or hear the sound of Christian music outside of Moore Auditorium during an Illuminate meeting.
And if you're one for speculation, you might begin to wonder, among the fusion of so many perspectives, what the state of faith is at FSU.
According to the results of a survey released earlier this month by the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Americans 30 and younger who foster some doubt about the existence of God is quickly increasing.
The study found that while most American Millennials—the generation born into the twenty-first century—still claim to never doubt God exists, the number has decreased from 83 percent to 68 percent, a 15 percent decrease since the last time the survey was conducted in 2007.
The survey was part of the Pew Research Center's 2012 American Values Survey, a study conducted every five years that focuses on American attitudes concerning a range of subjects from political partisanship to religious beliefs to moral issues such as gay marriage and abortion.
The rise in skepticism among young people has sparked movements and campaigns nationwide, including the formation of a number of student organizations at colleges and universities, such as Florida State's own Freethinkers.
The Freethinkers, an affiliate of the Secular Student Alliance and the Center for Inquiry on Campus, describe themselves as "a student group of atheists, agnostics, humanists, skeptics, and many more."
John Paul Kulcan, a member of the Freethinkers and a self-described atheist, said he attributes the increase in skepticism among Millennials to new developments in science and technology, which Kulcan claims promotes skepticism and the search for empirical knowledge.
"The Millennials are really the first generation to come of age under the full influence of science and technology," Kulcan said. "We have things like internet forums to discuss our beliefs and to encourage doubt rather than blind acceptance. Science has found natural explanations for things like thunder, so there's no longer a reason to attribute it to a god. I think this definitely leads people to question their beliefs."
And if you're one for speculation, you might begin to wonder, among the fusion of so many perspectives, what the state of faith is at FSU.
According to the results of a survey released earlier this month by the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Americans 30 and younger who foster some doubt about the existence of God is quickly increasing.
The study found that while most American Millennials—the generation born into the twenty-first century—still claim to never doubt God exists, the number has decreased from 83 percent to 68 percent, a 15 percent decrease since the last time the survey was conducted in 2007.
The survey was part of the Pew Research Center's 2012 American Values Survey, a study conducted every five years that focuses on American attitudes concerning a range of subjects from political partisanship to religious beliefs to moral issues such as gay marriage and abortion.
The rise in skepticism among young people has sparked movements and campaigns nationwide, including the formation of a number of student organizations at colleges and universities, such as Florida State's own Freethinkers.
The Freethinkers, an affiliate of the Secular Student Alliance and the Center for Inquiry on Campus, describe themselves as "a student group of atheists, agnostics, humanists, skeptics, and many more."
John Paul Kulcan, a member of the Freethinkers and a self-described atheist, said he attributes the increase in skepticism among Millennials to new developments in science and technology, which Kulcan claims promotes skepticism and the search for empirical knowledge.
"The Millennials are really the first generation to come of age under the full influence of science and technology," Kulcan said. "We have things like internet forums to discuss our beliefs and to encourage doubt rather than blind acceptance. Science has found natural explanations for things like thunder, so there's no longer a reason to attribute it to a god. I think this definitely leads people to question their beliefs."
While the number of Millennials who doubt the existence of God may be on the rise, many young people and students continue to maintain faith. Among these individuals is Emily Singer, a sophomore at FSU and a member of the Florida State Wesley Foundation, a campus ministry backed by the United Methodist Church. Singer said while many young people may drift toward skepticism, she feels her belief in God has helped her find order in an otherwise hectic life.
"College is a really turbulent but exciting time in a lot of people's lives and we're exposed to so many new ideas, it's not always easy maintaining faith," Singer said. "But I've met so many great people through a mutual belief in God and the idea that there's something greater to the universe, it's really given me a sense of structure and order in my life, especially when life seems too chaotic and fast-paced."
FSU religion professor, Amanda Porterfield, however, said she believes the growth in doubt in God's existence stems from the rise of increasingly vocal religious diehards and fundamentalists.
"Media and technology have grown exponentially in the recent years, and it provides people with a new outlet to share ideas," Porterfield said. "With these new outlets we've seen religious extremists preach rigid models of faith, religion, God and the like. I think a lot of young people see these fundamentalists and are often turned off by the idea of religious faith, and it leads them to doubt faith in God."
Despite the increase in doubt, Porterfield said she views the modern day not as the most skeptical period in American history, but as what she calls a "wave of doubt."
"A lot of people will say the United States has always been a very religious nation, and whereas that may be true now, that doesn't necessarily hold true throughout all of U.S. history," said Porterfield. "Rather, our country has gone in and out of periods of belief and skepticism. The past several decades have been mainly times of faith, and right now it looks like we're moving back to disbelief. It doesn't mean that this skepticism is permanent."
Still, the 15 percent drop in Millennials who don't question God's existence presents a new reality that hasn't been seen since the Pew Research Center began conducting its American Values Survey in 1987, prompting many to question the future of religion and faith in American society.
"I don't think it can be said that we're witnessing a so-called 'end to religion' and the idea of God," Porterfield said. "Rather, I think we might be seeing a drift away from organized religion to a more personalized and intimate belief in God. Just because some individuals have doubted a belief in God's existence in the past doesn't mean they don't believe. We live in a society that values individualism, and I think we're seeing that principle move into the realm of faith."
"College is a really turbulent but exciting time in a lot of people's lives and we're exposed to so many new ideas, it's not always easy maintaining faith," Singer said. "But I've met so many great people through a mutual belief in God and the idea that there's something greater to the universe, it's really given me a sense of structure and order in my life, especially when life seems too chaotic and fast-paced."
FSU religion professor, Amanda Porterfield, however, said she believes the growth in doubt in God's existence stems from the rise of increasingly vocal religious diehards and fundamentalists.
"Media and technology have grown exponentially in the recent years, and it provides people with a new outlet to share ideas," Porterfield said. "With these new outlets we've seen religious extremists preach rigid models of faith, religion, God and the like. I think a lot of young people see these fundamentalists and are often turned off by the idea of religious faith, and it leads them to doubt faith in God."
Despite the increase in doubt, Porterfield said she views the modern day not as the most skeptical period in American history, but as what she calls a "wave of doubt."
"A lot of people will say the United States has always been a very religious nation, and whereas that may be true now, that doesn't necessarily hold true throughout all of U.S. history," said Porterfield. "Rather, our country has gone in and out of periods of belief and skepticism. The past several decades have been mainly times of faith, and right now it looks like we're moving back to disbelief. It doesn't mean that this skepticism is permanent."
Still, the 15 percent drop in Millennials who don't question God's existence presents a new reality that hasn't been seen since the Pew Research Center began conducting its American Values Survey in 1987, prompting many to question the future of religion and faith in American society.
"I don't think it can be said that we're witnessing a so-called 'end to religion' and the idea of God," Porterfield said. "Rather, I think we might be seeing a drift away from organized religion to a more personalized and intimate belief in God. Just because some individuals have doubted a belief in God's existence in the past doesn't mean they don't believe. We live in a society that values individualism, and I think we're seeing that principle move into the realm of faith."
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