Pew gives some interesting information

I believe I've had this survey in my links for a while (it's dated March 22nd, 2007), but I deleted it due to space concerns and happen to stumble upon it again. Interesting information on a few things.

The latest values survey, conducted Dec. 12, 2006-Jan. 9, 2007, finds a reversal of increased religiosity observed in the mid-1990s. While most Americans remain religious in both belief and practice, the percentage expressing strong religious beliefs has edged down since the 1990s. And the survey finds an increase in the relatively small percentage of the public that can be categorized as secular.

In Pew surveys since the beginning of 2006, 12% identified themselves as unaffiliated with a religious tradition. That compares with 8% in the Pew values survey in 1987. This change appears to be generational in nature, with each new generation displaying lower levels of religious commitment than the preceding one.

In addition, political differences in levels of religious commitment are larger now than in years past. Republicans are at least as religious as they were 10 or 20 years ago, based on the numbers expressing belief in God, citing prayer as important, and other measures. By contrast, Democrats express lower levels of commitment than in the late 1980s and 1990s.

At the same time, the survey records further declines in traditional social attitudes. The poll finds greater public acceptance of homosexuality and less desire for women to play traditional roles in society. Both represent a continuation of trends that have been apparent over the past 20 years, and have occurred mostly among older people. The younger generations have changed the least, as they have consistently expressed more accepting points of view over the past 20 years.

As they point out, there's a four-fold increase in those defined as "secular" (atheists, agnostics, etc.) since the World War II generation, that seems to be about 5 percent roughly a generation. I don't know what generation I fit into since I'm not certain of , specific divides, (I mean just look at some of these divisions; 9 years, 5 years, 18 years, 11 years, 17 years??) but I guess it'd be the tag end of Generation Y. A more pluralistic, liberal, and secular progression with generations. Awesome. And excuse me if I take an even happier outlook by thinking that with the prevalence of information in this world now, they'll be even higher rates of "secular" people.

There's also these encouraging signs:
The last time people had a majority view for discrimination of homosexuals was the year I was born. Yes, I ushered in a new era of homosexual tolerance! It's also fantastic to see people of religious conviction down to a 20 year low period for doubting the existence of god. But of course it's always hard to do these surveys since people couch their answers in weird ways. Though, as usual, the numbers present are disgustingly high. Ugh. 61%? C'mon people, wake up.