Key findings about religious restrictions around the world in 2021
The most common kinds of government restrictions on religion in 2021 included harassment of religious groups and interference in worship.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Religion
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Globally, Government Restrictions on Religion Reached Peak Levels in 2021, While Social Hostilities Went Down
In 2021, government restrictions on religion – laws, policies and actions by state officials that limit religious beliefs and practices – reached a new peak globally. Harassment of religious groups and interference in worship were two of the most common forms of government restrictions worldwide that year.
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U.S. Christians more likely than ‘nones’ to say situation at the border is a crisis
Majorities of White Christian groups say the large number of migrants seeking to enter at the border with Mexico is a “crisis” for the United States.
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Most East Asian adults say men and women should share financial and caregiving duties
Around eight-in-ten adults in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam say both men and women should be primarily responsible for earning money.
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8 facts about atheists
Around six-in-ten U.S. atheists are men (64%). And seven-in-ten are ages 49 or younger, compared with about half of U.S. adults overall (52%).
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Religious ‘Nones’ in America: Who They Are and What They Believe
28% of U.S. adults are religiously unaffiliated, describing themselves as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular” when asked about their religion.
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Has the rise of religious ‘nones’ come to an end in the U.S.?
Although it’s possible that the “nones” have leveled off, it’s also possible that their growth has continued, but at a gradual pace that is difficult to see in the data.
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Around 4 in 10 Americans have become more spiritual over time; fewer have become more religious
Most Americans are spiritual or religious in some way and many also say their spirituality and level of religiosity have changed over time.
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Most people in Taiwan see themselves as primarily Taiwanese; few say they’re primarily Chinese
67% of people in Taiwan see themselves as primarily Taiwanese, compared with 3% who think of themselves as primarily Chinese.
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A majority of Americans have a friend of a different religion
About six-in-ten U.S. adults say only some (43%) or hardly any or none (18%) of their friends have the same religion they do.
