Rodney

I sat in church one Sunday and the pastor called homosexuals an abomination in the eyes of God. It ripped my heart to shreds, as I saw the face of each and every one of my homosexual friends flash through my mind. I thought to myself, how dare you! How dare you sit in judgment of your fellow human beings! . . . I couldn't justify aligning myself with his view of homosexuals, and this played a massive part in my deconversion.

Unlike his father, Jerry Falwell the Younger has shied away from making political waves. Until now, that is. Last week, to rapturous applause, the president of Liberty University denigrated the president of the United States and, with manly bravado, revealed to Liberty's student body gathered in mandatory convocation that he carries a concealed firearm. Proudly patting his right back pocket and smiling broadly he wondered aloud: "Is it legal to pull it out?"

The word is out. The "nones" are rising. At last count, close to one-quarter of the American population now declares itself unaffiliated with any particular religion. While most of these "nones" believe in a "higher power" or "ultimate cause"--or even in a traditional god--they are not interested in affiliating with a specific religion. They have abandoned denominational dogmatism. They are demographic "nones."