Varieties of nonreligion: Why some people criticize religion, while others just don't care

Abstract

This paper explores why indifference towards religion shifts into a critique of religion. Using everyday life-definitions and based on interview data, it develops and tests the hypothesis that experiences with religious people and the way they treat and impact others is a primary factor in how the non- or irreligious evaluate religion, and whether they remain indifferent or begin to criticize it. This calls for a context-based approach, rather than a mere typology of responses toward religion or the classification of personality types. Furthermore, it sheds light upon a feature that is often overlooked: Religion-depending on its role in society-affects not only its adherents, but the lives of the irreligious, too. Therefore, the article calls for a new understanding of religion and an approach to the study of religion and irreligion which studies the two in relation to one another.