It's Counterpunch, the point is political. Fewer religious people means fewer cultural conservatives means a weaker right wing in America.
This sort of implies that the trend toward the non-religious only goes one way. A couple decades back, the percentage of religious grew. Uncertainty and instability in the country at the time drove some people back to religion. These statistics were from the past. It doesn't forecast a trend for the future.
Indeed, and for a time Christianity was a civilizing force in the hinterlands. My parents were Methodists, I grew up hearing stories about circuit riders. If it was guys like that people were listening to I doubt those of us who aren't religious would care one way or the other about religion. No one cares about you pursuing your idea of the good so long as you aren't imposing it on the rest of us. The American Taliban are the majority now, though, and they most certainly do try to impose it on the rest of us. America would be better off without them.
Didn't Clinton defeat Trump by almost 3 million popular votes? Don't you think there were quite a bit more people who also disagree with Trump and neo-conservative Republicans but didn't vote for one reason or another? Do you really think demographic data would back up your statement, or do you think that "The American Taliban," happens to be a very powerful minority that has found a way to game the system through shit like propoganda and oh, I dunno, gerrymandering?The American Taliban are the majority now, though, and they most certainly do try to impose it on the rest of us.