I selected this book for review on Netgalley, because I have heard about the sharp increase with those checking the “none” box in relation to religion in recent years, and I was curious to read more about it.
Choosing Your Religion is very well researched. If I have any criticism, it would be that it’s too long and too thorough. The first section that shares stories from many different “nones” — from those who have become disenfranchised with religion to those who weren’t raised with any to those who still hold to their cultural or religious beliefs, but choose not to identify as such.
The author Elizabeth Drescher is not an invisible presence. Since her book was written mainly aided by personal interviews with people, she doesn’t hide herself. She uses the first person but still presents the information in an un-biased way without projecting her conclusions on the teller’s story.
It was interesting reading what people described as spiritual — and I guess if you define that as “feeding the spirit” — it makes it a bit easier to understand:
- time with family
- time shared with friends, specifically around food
- time with pets
- enjoying nature
- belonging to a group.
If do still identify and benefit from your religious affiliation, as I do, you might find this interesting as a sociological study, as I do. If you are one of the people who identify as a “none,” I would think you would find it interesting reading about how others have come to identify in that way, and what feeds their spiritual lives.