Rising Trend of Religious Disaffiliation in the West, While Hindus and Muslims Remain More Faithful to Their Religion

A recent global survey reveals a sharp rise in the number of people abandoning religion in Western nations, particularly in the United States and Europe. In contrast, Hindus and Muslims tend to remain more committed to their respective faiths. However, there are notable exceptions—even in predominantly Muslim countries.

While religious conversion has long been a politically sensitive issue in India, data from international studies suggest that Western nations experience far higher rates of people leaving their birth religion or choosing no religion at all.

South Korea and the Global Shift Away from Religion

According to a comprehensive survey conducted by the Pew Research Center across 36 countries, South Korea has witnessed one of the most significant declines in religious affiliation, with nearly half of its population reporting that they have left their religion.

Islam: Retention Strong, But Varies by Region

In India, the survey found that only 1% of Muslims have left Islam to adopt another religion, indicating strong retention. However, the figures are higher in other countries.

• In Turkey, 4% of individuals born Muslim no longer identify with Islam, and 1% have converted to a different religion altogether.
• In Singapore, the percentage of people who have left Islam stands at 3%.
• The United States has the highest disaffiliation rate among Muslims: out of every 100 people born into Islam, only 77 continue to identify as Muslim, meaning 23% have left the faith.

Hindus in the U.S. Also Leaving the Faith

The Pew survey also found that 18% of people born into Hinduism in the U.S. no longer identify as Hindu. While some have converted to Christianity, a significant portion now identifies with no religion at all.

In Sri Lanka, most former Hindus have converted to Christianity, with the conversion rate standing at 11%. This trend differs from the U.S., where former Hindus largely become religiously unaffiliated, while some still transition to Christianity.

Religious Affiliation in Global Context

The Pew Research data from 2022 shows the global religious composition as follows:

• Christians: 31.6%
• Muslims: 25.8%
• Hindus: 15.1%
• Unaffiliated (including atheists, agnostics, and those with no religion): 14.4%

This growing segment of the “religiously unaffiliated” is a defining trend of modern global spirituality, particularly in advanced economies.