A sweeping Pew Research Center survey of 22 countries finds that a large portion of the religiously unaffiliated, commonly called “nones,” still Harbor meaningful spiritual beliefs. Across 34,000 respondents outside the United States and more than 10,000 in the U.S., nones include atheists, agnostics, and those who say they have “nothing in particular” to religion. Yet despite their lack of formal affiliation, many in this diverse group report beliefs in life after death, a spiritual realm beyond the natural world, or even belief in a higher power. In several countries, the share of nones who hold any spiritual belief runs well into the majority, challenging simple stereotypes that unaffiliated equals nonbelieving in any metaphysical sense. The study underscores that faith and spirituality are not binary categories, but rather a spectrum that cuts across cultural lines, education levels, and ages.
The findings matter because they illuminate a shifting landscape in which personal belief can diverge from institutional affiliation. In many societies, the decline in formal religious identification has not been matched by a corresponding decline in belief systems that people still hold privately or within family and community settings. This matters for Thai readers because Thailand sits at a cultural crossroads where Buddhism remains a central influence on daily life, yet modern life increasingly tempts younger generations to rethink formal religious labels. The Pew report invites reflection on how Thai society navigates spirituality, education, health, and public life when large segments of the population may identify as unaffiliated while still carrying deeply held beliefs about life, death, and moral meaning.
The study’s scope is remarkable for its breadth. Outside the United States, researchers conducted nationally representative surveys in countries spanning North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, interviewing more than 23,000 adults from January through May 2024. In the United States, data were drawn from multiple waves and panels completed between 2023 and 2024. The intent was to understand not just if people identify with a religion, but what they actually believe and how they practice in a world where affiliation can be fluid. The key takeaway is that nones are not a uniform group; their beliefs and behaviors differ widely by country, age, education, and gender, revealing a nuanced mosaic rather than a single narrative.
Across the 22 countries examined, roughly one in five nones or more say they believe in life after death. The range is wide: from about 19% of unaffiliated adults in Hungary to as high as 65% in Peru. In seven of the 22 countries, half or more of nones believe in life after death. The belief in a spiritual dimension beyond the natural world is also common among nones in several nations, with 61% of nones in Mexico and 65% in Brazil expressing this view. These numbers show that many people who do not affiliate with a formal religion still hold convictions about realms beyond the ordinary.
Belief in God among nones is another revealing facet. In South Africa, 77% of nones report belief in God, and in Latin American nations the figures are strikingly high: Brazil at 92%, Colombia at 86%, and Chile at 69%. By contrast, in much of Europe and Australia, belief in a deity among the unaffiliated is far lower, with Australia around 18%, Sweden about 10%, and Hungary around 9%. In the United States, approximately 45% of nones say they believe in God. These contrasts underscore how national religious histories, cultural identities, and personal experiences shape what it means to be unaffiliated in different places.
The study also highlights the complexity of belief in a secular age. In Sweden, where more than half the population is unaffiliated, roughly half of nones—representing about 28% of the total adult population—express nonbelief in life after death, in association with a spiritual dimension, and in belief in a higher power. Australia, the Netherlands, and South Korea show similarly mixed patterns, with relatively high shares of nones who express some degree of nonbelief on one or more of the survey measures. In contrast, in many Latin American countries, even nones can embrace beliefs such as life after death or spiritual energies attached to animals, reflecting regional cultural syncretism and enduring spiritual vocabularies outside formal church life.
Practices among nones tend to be less frequent or centralized than among the religiously affiliated. For instance, the study finds that only about a fifth or fewer of nones report lighting incense or candles for spiritual reasons in most of the countries analyzed. Prayer is more common among nones than ritual acts like incense lighting, but even here engagement is often modest—many report praying only a few times a month or less. German nones, for example, include a minority who report praying at all, around 23% of nones, with weekly prayer by a smaller subset. This pattern—private belief paired with limited public ritual—reflects a broader shift in how spirituality is practiced in a modern world where formal religious institutions face secularization pressures, but personal beliefs persist.
Beyond beliefs, the Pew study probes attitudes toward religion’s influence on society. A majority of nones in many countries say religion can encourage intolerance or superstition, and across the board, the share who say religion mostly hurts society exceeds those who say it mostly helps. In Australia, for instance, a sizable majority of nones see religion as contributing to intolerance, a sentiment less common among those who identify with a religious group. In some countries, nones are skeptical about the role of religious institutions in public life, including concerns about religious leaders and political power. Yet the study also reveals a spectrum of views: in several countries, a notable minority of nones still see religion as offering meaningful social benefits, such as community support, ethical guidance, or charitable motivation.
Thailand-specific implications emerge when strong cultural and religious contexts are considered. In Thailand, Buddhism is deeply woven into daily life, education, and social norms. Temples function not only as spiritual centers but also as community hubs that organize festivals, provide social services, and shape moral education within families. If global patterns hold—namely, that unaffiliated individuals can retain substantive spiritual beliefs while straying from formal religious labels—Thai society might witness a growing distinction between private spirituality and public religious identity. This could influence how Thai educators design curricula that address ethics, morality, and well-being; how health professionals discuss coping and meaning with patients; and how policymakers consider the role of religious culture in public life without compromising secular governance.
The Pew report also nudges Thai observers to consider the role of families in shaping belief and practice. In many cultures, including Thailand, family decisions—such as how to honor ancestors, observe religious festivals, or seek spiritual reassurance during illness or loss—are central to daily life. Even when younger generations choose to identify less with formal religion, they may still participate in family rituals, respect religious traditions, or seek spiritual comfort in moments of vulnerability. The study’s emphasis on age, education, and gender as factors shaping unaffiliated identity resonates with Thai realities where youth engagement with digital media, education reforms, and urbanization influence religious affiliation trends. The question for Thailand is how to integrate this evolving landscape into social policy and public health without eroding the cultural bedrock that many communities rely on for social cohesion.
Historical context matters. Global patterns of rising unaffiliation have emerged alongside modernization, urbanization, and increased access to information. Yet religion remains a resilient force because beliefs often fulfill psychological and social needs—questions about purpose, justice, mortality, and belonging. In Thailand, Buddhist ethics—compassion, humility, and mindfulness—have long guided family life and community relations. The Pew findings suggest a potential future where spirituality endures even if affiliation declines, inviting Thai institutions to create spaces where people can explore beliefs respectfully, without pressure to join formal religious groups. Schools may incorporate secular ethics programs that recognize moral reasoning drawn from various traditions, while health services can include spiritual care components that honor patients’ beliefs, whatever form they take.
Looking ahead, the cross-national patterns point to both continuity and change. As more people describe themselves as unaffiliated, societies may experience shifts in how individuals interpret life events, including health crises, bereavement, and aging. The Thai public may see a similar evolution: a demographic that values spiritual well-being and community connection, but which does not necessarily participate in organized religious life at the same scale as previous generations. This evolution could influence how communities mobilize around public health campaigns, how temples participate in wellness programs, and how schools and clinics address topics like end-of-life care, moral education, and personal meaning. The central question becomes how to harness the strengths of a spiritually engaged society—compassion, reciprocity, and resilience—while embracing a pluralistic, inclusive approach to belief and practice.
For Thai readers, practical steps emerge from these global insights. First, encourage dialogue across belief spectra in schools, workplaces, and healthcare settings to foster mutual respect and reduce social polarization. Second, invest in mental health and spiritual care that respects individual beliefs, offering counseling and community-based activities that provide meaning and support without imposing creeds. Third, strengthen partnerships between health services, religious and temple networks, and civil society to deliver compassionate care during times of illness, loss, and transition. Fourth, recognize that spiritual well-being can coexist with secular education and public life; integrate ethical reasoning, empathy, and civic responsibility into curricula that reflect Thailand’s diverse cultural landscape. Finally, celebrate the value of family-centered traditions and local practices that reinforce social cohesion, even as people choose nontraditional pathways in faith and identity.
In sum, the Pew study confirms a nuanced reality: many people worldwide who do not identify with an organized religion still hold significant spiritual beliefs and practices. This reality challenges simplistic narratives about atheism and secularism and offers a more textured view of belief in the modern era. For Thailand, the message is not to fear a drift away from spiritual life, but to acknowledge the continuing power of belief in shaping personal meaning, family life, and public health. The path forward lies in dialogue, inclusion, and policies that honor both tradition and individual conscience—an approach that can sustain social harmony in a rapidly changing world.