A new Pew Forum study on the religious affiliations of Americans is getting media attention because of its surprising results. Some of those say interesting things about the Seattle metropolitan area.

The big finding in the study is fewer Americans identify themselves as Christian than at any other time in our history.

Across the country that number is in the low 70 percent compared to high 70s the last time the study was done.

In the Seattle area it's only 52 percent. Reflecting the community's diversity, 10 percent of "believers" claim non-Christian faiths like Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hindu.

But the most surprising finding was the number of people who identify as Atheist (in contrast to agnostic or "nothing in particular"). In the Seattle area, which includes King and Pierce counties, 10 percent say they're Atheist -- the highest rate in the country.

A total of 37 percent -- more than a third -- claimed no religious affiliation of any kind!

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