Survey reveals widespread ignorance about religion
Americans are by all measures a deeply religious people, but they are also profoundly ignorant about religion, according to a new survey. Those who scored the highest were atheists and agnostics, as well as two religious minorities: Jews and Mormons. On average, people who took the survey answered half the questions incorrectly, and many flubbed even questions about their own faith. The results were the same even after the researchers controlled for factors such as age and racial differences. 53: Percentage of Protestants who could not identify Martin Luther as the man who started the Protestant Reformation. 45: Percentage of Catholics who did not know their church teaches that the consecrated bread and wine in holy communion are not merely symbols but actually become the body and blood of Christ.
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This doesn't surprise me at all. Many "Christians" do not have a clue as to what constitutes Christian living. If we did, there would not be a Democrat Party and Obama would not be president.
-BobberAMEN TO THAT!!
-Steve EgidioHey "Bobber" your response shows that YOU are not a Christian…"there would be no Democrat party" first it is not "democrat" party..it is DEMOCRATIC PARTY…..and just the fact that you would get rid of a majority of people shows how classless and religionless you are…….my advice to you would be…GET A CLUE.
-MikeBobber is very christian. That is exactly how the god of the bible gets rid of his problems. he simply kills them.
-Jeff DixonYou are so right! Our families no longer put value on going to church and attending Bible Study. Yet they call themselves Christians. A true Christian practices his/her faith every day by attending church and being educated in the Bible. You don't go through the motions, but practice you religion!
-MegI challenge everyone to read through the Bible several times. It is an amazing journey, and you will learn so much about yourself and how God has a plan for you personally. You will get answers to questions you have asked all your life and the Word will become living in your heart. In times of trouble or need that Word will speak to you and direct you, bringing you good solutions to perplexing problems and feelings. You will be so amazed. Take the Bible, read and meditate on what it says. Whey you read, ask the six major questions to search and learn what it is all about. Ask Who. What, Where, When, Why, and How…..Imagine yourself in the place and time of the verses you are reading and think about the characters in the Bilbe as relatives, people you will meet in Heaven if you are faithful enough to make it there…..find out what it takes to get to heaven………………..Don't criticize the Bible if you have never read it all–because you are speaking out of ignorance…read before judging.
-5StarTexanAMEN TO THAT
-Steve EgidioI have read it and will critize all I like. It is a full of mistakes and contradictions. It got the origins of the world wrong, it describes a flood which COULD not happen the way the bible says it did. There is no evidence for god or Jesus and all your praying will never change that.
-JeffI am not at all surprised that we American Christians, often perceived as deeply spiritual people, would fail so miserably on Bible content and Christian historical knowledge, and also not have even minimal knowledge of other religions. My church runs 1,700 attenders during the four services we hold on Saturday and Sunday every weekend. I dare say that 50% or better would probably fail the survey – because they don't know the Bible or even what the church believes about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit or about salvation. And that is really sad. But I have to confess that the same 50% are probably the "unchurched new believers" or "unchurched curious about Church" attenders – who are not being discipled in the faith. One cannot grow spiritually by just attending a weekend worship service, even every week. The pastor's spoon is NOT big enough to feed everyone. There must be one on one direct discipleship of new believers and on-going discipleship of growing believers. That's just not happening. So it is no wonder that the athiest or the agnostic knows more about the Bible and Church history than believers do – they don't take it for granted!!!
-Steve EgidioOr we are more intelligent
-JeffI couldn’t agree more with the statements here. The need is for daily Bible reading, Prayer, and meditating, study of the Word of God, and then when you do go to church you will be supplimented by what you have done already on a daily basis, and the weekly Study that you may be involved in on a personal level of preparation which you should have anyways, helps you to grow even more. A lot depends too, on what you are studying, the different world religions may be helpful to know of, so you can know how to interact with what they are supposed to believe, but more even with the fact that the personal relationship that you have with God is real, and that prayer is real with HIM. Then you can Trust in Him to help you with the answers that are important. In a way I would have liked to have participated in that survey, but somehow they didn’t get to me. Sad, to say I don’t always get that opportunity to participate in such. That has to be random to be real, and I wonder just what part of the country was called, or what persentage from each part if they really did that, was called for the survey. One wonders also how little we actually know with regard to the subjects that would be of great benefit to share with others who need to hear and read the Word of God. Have a deep relationship with the Triune God, and keep as close as you can in all that you seek to do. Most of all to please Him in all that you do.
-Mrs. James Clemonssomeones faith should not be measured by how much they know. faith is the beleif in something that cannot be confirmed, so it could be said that the less the knowledge the greater the faith.
(Im not talking about ignorance or blind faith as all faith requires a minamal amount of knowledge)
-Chrisno, they simply require blind faith. Since there is no evidence, there cannot be any knowledge about it.
-Jeff