Interesting Statistics in the U.S. on Religious Beliefs

[O.F.F.]

The following statistics come from the Barna Research Group. Their vision is "to provide leadership and unique, strategic information and resources that help facilitate spiritual transformation in America."

Faith Groups (2002)

85% of Americans self-identify as Christians. (2002)

7% of US adults classify as evangelicals (2004)

38% of US adults classify as born again, but not evangelical. (2004)

37% are self-described Christians but are neither evangelical nor born again

Atheists and agnostics comprise 12% of adults nationwide. (2004)

11% of the US population identify with a faith other than Christianity (2004)
God

69% believe in God when described as the all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect creator of the universe who rules the world today. (2004)

7% believe that God is the total realization of personal human potential. (2004)

15% say God is no longer involved in their life. (1997)

Almost nine out of ten people (87%) say the universe was originally created by God. (2000)

Social Issues

By a 3-to-1 margin (64% vs. 22%) adults said truth is always relative to the person and their situation. (2002)

One third of born again adults (33%) say that abortion is a morally acceptable behavior, compared with 45% of all adults, 4% of evangelicals, and 71% of atheists and agnostics. (2004)

Born agains are twice as likely as are non born agains to chose to describe themselves as “pro-life” (65% to 32%, respectively). (2001)

30% of all adults consider having a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex a morally acceptable behavior. (2004)

14% of Elders, 32% of Boomers, 41% of Busters and 40% of Mosaics consider having a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex a morally acceptable behavior. (2004)

About half of all adults (49%) contend that homosexuality is due to non genetic factors such as upbringing and environment, one-third say people are born gay (34%), and the remaining 17% are not sure. (2001)

By a 2-to-1 margin (62% - 30%) adults disapprove of clergy marrying gay couples or blessing their marriage unions. (2001)

Horoscopes / Astrology / Tarot Cards

4% of Christians and 3% of non-Christians said they had consulted a medium or spiritual advisor, other than a minister, within the past month. (1997)

Percentage of adults who view certain behavior as morally acceptable (2003)

61% of adults view gambling as a morally acceptable behavior.

Enjoying sexual thoughts or fantasies about someone 59%

Living with someone of the opposite sex without being married, sometimes called co-habitation 60%

Having an abortion 45%

Having a sexual relationship with someone of the opposite sex to whom you are not married 42%

Looking at pictures of nudity or explicit sexual behavior 38%

Using profanity (36%)

Getting drunk (35%)

Having a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex 30%

Using drugs not prescribed by a medical doctor 17%

 

[Dmckay]

And people wonder why America in rapidly going down the tubes.

 

[Ave Maria]

Interesting statistics. Some were encouraging and some were just downright disheartening. I'll admit though, the majority of the statistics were at least slightly encouraging.

 

[O.F.F.]

Heaven

There is a tendency to believe that all good people will live in heaven after they die on earth. In 2004 the public decided on the matter: 50% agree, 39% disagree. This represents little change since 2002 when 55% agreed and 38% disagreed; 1996 when 54% agreed and 38% disagreed; or 1993, when 56% agreed with this notion. (2004)

Half of all adults (54%) believe that if a person is generally good, or does enough good things for others during their life, they will earn a place in Heaven. (2004).

Hell

Three in ten adults (31%) see hell as an actual location: "a place of physical torment where people may be sent." (1996)

Four in ten adults (37%), say "hell is not a place, but it represents a state of permanent separation from the presence of God." (1996)

Describing hell as merely a symbolic term, not referring to a physical place was true for two in ten Americans (19%). (1996)

Life After Death in General

Of those who have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ: (2004)

Of those who have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ: 60% believe they will go to Heaven because they have confessed their sins, and accepted Jesus as their savior.

10% believe that they will go to heaven because basically they are a good person.

11% don’t know what will happen when they die.

7% believe that they will go to Heaven because God loves all people and will not let them perish.

7% believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they have tried to obey the 10 commandments.

2% believe that when they die they will not go to Heaven.

 

[Brother_Justin]

Heaven

There is a tendency to believe that all good people will live in heaven after they die on earth. In 2004 the public decided on the matter: 50% agree, 39% disagree. This represents little change since 2002 when 55% agreed and 38% disagreed; 1996 when 54% agreed and 38% disagreed; or 1993, when 56% agreed with this notion. (2004)

Half of all adults (54%) believe that if a person is generally good, or does enough good things for others during their life, they will earn a place in Heaven. (2004).

Hell

Three in ten adults (31%) see hell as an actual location: "a place of physical torment where people may be sent." (1996)

Four in ten adults (37%), say "hell is not a place, but it represents a state of permanent separation from the presence of God." (1996)

Describing hell as merely a symbolic term, not referring to a physical place was true for two in ten Americans (19%). (1996)

Life After Death in General

Of those who have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ: (2004)

Of those who have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ: 60% believe they will go to Heaven because they have confessed their sins, and accepted Jesus as their savior.

10% believe that they will go to heaven because basically they are a good person.

11% don’t know what will happen when they die.

7% believe that they will go to Heaven because God loves all people and will not let them perish.

7% believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they have tried to obey the 10 commandments.

2% believe that when they die they will not go to Heaven.

We have alot of work ahead of us brothers and sisters! Lets get those hearts that need Jesus!!




Love brother ~Justin~

 

[Ave Maria]

Wow, that is so truly sad that so many people believe that you can actually "earn" a place in Heaven. The opposite is true. In Ephesians, it says that we are not saved by works. Of course, one who is saved will naturally produce good works as the fruit of their salvation but the point is that you will not go to Heaven just for being a good person. Say there is an Atheist woman who donates to charities all the time and even spends her time helping the poor and homeless. She is basically an Atheist Mother Theresa. Well, according to the Bible, she will not make it to Heaven unfortunately. God requires that we accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior before we can make it to Heaven.

(NIV) John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Why are so many ignorant to this fundamental truth?

 

[O.F.F.]

We have alot of work ahead of us brothers and sisters!

Talk about the work ahead of us, check this out:

Sin

34% say there are some sins that God cannot forgive. (1997)

More than seven in ten Americans (71%) disagree strongly with the statement "people may make mistakes, but there is no such thing as sin." This figure represents a 14-point jump from 1992 when only 57% expressed disagreement. (1996)

That's encouraging, but there is still about 30% who think that there is no such thing as sin, and that 34% mentioned above needs to know that God loves them and will forgive ALL sin, except the rejection of Jesus Christ as ones personal Lord and Savior.

Gender Views on Salvation

Women are more likely to understand the true definition of salvation than men. 63% of women who have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ believe that they will “go to Heaven because they confessed their sins and accepted Jesus as their savior” and only 56% of men believe the same. (2004)

Evangelism

Less than half of all adults (47%) believe they have a personal responsibility to tell other people their religious beliefs -- (2004)

Republicans (49%) are more likley than are democrats (37%) to feel a strong personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs with others. (2004)

49% of blacks feel strongly that they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs with others, compared to 36% of Hispanics, 33% of Asians, and 33% of whites. (2004)

When it comes to feeling a personal responsibility to share ones religious beliefs with others, regional differences emerge. In total, 41% of those in the South feel strongly that it is their personal responsibility to share their faith with others, compared to 35% of those in the West, 35% of Midwesterners, and 26% of those in the Northeast. (2004)

Women (38%) are more likley than are men (32%) to feel a strong personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs with others. (2004)