When it comes to what changes are "absolutely necessary" for the United States to address in the next 10 years, the most likely answer among Americans pertains to children's future. Among evangelicals, however, the priority was much different, a new survey found.
Among various groups – including conservatives and liberals and blacks and whites – the latest Barna survey found that the most radical differences of opinion on what needs to change in America were between evangelicals and those who are not born-again Christians.
Overall, 82 percent of American adults said a change in the overall care and resources devoted to children is absolutely necessary in the immediate future. Evangelicals were 20 percentage points below in ranking that issue a top priority.
While enhancing the health of Christian churches was listed as the lowest priority among Americans (44 percent), evangelicals listed it among their highest priorities in changes that need to be addressed.
Also among top evangelical priorities was upgrading the state of marriage and families and improving the spiritual condition of the nation. In each of those cases, evangelicals were more than 30 percentage points more likely than other adults to identify those issues as an absolutely necessary focus for the immediate future. Improving the moral content of mass entertainment was also a top priority for evangelicals.
Some of the issues evangelicals placed at the lower end of priorities for change included protecting the environment (35 percent), improving the quality of public school education, and enhancing the lives of the poor and disadvantaged.
Meanwhile, 60 percent of other American adults said a change is absolutely necessary in the investment in environmental protection; 82 percent said the same on the issue of improving the quality of a public school education; and 69 percent said improving the lives of poor and disadvantaged people is needed.
"Overall, evangelical Christians stood out as the segment that holds views that are most dissimilar from the typical perspectives of Americans," the Barna report stated. Evangelicals were at least 10 percentage points different from the national average in eight of the 11 issues tested. Atheists and agnostics held the same difference from the national average in seven of the issues.
The majority of Americans overall said it's absolutely necessary to change national security in the U.S. (72 percent); the reliability and honesty in news reporting (63 percent); the state of marriage and families (60 percent); and the spiritual state of the country (53 percent).
"A majority of Americans said we need significant change in relation to eight of the 11 issues we posed to them," said George Barna, who directed the study. "The desire for a new direction is harbored not simply by those on the ideological extremes, but by a majority of those who hold the ideological middle ground, as well. Americans contend that they lead a good life, but the survey points out that it is not necessarily their desired life, nor are they comfortable with the society they are leaving to their children.
Leading up to the 2008 presidential election, the study noted that the biggest issue Americans are concerned about (children's future) doesn't seem to be an issue presidential hopefuls are focused on. Continue >>
Comments
tpique1: I'm not sure why you are arguing with me. I'm saying you could be right about the poor being more faithful because of having more insecurity, but that doesn't mean that people who are well off can't be insecure too, because they are only a paycheck or two away from losing what they have.
Of course helping the poor doesn't need Christianity to justify it. The poor are members of society, and being a member of society should entitle one to an equal chance to succeed. Voila, a justification to help the poor that has nothing to do with the bible or Christianity.
I don't believe in souls, so I don't think there is anything for me to lose in that regard.
Citizen,
You've posited a dogmatic claim of your own in the form of an assumption against belief. Only an atheist would make such a blind claim such as you did. Because only an atheist or if not an atheist an agnostic would make the claim that religion is only necessary for the weak and powerless. I would submit to you that you're wrong. People from ALL socioeconomic backgrounds have put their trust in Jesus Christ not just the poor and hungry. I would make the claim however that it is often the poor who have the greatest faith, because their dependence on God is greater.
Feeding the poor and helping the needy is obviously a biblical principle, and can't be justified by the skeptic. But let me ask you what the Lord asked His followers: What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul, or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul. I could feed you and clothe you until you're a king, but until you realize the anarchy in your own soul, you're nothing but a dead man walking.
None of the presidential candidates, yet, is speaking of personal responsibility and sacrifice. To whom much is given much is required is not on the radar...it is more about 'ask what your country can do for you' versus 'what you can do for your country.' Nor are they speaking of a return to civility and improvement of manners - issues that directly impact the future of our children. There is no national ideal and sense of purpose. The Comptroller General is saying we are acting like ancient Rome. Thomas Sowell has issued a grave warning to the very future of our way of life and government system. Many of our pastors have so watered down the Message that it is virtually unrecognizable from pop psychology...time is short without a national renewal and revival that shakes the core of the nation.
Zep 3:12 I will also leave in your midst a poor and weak people, and they shall trust in the name of Jehovah.
Zep 3:13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies, and a deceitful tongue shall not be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
Zep 3:14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
This is the security we should desire.
tpique1: You might be right. Belief could indeed be tied to the amount of economic and social insecurity people feel. That sets up an interesting dilemma for you: Do you help people by supporting progress and social reforms to help people have more secure lives, or do you hope that they suffer, so they cling to their supernatural dogmas and preachers for security?
Good thing the Church does not rise and fall based on whether it wins an opinion poll. Why should we be surprised that the world rejects the Church? Jesus said we'd be hated by the world.
America only likes to give God lip service anyway. Those very same people who were polled would also most assuredly tell you that they're "good" people apart from God. But watch what happens when a calamity occurs then God is suddenly their best friend, but when they are full of prosperity and living fat on life, He's low on their priority list.
America is following the same pattern ancient Israel did. When Israel allowed the nations around them to influence them away from Him, He eventually had to humble them and show them that their sin and self-sufficiency will lead to their end. And what did they ALWAYS cry out when their enemies began to take them over? "HELP!"
Sorry, I don't put my faith in nor do I worship politicians or polls. My faith is in the One true God - YHWH.
It appears that evangelical priorities are very much on the fringe. Looks like candidates for office would do well to lessen their focus on evangelicals.