The majority of American adults pick and choose their religious beliefs to create, in essence, a “customized” religion rather than adopting the set of beliefs taught by a particular church, a new study found.
By a three to one margin (71 percent to 26 percent), Americans say they are more likely to personally develop their own set of religious beliefs than accept a comprehensive set of beliefs taught by a church or denomination, a Barna study, released Monday, shows.
Among those who describe themselves as Christians, for instance, nearly half believe that Satan does not exist, one-third say that Jesus sinned when He was on earth, two-fifths say they do not have a responsibility to share the Gospel with others, and one-quarter dismiss the idea that the Bible is accurate in all of its teachings – beliefs that are contrary to most church teachings.
George Barna, founder of The Barna Group, commented on the findings saying that a growing number of people are serving as their own “theologian-in-residence,” resulting in Americans embracing an “unpredictable and contradictory body of beliefs.”
He pointed out that millions of people who consider themselves as Christians who believe the Bible is totally accurate in all its teaching also contend at the same time that Jesus Christ sinned.
Others, the researcher noted, say they believe they will receive eternal salvation because they confessed their sins and accepted Christ as their savior, but they also believe that a person can do enough good works to earn eternal salvation.
Americans today, Barna observed, are “more likely to pit a variety of non-Christian options against various Christian-based views.”
“This has resulted in an abundance of unique worldviews based on personal combinations of theology drawn from a smattering of world religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam as well as secularism,” he said.
Leading the pack of pick and choose your religious beliefs are people under the age of 25. More than four out of five (82 percent) of them say they develop their own combination of beliefs rather than adopt a set offered by a church.
Born-again Christians were among the groups least likely to adopt an a la carte approach to religious beliefs, but even most in this group say they have mixed their set of beliefs (61 percent).
In other words, the Barna survey’s findings show that people no longer look to denominations or churches for a complete set of theological views. Rather, combining beliefs from different denominations, and even religions, is becoming the norm.
Another finding in the survey is that Christianity is no longer viewed as the default religion in America. More than 50 percent of the adult respondents say that Christianity is no longer the faith that Americans automatically accept as their personal faith.
Previously, many assumed that if one was born in America than one would automatically be affiliated with the Christian faith.
Evangelical Christians (64 percent) and Hispanics (60 percent) were the strongest supporters of the idea that Christianity is no longer the automatic religion of Americans. Residents in the Northeast and West were also more likely than those living in the South and Mideast to say that Christianity has lost its place as the first faith option people consider.
A slight majority of political conservatives, however, still believe Christianity remains the natural choice of most Americans.
Despite the changes and shift in religious beliefs, an overwhelming portion of Americans still say religious faith is an important source of personal moral guidance. Nearly three out of four (74 percent) American adults say their faith influences their moral judgments.
The report is based upon telephone interviews conducted by The Barna Group with a random sample of 1,004 adults selected from across the United States, ages 18 and older, in August 2008.
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"The irony of your statement isn't lost on me. "
Do elaborate!!!
In that there are so many Christian denominations, is picking & choosing anything new?
DP said: "I believe Jesus had another word for "the details". He warned the disciples, "And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and [of] the leaven of Herod." Mar 8:15
It only takes a little leaven.... "
The irony of your statement isn't lost on me.
believer,
Thanks for the note. What is that worldview website? I enjoy David Noebels because he explains the differences between worldviews very well and shows how the false religions are all built on a house-of-cards with truth-claims that end up not matching reality.
Father Fleming,
"Donnakay, It's not easy to be a true Catholic. I hope you find it easier in your new church."
Amen. And it's even harder to be a true Christian.
"What's so tough about that?"
Ah, if only it was that easy - the details get in the way for most folks. "
I believe Jesus had another word for "the details". He warned the disciples, "And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and [of] the leaven of Herod." Mar 8:15
It only takes a little leaven....
Donnakay, It's not easy to be a true Catholic. I hope you find it easier in your new church.
hawk, there is a Biblical Worldview website that also speaks to the various worldviews and the appropriate biblical reaponse to them.
HAWK49,
Thanks for the info . . . I will look into it.
I see nothing news worthy, nor even revealing in the article. Since man's fall he has looked to himself for redemption. It remains a lack of faith in anything other than his own overly inflated ego.
Why certainly there are denominational differences within christianity. Differences exist in all the major religions. Does one think there were no differing views among the original twelve?(so what's your point?) There are certain cardnal doctrines taught in the christian bible which must be adhered to in order to claim being a christian. All christian denominations accept these doctrine, else they cannot be called "christian". It's pretty cut and dry. My goodness, how can one call themself "christian" and deny the very deity of Christ?
Perhaps we should insure everyone is on the same page of definition before we poll them. To claim Jesus sinned, is to claim He was not God, and deny the trinity, unless we can in some way justify sin committed by a Holy God. Then what do we do with the bible, paper mache?
Just my two cents based on the "simplicity" section of scripture.
Online4Him
For an overall concept of worldviews, including Secular Humanism and Marxism you should go to:
http://www.summit.org/resources/worldview_chart/#wv-chart-expl
For a thorough discussion of Cultural Marxism (it's kind of a blend, heavy on Marxism with dashes of Secualar Humanism and Postmodernism mixed in) you should go to:
http://www.freecongress.org/centers/cc/index.aspx
For an excellent summary you can go to:
http://www.freedomsenemies.com/_more/politicalcorrectness.htm and/or http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/02/cultural_marxism.html
If you're asking about our new president- elect then that will get a little more involved, but I would be more than pleased to present that if you wish.
God Bless
HAWK49,
Where did you get the information that you posted?
mtg;
what's the concern?
"I might add the latest success story for cultural Marxists is Obama. He promised us social change; we'll get that change with more cultural Marxism."
Please call someone in to check on the man who wrote this.
I am a born again Christian. I was raised as a Catholic but could not adhere to their particular beliefs.
I have come to the conclusion that the term religion consist of man made laws. Being a Christian means trusting, having faith in Jesus not man.God will do the rest.
DP said: "Love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself."
What's so tough about that?"
Ah, if only it was that easy - the details get in the way for most folks.
SqueakyWheel
the answer to your question is yes. Most of the concern for the church now is the infiltation of cultural Marxism (aka political correctness)
Can you see where your concerns for the sanctity of life and homosexuality and marginalization of Christianity come from per the segments pasted below? Also throw in a matriarchial push, no fault divorce, breakdown of the family, sociaiist gospel revisited, me-ism, etc:
Cultural Marxism is a marriage of Marx and Freud and was introduced into mainstream American life over a period of thirty years. Gramsci observed that the traditional concept of revolution and revolutionary strategy were dead. Marxists needed to wage a cultural revolution -- one directed toward the cultural establishment, including the morality of the existing society, with its goal being the complete disintegration of the system. Gramsci insisted that alliances with other leftist groups would be essential to victory. These would include radical feminist groups, extremist environmental organizations, so-called civil rights movements, homosexual activists, anti-police associations, internationalist-minded groups, liberal church denominations, and others. Working together, these groups could create a united front working for the destructive transformation of the Judeo-Christian culture of the West.
Teachers were to become amateur group therapists. The classroom became the center of self-examination, therapeutic circles where children, and later on, military personnel, talked about their own subjective feelings. This technique was designed to convince children they were the sole authority in their own lives.
One of the basic tenets of Critical Theory [creation from the Frankfurt School] was the need to break down the contemporary family. The Institute scholars preached that even a partial breakdown of parental authority in the family might tend to increase the readiness of a coming generation to accept social change. The "generation gap" of the 1960's and the "gender gap" of the 1990's are two of the elite's successes in transforming American culture into their Marxist utopia.
I might add the latest success story for cultural Marxists is Obama. He promised us social change; we'll get that change with more cultural Marxism.
forsaltnlight - Does your church allow people who are remarried after a divorce in the door? Don't forget them - that problem is a much bigger one than homosexuality (which affects maybe 5-10% of the population as opposed to divorce which affects 30-50% directly).
hawk, my apology as I see in a way we were talking about two different issues, "Cafeteria Christianity" and for lack of a better term, "Cafeteria Worldview" and I do wholeheartedly agree with you about the importance of the Church teaching members of all ages what a Biblical Worldview is and I know that George Barna is very concerned about churches teaching children in that area as well.
believer,
I was only commenting that the Mosaics are the most radical at this time in mixing and matching what they want to believe between the menu of Christianity, secular humanism, marxism, postmodernism and cosmic humanism. The slide took force as the boomers were coming of age. The church, I believe, is failing as it has allowed these other worldviews syncretize the Word.
I also believe we need to know what these other worldviews are to be able to detect their intrusion into our churches. If a person were taught to read the Bible in a deconstructivist mode then his interpretation will seldom match a traditional interpretation, for instance.
"Yeah, I'm sure you have it all figured out correctly.."
"Love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself."
What's so tough about that?
Vcook says:
"I, as a Christian, do not hold to any churches doctrine 100%."
" Kim Clement prophesied that God would visit our next president. So I am believing for a visitation for Obama." (From the post Obama: life difficult w/o church Com)
Hmmmm..VC, these two statements seem at odds with each other. You believe Clement?
Do you know that in order for a prophet who speaks for God that prophesy has to be true. Clement has made false propesies which make him a false prophet.
Jer 14:14 "And the LORD said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart."
1Jo 4:1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."
VC, stick with the Bible and test the prophets. We live in perlious times.
I like that little nickname you gave me. It really doesn't insult me because I'm not some big mega-evangelist pushing guilt trips to line my pockets. I don't care if I'm living in a box on the street, as long as I'm doing what God told me to.
johnzon,
What makes you think that?
Profit
<<...And none of these denominations have it completely.>>
Yeah, I'm sure you have it all figured out correctly..LOL
mtg, but the best way to put it is, God said it and that settles it!!!
By the way, Oliver Wendell Holmes, the elder, wrote "The Deacon's Masterpiece or The Wonderful One-Hoss Shay" in 1858. And we are STILL fighting over these points. God must be weary fooling with us!
"That's not my opinion, but rather that is God's standard for truth - in my opinion," would be a better way to put it.
mtg, God's Word is the standard for all truth and although God's Word does not contain all truth no truth contradicts, violates, or supersedes the truths taught in God's Word. That's not my opinion, but rather that is God's standard for truth.
I apologize for the lenghty post. I suppose CP will not run out of space. Hope not, anyway......
Spring, tire, axle, and linchpin too,
Steel of the finest, bright and blue;
Throughbrace bison-skin, thick and wide;
Boot, top, dasher, from tough old hide
Found in the pit when the tanner died.
That was the way he "put her through,"
"There!" said the Deacon, "naow she'll dew!"
Do! I tell you, I rather guess
She was a wonder, and nothing less!
Colts grew horses, beards turned gray,
Deacon and deaconess dropped away,
Children and grandchildren - where were they?
But there stood the stout old one-hoss shay
As fresh as on Lisbon-earthquake-day!
EIGHTEEN HUNDRED; - it came and found
The Deacon's masterpiece strong and sound.
Eighteen hindred increased by ten; -
"Hahnsum kerridge" they called it then.
Eighteen hundred and twenty came; -
Running as usual; much the same.
Thirty and forty at last arive,
And then come fifty and FIFTY-FIVE.
Little of of all we value here
Wakes on the morn of its hundredth year
Without both feeling and looking queer.
In fact, there's nothing that keeps its youth,
So far as I know, but a tree and truth.
(This is a moral that runs at large;
Take it. - You're welcome. - No extra charge.)
FIRST OF NOVEMBER, - the Earthquake-day, -
There are traces of age in the one-hoss shay,
A general flavor of mild decay,
But nothing local, as one may say.
There couldn't be, - for the Deacon's art
Had made it so like in every part
That there wasn't a chance for one to start.
For the wheels were just as strong as the thills
And the floor was just as strong as the sills,
And the panels just as strong as the floor,
And the whippletree neither less or more,
And the back-crossbar as strong as the fore,
And the spring and axle and hub encore.
And yet, as a whole, it is past a doubt
In another hour it will be worn out!
First of November, fifty-five!
This morning the parson takes a drive.
Now, small boys get out of the way!
Here comes the wonderful one-hoss shay,
Drawn by a rat-tailed, ewe-necked bay.
"Huddup!" said the parson. - Off went they.
The parson was working his Sunday's text, -
Had got to fifthly, and stopped perplexed
At what the - Moses - was coming next.
All at once the horse stood still,
Close by the meet'n'-house on the hill.
First a shiver, and then a thrill,
Then something decidedly like a spill, -
And the parson was sitting upon a rock,
At half past nine by the meet'n'-house clock, -
Just the hour of the earthquake shock!
What do you think the parson found,
When he got up and stared around?
The poor old chaise in a heap or mound,
As if it had been to the mill and ground!
You see, of course, if you're not a dunce,
How it went to pieces all at once, -
All at once, and nothing first, -
Just as bubbles do when they burst.
End of the wonderful one-hoss shay.
Logic is logic. That's all I say.
Please excuse long poem. Skip it if you are not interested or already know "The One Hoss Shay," please.
Have you heard of the wonderful one-hoss shay,
That was built in such a logical way
It ran a hundred years to a day,
And then of a sudden it - ah, but stay,
I'll tell you what happened without delay,
Scaring the parson into fits,
Frightening people out of their wits, -
Have you ever heard of that, I say?
Seventeen hundred and fifty-five.
Georgius Secundus was then alive, -
Snuffy old drone from the German hive.
That was the year when Lisbon-town
Saw the earth open and gulp her down,
And Braddock's army was done so brown,
Left without a scalp to its crown.
It was on that terrible Earthquake-day
That the Deacon finished the one-hoss shay.
Now in building of shaises, I tell you what,
There is always a weakest spot, -
In hub, tire, felloe, in spring or thill,
In pannel or crossbar, or floor, or sill,
In screw, bolt, throughbrace, - lurking still,
Find it somewhere you must and will, -
Above or below, or within or without, -
And that's the reason, beyond a doubt,
That a chaise breaks down, but doesn't wear out.
But the Deacon swore (as deacons do,
With an "I dew vum," or an "I tell yeou")
He would build one shay to beat the taown
'n' the keounty 'n' all the kentry raoun';
It should be so built that it couldn' break daown:
"Fer," said the Deacon, "'t's mighty plain
Thut the weakes' place mus' stan' the strain;
'n' the way t' fix it, uz I maintain, is only jest
'T' make that place uz strong uz the rest."
So the Deacon inquired of the village folk
Where he could find the strongest oak,
That couldn't be split nor bent nor broke, -
That was for spokes and floor and sills;
He sent for lancewood to make the thills;
The crossbars were ash, from the the straightest trees
The pannels of whitewood, that cuts like cheese,
But lasts like iron for things like these;
The hubs of logs from the "Settler's ellum," -
Last of its timber, - they couldn't sell 'em,
Never no axe had seen their chips,
And the wedges flew from between their lips,
Their blunt ends frizzled like celery-tips;
Step and prop-iron, bolt and screw,
(completed on next post)
That's your "One Hoss Shay" attitude. That notion limits all of us on occasion.
mtg, as long as we recognize that any revelation that is of God will never contradict, violate, or supersede the Word of God and if it does, it's not from God.
People have always "picked and chosen" what they want to believe. The early church councils (as the old men chose the canon) were "picking and choosing" sessions. So what? We can work with the limited number of books those men "chose" for us - but we don't have to stop being open to God's voice at the last line of Revelation.
hawk, this has nothing to do with the next generation especially considering that many who post on CP are not part of the next generation and yet many of them adhere to the "Cafeteria Christianity" mindset. I personally have a high regard for the work that George Barna does, but on this one he's at least 20 years late even though what he is saying is right on target.
There are so many denominations...Pentacost, Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian...etc. We do need to get back to the way God intended it. And none of these denominations have it completely.
Barna is not late; this is just one more of his studies that affirms what he has been warning the church about this past decade. He has labeled this next generation into adulthood as Mosaics just because they pick and choose what they want to believe using the pluralism and moral relativism they learned very well from school and TV. In the Lord's Prayer we ask to be delievered from evil, yet the results of this survey demonstrates very well that most Americans have been deceived and ignore what is written on their hearts to be able to distinguish good from evil. Our institutions (govt laws, govt schools, mass media, international banking and international corporations) are busy creating the New Communist Man (term coined by Antonio Gramsci of the Frankfurt School) by indoctrination of cultural Marxism. One of the goals is to abolish Christianity and form a worldwide, ecumenical religion. This survey shows it is working.
Yes, we need to understand the Bible via the Holy Spirit as He will lead us to Truth and unify the body, but we are also the soldiers and Christ's ambassadors going out into the world and witnessing to the Truth? The next generation graduating from govt schools will be even more hostile to the Gospel as true Christians allow Christ to be more marginalized in our culture.
God is in control and we can only effectivley do what He has gifted us to do. The question for every believing Christian is: Are we obeying what He wills us to do?
FullGospel,
I dont know . . . the NT church that Jesus founded 2000 years ago looked nothing like where you are at now . . .
Online4Him, my friend, I already have, thanks be to God.
Thats what makes freedom and democracy a great and power full thing, you can choose OR NOT the religion that works for you.
Online wrote: "we need to return to the simplicity and pure doctrines of the New Testament Church as described in scriptures"
Amen to that!
(The only real action we can take is to put God first and get back into the Church that Jesus founded 2,000 years ago)
Amen, I agree Fullgospel . . . we need to return to the simplicity and pure doctrines of the New Testament Church as described in scriptures . . . are you ready to take such action?
vc, while I don't agree with all the doctrines of a church, not all doctrines are manmade. There are doctrines based on and grounded in the Word of God and then there are doctrines that are mainly based on the traditions of man. It is the latter that I normally will not totally agree with.
I give you two quotes that foresaw this denominational chaos:
There are now as many theologies as there are heads. -Luther
It is of great importance that the divisions which subsist among us should not be known to future ages, for nothing would be more ridiculous than that we, who have broken ourselves off for the whole world, should have agreed so poorly among ourselves from the very beginning of the Reformation. -John Calvin to Melanchton
The only real action we can take is to put God first and get back into the Church that Jesus founded 2,000 years ago.
vcook wrote; "Keep in mind, doctrines are man made, the Bible is the only infalliable source of belief."
Paul warns Timothy that men will no longer endure sound doctrine; God indeed has a doctrine ~ it is the sound doctrine contained in the pages of the Bible, His Holy Word.
Paul also writes to Titus to hold fast the faithful word so that he will be able to exhort in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict.
God's Word is the only sound doctrine we need to adhere to.
(Most Americans Pick and Choose Religious Beliefs)
Truth be told, I do not think that most Americans know what to believe in . . . partly because some of their spiritual leaders have not faithfully interpreted the scriptures and also because most lay persons are just too lazy to study anymore . . . too many today love to be spoon fed. On the other hand, I am sure that there are some, who do not fully agree with everything that their denomination teaches and therefore accept interpretations from other Christian bodies. For example, there are many who embrace various theologies across denominational lines on subjects such as soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology. So this does not surprise me.
With that being said; I would have to also question the seriousness of someone claiming to be a Christian and believing that Jesus sinned . . . or that the bible is not accurate . . . or that there is no devil . . . or blended Christianity with other world religions. To deny the first three is to dismiss Jesus own personal testimony concerning himself, the scriptures, and the devil. Anyone claiming to be a Christian while repudiating the scriptural claims and testimony of Christ are more akin to Gnostics/New Agers than Christians.
Does that explain why only 9% of Christians hold a biblical world-view?
The Church is in dire theological & spiritual straits. We don't even know what we don't know.
Does this explain why the sanctity of human life issue is low on the priority list of churches?
Is this consistent with the compromises with the Church makes with homosexual relationships and teaching?
A slow & steady cultural slide into moral relativism.
I, as a Christian, do not hold to any churches doctrine 100%. I believe that Christ is the only way to Heaven and that is an unmoveable foundation. Everything else, at least in my opinion, doesn't effect your salvation. Keep in mind, doctrines are man made, the Bible is the only infalliable source of belief.
"...homosexual marriage, abortion, women Pastors..."
Because we all know from scripture that Jesus devoted his earthly ministry to these three issues!
Guess what forsaltnlight, the "pickers and choosers" the article makes reference to aren't all "liberals".
That which is described as a " customized Religion " is not Christanity at all.
God help the people who have bought into a false way of Salvation. God help those Preachers that have sold out to a new age religion.
"Cafeteria Christianity" what a novel concept, George my friend your a day late and a dollar short on this one!