Belief in the Tenets of Christianity are Falling
One of the most interesting developments within the Christian faith was the survey company started by George Barna. While Barna sold the firm in 2007 it remains focused on research that concerns the public's attitudes toward Christianity. He recently released survey results showing that the percentage of Americans who believe God is an all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect and just creator of the universe who still rules the world today is now barely 50%. In 1991 73% of the public said the believed such a statement to be true. It would be reasonable to this figure will be soon less than 50%.
It is a bit ironic the Christian Barna firm would publish polls that are every bit, or more, pessimistic about the status of Christianity than secular polling companies. I believe it is because it knows the specific tenets of the faith and asks about them in polls. Secular companies don't know the importance of these tenets so they ask about relatively meaningless views like, "Do you believe in God?"
George Barna himself is starting another research effort which will try to pin point weaknesses in the public's understanding of Christianity and address them. How he will convince millions when they are skeptics remains to be seen. Barna sees the lack of knowledge about the faith as the cause of what he thinks is moral decline.
I've wondered recently if President Trump's recent bizarre claims about issues from science are affecting the public's views of claims from Christianity. A couple of years ago the President speculated the power-generating windmills caused cancer. Now is speculating that swallowing a poison, Clorox, will cure coronavirus. (There is a joke circulating that maybe he will say the cancer caused by the windmills also can be cured with Clorox.) The scientific evidence that Clorox will kill coronavirus is as strong as the same evidence there is a God or that one fertilized cell is a human being.
Perhaps a healthy skepticism is spreading and that is why interest in Christian tenets is falling.
Jon,
ReplyDelete“The spiritual noise in our culture over the last few decades has confused and misled hundreds of millions of people," Barna said. The “spiritual noise” includes that generated by the faith itself. The culture of the faith “has become increasingly self-focused”. Much of that focus has been drawn down on power politics. In particular the politics of abortion, homosexuality, and immigration. Add to that exploitation of the ambiguities in the Bible crafted by clever grifters into perverse interpretations of the gospel for the sole purpose of enriching themselves. Throw in an unhealthy dose of clerical scandal, a quasi-Christian grifter-in-chief skilled at double talk with a forked tongue out of both sides of his mouth, and you get a distorted view of the faith. Spiritual astigmatism spawning a “healthy skepticism”.
“But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.”, Ephesians 5:13.
I suppose that you have an "undistorted" view of the faith. come to think of it, I think that you and your buddy Jon could well be characterized as "clever grifters [who are] into perverse interpretation of the gospel...". not, of course. for the purpose of enriching yourselves but, rather for the purpose of sharing your bigoted views with the world.
DeleteUnknown April 26, 2020 at 10:22 AM
Delete“for the purpose of sharing your bigoted views with the world”
I cannot imagine a more bigoted worldview than that of Catholicism. Furthermore, I don’t care if you think sharing my purple prose for whatever purpose is the work of a swindler. My non-theism is genuine. And I am certain that Jon is very, very capable of defending his own view of the world.
of course, I know that your atheism in "genuine", so genuine that it rules out any balanced or open-minded view of the universe.
Deleteaccretion is the enemy of tenets
ReplyDeleteI think Ardy names several of those accretions. I could name more.
Deletelittle helper April 26, 2020 at 12:10 PM
DeleteFor my future reference I found this list of 12 tenets of Christianity. Your thoughts please.
1. Jesus Christ is the Only Way To Eternal Salvation With God the Father
2. We Are Saved by Grace Through Faith – Not by Works
3. Jesus Christ is the Son of God
4. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ
5. Resurrection of Jesus Christ
6. The Ascension of Jesus Christ
7. The Doctrine of the Trinity
8. The Holy Bible is the Inspired and Infallible Word of God
9. Baptized With the Holy Spirit at Salvation
10. Renewed – Regenerated By Holy Spirit
11. The Doctrine of Hell
12. The Return of Jesus
little helper April 26, 2020 at 12:10 PM
Delete“accretion is the enemy of tenets”
In the biological sense accretion is a frenemy, necessary for growth of a healthy body to maturity and detrimental in the instance of tumor for example. Your “accretion is the enemy of tenets” is a wonderful succinct assertion for the sense I think you have in mind. If I may venture a guess and borrow a term from the computer information disciplines, the tenets of a religious faith must be “siloed” or protected from alteration and misinterpretation in order to preserve their infallibility. Difference is a product of accretion.
I don't know what helper would say, but this seems to be a decent listing. but so what? and an afterthought for you and Jon. I watched several of Trump's virus briefings. I was embarrassed for him. haven't watched any since. also embarrassed for Biden on several occasions.
DeleteArdy; See the creeds, the Apostles creed should suffice. Your #7; The term "Trinity" is not in the Bible, but the totality of Scripture is solid evidence of the "Triunity of the Godhead. In short; the "Trinity" is as close as humanly possible to describe it. I prefer "The triunity of the Godhead". Your # 8 "inspired" yes; "infallible is only mentioned once in Acts 1;3; as in; "his passion by many infallible proofs". Your # 9 is post reformed terminology, and as such contains elements of potential error. Your # 12 alludes to millennialism and His reign for a thousand years on earth.
DeleteFor further study get Luther's small Catechism c 1941.(CPH) The most concise yet comprehensive quick study.
Thank you.
Ardy @ 2;02 re. "accretion" In the sense of "adding to": that which was not there before, both in teaching and practice.
Delete