National Cultural Values Survey: America Is A Nation In Moral and Spiritual Confusion

Culture and Media Institute ^ | 7 March 2007 | Brian Fitzpatrick

[shrinkermd]

This is a 22 page report based on a comprehensive survey of American religious and other values. It is not possible to excerpt it.

The Report begins by classifying values groups into: (1)Orthodox; (2)Progressive; (3) And, Independent.

Orthodox represents about a third of the population. These individuals have a basic, religious outlook on life and they overwhelmingly believe in God. They wish to see government policies mirror religious values. They are strong believers in right and wrong and see most social issues in black and white terms.

Progressives represent one sixth of the populationand are uniformly opposed to religious values in government. While 53% believe in God 33% do not. Progressives believe in situational ethics and they see moral issues in shades of gray.

Independents represent about one half of the population. They do not fully accept orthodox or progressive views but they tend to side with the orthodox on questions of politics and sexual morality. They are more situational in the way they view moral issues even though 93% of them believe in God. Their opinions frequently lean towards Progressive in matters of honesty and character.

Using these demographic groups a variety of data is then reported. The data ranges from general attitudes towards recent cultural change through basic character virtues such as industriousness, truthfulness, thriftiness and so forth.

Among the notable findings are that 87% of Americans believe in God and 52% say they believe the Bible is God's authorative word. About 51% describe themselves as pro-choice and 53% are willing to tolerate physician-assisted suicide.

I cannot begin to catalogue the many findings of this report so you will have to read it even to understand this short summary.

Information on the Culture and Media Institute can be found HERE

The John Templeton Foundation sponsored this extensive and expensive survey. The foundation assumes no responsibility for the content.

[shrinkermd]

This survey is quite helpful in understanding contemporary political matters. Recently, another study has pointed out that people sort into a bimodal distribution of "conservative" and "liberal" with only 10% or less being considered "moderate." This survey, on the other hand, points out the importance of religious belief or disbelief in determining policy.

[Continental Soldier]

America is watching itself. While Americans may be privately spiritual, and may be fully faithful to their moral convictions, their religious institutions are fading fast. Lots of things have contributed to that. The disgraceful child abuse scandals of the Catholic Church, the homosexual issues of the Epiccopal Church, as well as the failure of the religious community in general to rise above parochial concerns and to formulate a consistent program for the salvation of souls. Politics rules politics, but it also seems to rule religion. And that will be it's epithaph.

[airborne]

I don't think there are as many moderates as is thought.

I think many who say they are moderates, just don't want to admit they're liberal.

Either that, or the liberal media has convinced them that their liberal beliefs are actually moderate.

[WOSG]

PING for interesting survey.

[GSlob]

Spiritual confusion happens only to those who do not know how to hold their liquor and/or use spiritual beverages in mixtures or in improper sequence [like, say, drinking Port after vodka, or - heaven forbid - mixing vodka and beer!]. To avoid such a miserable fate, and to be on the straight and narrow, is very easy:
1. Thou shall never mix. What you have started with, continue with.
2. Thou shall eat [before, during, and after the beverages], for a man shall not live by spirits alone;
3. Thou shalt observe the seasons, and regard them. Everything in its time, and this pertains to drinking as well. Observe the timing, pace yourself, and rest assured that no sprinter ever finished a marathon.
Do like this, and the spiritual confusion would surely become a thing of the distant past.

[Kevmo]

Thanks for posting this. Bump for later reading.