Posted on 12/08/2001 6:06:40 AM PST by RnMomof7
Tuesday, December 04, 2001
VENTURA, Calif. (EP) -- Social analysts say that people turn to religion in times of crisis. That was certainly the case in America after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. A surge in church attendance and Bible sales was recorded immediately after that tragic day. But has that had any lingering effect on people's religious beliefs and practices?
The Barna Research Group examined that question. Using 21 indicators of the nation's spiritual climate, the study gives a comprehensive look at how people's faith has changed in the aftermath of the terrorist attack.
The post-attack surge in church attendance has been widely reported. But while current levels of adult attendance are higher than before the attack, they are not statistically different than the numbers recorded last November, thus reflecting a typical seasonal increase. It appears that attendance, which nationwide increased by perhaps 25 percent immediately after the attack, is back at normal levels. The November survey found 48 percent of adults attending on a typical weekend.
According to the Barna survey, the types of adults who seemed more inclined to be attending church services two months after the attack were women (up eight percentage points since August), people 55 or older (up 10 points), Catholics (also up 10 points), and atheists, whose church participation tripled from just 3 percent in August to 10 percent in November.
While some religious leaders posited that the attacks had caused many to turn their lives over to Jesus Christ, the survey found that the pre- and post-attack statistics of those who have made a "personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in your life today" were identical: 68 percent.
Other measures of religious behavior were at identical levels to those noted in August. Bible reading remained at 39 percent of adults pursuing the Bible, other than at church, during a typical week. Church volunteerism, after an initial outpouring of involvement, is back at pre- attack levels (23 percent invest some time in church-related service during a typical week). Prayer, also alleged to have escalated, is currently at its normal level, with 85 percent praying to God in a given week. Adult Sunday school attendance moved up slightly (to 22 percent) but not enough to be considered a statistically significant change. Participation in a small group other than a Sunday school class that meets during the week for Bible study, prayer or Christian fellowship remained static, as did having a private devotional time during the week.
Not surprisingly, there has been a significant upturn in people's concern about the future. In August, 73 percent of adults said they were concerned about the future; by November, that figure had increased to 82 percent. The population segment that expressed the greatest concern was adults 35 and younger, among whom nearly nine out of 10 said they were concerned. The biggest increases in concern were registered among people 55 and older (up 17 points from the pre-attack level) and atheists (also up 17 points).
People's religious identification did not change by any statistically significant amount after the attacks. In August, 86 percent of all adults said they thought of themselves as Christian. The post-attack study found 84 percent embracing that label -- a change well within the study's margin of error. The survey also showed that the proportion of Americans who think of themselves as Muslim or Islamic remained stable, as well, at less than 1 percent of the aggregate adult population.
Adults were also asked to rate their level of commitment to the Christian faith. Using a four-point scale, in the late summer survey 42 percent of adults said they were "absolutely committed" to Christianity. That number remained virtually unchanged (44 percent) eight weeks after the attacks.
Perhaps the most startling shift has been in people's views about moral truth. Given the nature of the terrorist attack, one might have expected Americans to become more convinced of the presence of good and evil, and that there are absolute moral principles that exist regardless of cultural realities and personal preferences. However, Barna's research showed exactly the opposite outcome.
Prior to the attacks the most recent inquiry into views of truth was in January 2000, some 20 months earlier. At that time, people were asked if they believed that "there are moral truths that are absolute, meaning that those moral truths or principles do not change according to the circumstances" or that " moral truth always depends upon the situation, meaning that a person's moral and ethical decisions depend upon the circumstances." At the start of 2000, almost four out of 10 adults (38 percent) said that there are absolute moral truths that do not change according to the circumstances. When the same question was asked in the just-completed survey, the result was that just two out of 10 adults (22 percent) claimed to believe in the existence of absolute moral truth.
The people groups least likely to believe in absolute moral truth were Baby Busters (i.e., those 36 and younger -- only 13 percent embrace the idea of absolute truth), Catholics (16 percent) and adults who are not born again Christians (15 percent). The groups most likely to endorse the existence of absolute moral truths include Baby Boomers (i.e., people 37 to 55 years of age -- 28 percent of whom embrace absolute truth), adults who attend non-mainline Protestant churches (32 percent) and born again individuals (32 percent).
Interestingly, when people were further queried as to the source of the principles or standards on which they base their moral and ethical decisions, the post-attack survey discovered that only one out of eight adults -- just 13 percent -- cited the Bible. The most common sources of guidance regarding moral decisions trusted by Americans are feelings (25 percent) and the lessons and values they remember from their parents (14 percent).
Responding to the disappointment of Christian leaders who have been exposed to these findings, George Barna, who directed the study, explained that, "after the attack, millions of nominally churched or generally irreligious Americans were desperately seeking something that would restore stability and a sense of meaning to life. Fortunately, many of them turned to the church. Unfortunately, few of them experienced anything that was sufficiently life-changing to capture their attention and their allegiance. They tended to appreciate the moments of comfort they received, but were unaware of anything sufficiently unique or beneficial as to redesign their lifestyle to integrate a deeper level of spiritual involvement. Our assessment is that churches succeeded at putting on a friendly face but failed at motivating the vast majority of spiritual explorers to connect with Christ in a more intimate or intense manner."
Barna noted that the post-attack measures emerging from his research are remarkably consistent with the levels recorded each quarter since the beginning of 2000. "Christian churches have had two incredible opportunities to instigate serious transformation in people's lives this year. Earlier, the faith-based initiative proposal by President Bush afforded a great chance to impact millions of lives, but that opportunity was squandered. The September 11 tragedy was another amazing opportunity to be the healing and transforming presence of God in people's lives, but that, too, has now come and gone, with little to show for it."
Barna stated that he hopes churches can learn some sobering lessons from these events. "These situations, especially the terrorist attacks, bring to mind Jesus' teaching that no one knows the time and day when God will return for His people, so we must always be ready. These two events are a wake up call to church leaders, emphasizing the particular need to enhance their efforts in the areas of outreach and discipleship. We may never again have such grand opportunities to reach the nation for Christ -- but then, we may have an even greater opportunity tomorrow. How many churches have leaders and believers who are poised to take advantage of such a pending opportunity?"
The data on which this report is based are from telephone interviews with a nationwide random sample of 1,010 adults conducted in late October and early November 2001. The maximum margin of sampling error associated with the aggregate sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.
Frank M. Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup research group, also found little indication of "great awakening or profound change in America's religious practices," according to a report in the New York Times. "It looks like people were treating this like a bereavement, a shorter-term funeral kind of thing, where they went to church or synagogue to grieve," Newport said. "But once past that, their normal churchgoing behavior passed back to where it was." In the 10 days following the terrorist attacks, Gallup found national attendance at worship services rose to 47 percent of the population. But by earlier this month, it had fallen back to its usual 42 percent.
What was that about "Not everyone who says "Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father"?
I suspect that this pseudo-survey as well as the one I saw in today's newspaper that the "favorable" impression of Muslims in America has INCREASED from 54% to 68% since the 9/11 attacks are, along with other such news items, part of some wierd strategy to demoralize the overwhelmingly Christian population of the USA and assist its enemies, especially including the cult of Islam,in the eternal struggle for men's souls.
The psychological brainwashing and secularization of America mind is almost complete.
Everything is relative and child are just things to be placed in a daycare at 6 weeks so mommy can be free from the chains of motherhood
Freedom will be the next victim, or is already under attack.
Jesus said, "You must be born again." didn't He? Isn't that an absolute truth? How can someone claim to be a Born-again Christian and not believe that there are absolute truths?? I don't get it.
And this is the question isn't it? Jerrys answer is correct me thinks!
Maybe only 32% of "born again Christians" are really born again!
What was that about "Not everyone who says "Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father"?
Easy believism...say the words and just move on...
I don't accept that so few Christians believe in "absolutes." From my own observations, church attendance is up markedly, even compared to last November.
It serves the interests of the secular state to pontificate that Christians are basically uneffected by 9-11, making them appear both callous and ignorant. And then the pollsters have the temerity to blame this supposed lassitude on the churches!
The only places that are "back to business as usual" are the government-managed mouthpieces, trying desperately to negate all Judeo-Christian influences...again.
What is Barna Research Group, Ltd.? Barna Research Group, Ltd. (BRG) is a full-service marketing research company located in Ventura, California. BRG has been providing information and analysis regarding cultural trends and the Christian Church since 1984.
This is not a fly by night secular group..
The truth will set us free ..not "demoralize" us!
Many are called but few are chosen!
In my church, after 9/11, we heard nothing except how wonderful (and peaceful) Islam is, how Americans should really look at themselves as having caused the attack, etc., etc. Judging from comments I have heard from other people and even read hear on FR, I wasn't the only one to have been failed by my church.
And, incidentally, it seems to cut across denominations - I've read and heard stories from Catholics, mainstream Prots and Evangelicals, equally.
Have you read the Potter Threads ?
Many of those that "love " it are "Christians".....no absolutes..everything is relative.....
This really shouldn't come as a big surprise. Deathbed conversions usually don't mean much -- especially if death is somehow postponed.
After the initial shock of 11 September, most Americans outside of New York and Washington have realized that they were not directly affected. In fact, not much has changed. The anthrax scare had people worried for a time, but it has fizzled. The war in Afghanistan appears to be won; even if there were to be a larger war, there is no draft and therefore no reason to worry. The economy is a concern, but we have been through recessions before.
Jesus Himself warned of this attitude:
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
42 ¶ Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
I'm not. This is exactly what I expected.
I am not surprised either. I am still saddened by the it though. I was holding out the glimmer of hope that this would lead to revival/awakening that my church, and so many others, have been praying for.
However, after seeing the "inclusiveness" that was going on during the different prayer vigils/meetings I kind of knew that 9-11 was helping America finish her turn away from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Muslim prayer meeting at the White House sealed it for me.
Oh well, I'll keep praying for that revival and awakening though, because God has a history of doing great works just when the day seems darkest.
-ksen
You are right about that..There are no atheists in foxholes..
Places where God's word is preached are thriving. "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Isa. 55:11) God, in His Soverign grace, is still doing work in the hearts of men today.
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