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.
A public response and then a private one...
We know the church is full of tares for the enemy has sown them there and chaff for many are called, but few are chosen. They will have their portion in the lake of fire. Best be to examine oneself to see if Christ has put on yer wedding garment and you are indeed in a garment of salvation and a robe of righteousness.
I have relatives for which I grieve and pray "God take away their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh."
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall be joyful in my God. For He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Easy answer. All relativists suffer from cognitive dissonance.
That is the mental confusion resulting from holding polar opposite beliefs, attitudes, and ideas simultaneously.
Well put!
Here is another " A double minded man is unstable in all his ways"
http://www.csmonitor.com/2001/1207/p3s1-ussc.html
Americans see religion as gaining clout in public life
Suddenly, a big majority of the public sees religion as a more influential player, a new poll finds. By Jane Lampman | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
For the first time in almost half a century, a substantial majority of Americans see religion as gaining influence in public life.
The shift in public perception is both sudden and dramatic. The number of Americans who say religion now has a higher profile in society has more than doubled just since the beginning of this year - a leap that can probably be attributed, at least in part, to Sept. 11 and its aftermath.
This viewpoint - which, according to a nationwide survey released on Thursday, jumped dramatically from 37 percent in March to 78 percent in November - is shared by virtually all demographic and religious groupings.
"The widespread influence of religion is now more visible, more welcome, and more diverse," says Charles Haynes of the Freedom Forum's First Amendment Center.
Some observers say that the reasons for the shift are varied - whether it be a renewed focus on the more significant questions of life, an acknowledgement of the need for deeper perspectives to guide the nation in coming months, or simply an awareness of greater religious involvement in issues of public concern over the past year.
For some, the results confirm that the nation has entered a new era, in which religion is no longer seen as simply a private matter but very much a part of the public sphere. "It's a quiet revolution that has been building since the 1980s, but this presidency has reinforced the trend," Dr. Haynes says.
At the same time, Americans have responded in the aftermath of the attacks with an across-the-board rise in acceptance of Muslim Americans. Those having a favorable image of Muslims increased from 45 percent in March to 59 percent today, with only 17 percent expressing a negative view.
The findings are from a survey of 1,500 adults carried out in November by the Pew Center for the People and Press in collaboration with the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
The new perception that religion is gaining influence is somewhat puzzling, particularly since, the survey confirms, there is little evidence that peoples have changed their spiritual practices in their personal lives. Only those who were already very religious are praying more or attending church more regularly.
Some suggest this may simply be a response to the innumerable public expressions of faith of recent weeks.
"It probably reflects the recurring TV images of leaders engaged in religious gatherings, and the president's own drawing on his spiritual side in talking about the war on terrorism," says the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
But others see a rising religiosity outside of officialdom, as well.
"It reflects my experience as I travel across the country," counters Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. "People are continuing to talk more openly about religious subjects and realizing many others share their concerns."
Over the past year, a number of controversial public-policy issues have drawn avid religious participation in the debate, from the White House's faith-based initiative, to proposals for a moratorium on the death penalty, to stem cell research and human cloning.
The Pew Forum, created to encourage public discussion on religion and politics, has also documented religious participation in issues that dominated public policy headlines in 2001. Its new report, released yesterday, suggests that a great mix of religions and religious groups are joining the debates - not just conservative groups or Catholics who have engaged on specific issues. "Many other religious groups are finding their voice, so there's a 'diversity push' for more religion in public life," Haynes adds.
Attitudes towards Muslims have improved among all political and religious groups in the United States. The survey shows that Mr. Bush's core supporters, conservative Republicans, made the most substantial leap in acceptance, from 35 percent to 64 percent. "That's probably directly attributable to presidential leadership," Dr. Land says.
Muslims will be encouraged by the fact that, in their case, familiarity seems to breed appreciation. The improved image of Muslims seems closely tied to knowledge about the faith as well as to education levels. Almost three-quarters (73 percent) of those with some knowledge of Islam have a favorable view, compared with 53 percent of those who say they know little.
The poll also explored reactions to the view espoused by prominent conservatives that the terrorist attacks were a sign that God no longer protects the US. A resounding 73 percent dismissed the idea, with evangelicals only slightly behind at 63 percent.
What is it they say "actions speak louder than words"? :>)I think that alot of these folks are projecting what they think should happen..or what they think the questioner wants to hear, rather than what is actually happening.
You know LD,I was raised in "the church" ,I went to religious schools..and was active in the church...folk groups,CCD teacher,lector,"worked" retreats..etc,etc,etc...But I never really knew Christ..
Looking back on it, I would have thought seeing more bodies in church on Sunday meant a revival of sorts. I would not have seen it as a quick fix to fear (which is what I think happened right after the WTC).
I had to become a mature believer to understand that the heart is not always where the body is, you know what I mean?
The churchs are full of social or familial members that attend ,and give...but have no ongoing personal relationship with Christ.They do not know what a relationship with Christ really is..so they can not tell the true from the false in a poll like this.
So they count bodies and attendence,the only measure the world has.
Did the churches and have they, examined these events in light of God's word. Have they awakened to the worldwide persecution of Christians as reported by the Voice of Martyrs, Brother Andrew and others, or do they continue to be preoccupied with other things (e.g., the `mainline' denominations with advancing the homosexual agenda and other abandonments of God's word) and ignore what God is doing in the world? More Christians have been persecuted, harmed and killed for their faith since Islam has had the Oil Weapon than in the preceding 300 years.
Here is an interview you might like, with the bishop on NYC. As you know, many of the firemen and cops were Catholic, for Catholics from ethnic background encourage their children to use their talents in serving their fellow men.
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Subj: ZE011202 INTERVIEW What the Press Does Not Report About New York´s Tragedy
Cardinal Egan Explains How Attacks Have Changed City NEW YORK, DEC. 2, 2001 ( ZENIT.org - Avvenire ).-
The Sept. 11 attack on the Twin Towers changed New York both morally and civilly, says Cardinal Edward Egan. "Every situation, every tragedy, every event lived through suffering is a spiritual experience for all," said the New York archbishop, 69. "Deep down, this sorrow of ours is evidence that blood, like hope, makes not distinctions of race or nationality."
"It is a pity that the international press missed, over the past three months of reporting, the most authentic examples of faith and symbols of hope of the people of New York," he added.
--Q: During the Synod of Bishops, you spoke about an examination of conscience on the part of all Americans.
--Cardinal Egan: When I was asked if Americans had made an examination of conscience, I answered that undoubtedly they were doing so, but I also said that the real examination of conscience must not only be made in extraordinary cases, such as this one, but should be a constant practice for all men of every nation. ....
--Q: Eighty days after the disaster, what are your clearest memories?
--Cardinal Egan: I saw holiness many times in those days, in the several visits among those ruins, watching the work of our people amid the rubble.
Following those tragic events, I have come into contact with many families stricken by the loss of one or more relatives: honest men who worked to take the bread home to their families. Simple, intimate and personal incidents that suffice to give an idea of the sorrow and profound feeling of these people, too often diminished by economic or consumerist descriptions.
Just a few days ago I celebrated a memorial for one of the many firefighters who disappeared and were never found. He has left five daughters and two adopted sons, two orphans from Ireland. He lived the normal life of the father of a family who on his own fed five mouths and welcomed two adoptive sons.
Nothing remains of him but ashes -- but this doesn't count for those who only wish to talk about Hollywood stars and politicians.
--Q: What, then, is the United States like today?
--Cardinal Egan: It is another United States that no one ever talks about: We see it in the churches, within the walls of home, and in the confessionals.
They are people who want to continue to hope with the help of prayer. All this can be confirmed by the many priests working in the different churches of New York, on the streets, and in the different communities.
--Q: What has this human and pastoral experience changed in you, since you were one of the first to arrive on the scene of the disaster?
--Cardinal Egan: My experience during these three endless months is rich in great and small daily actions that constantly bring to mind those indelible hours spent a few meters from the Twin Towers. The chaos was total there. They told me to run to St. Vincent's Hospital to receive the dead.
I went and I found myself next to a group of doctors working to save the first wounded. One of them had his father on the 104th floor of one of the towers. I told him to go look for him, but his answer was decisive: "no." The doctor told me: "I must stay here." Days later the same doctor wrote me a letter full of feeling and faith, in which he told me that his father was one of the lost, one of the 4,000 dead never found.
--Q: In this tragedy, you have underlined the birth of a new model of holiness. What is it?
--Cardinal Egan: Over this period, I have seen very many examples of holiness. Lay holiness, but with a thrust toward the supernatural. Let's remember that sorrow is the same in all parts of the world. Our people have demonstrated this and are demonstrating it with a human effort that still requires a high price to pay in matters of security.
I know, for example, that in many cases there are people who have worked as firefighters but also as workers at Ground Zero. Hence, they are subjected to strict medical control, because of the collateral effects caused by the deadly dust they have inhaled. We do not yet know what awaits us in the future. ZE01120201 TOP
Sorry that I was not clear,of course there are some in those pews that have real relationships with Christ..the "feeling " isn't the issue (although the bible tells us that the "spirit give witness "to our salvation).
My point was that the churches are also full of social christians that are there because it is expected of them...the kids need moral training,or my whole family goes,or to be seen and recognized.
So if these people were asked about church attendence they would do a body count..cause the only thing that counts to them is to have their body there *grin*
You know all those years that I "did things" in the church..it is hard to say ,but those things were wood ,hay and stubble.I liked doing them..being known..having my talents seen......there are lots of me's the churches today.I was actually an agnostic ,busy with the business of the church..till I met God's grace on a Cursillo retreat.and he showed me how He saw me. All I could say was "why me, why me?"...to stand in Gods grace is so humbling,full pews are suddenly very empty places.
I do go on..but what I was trying to say was,there are lots of ways men measure the church..numbers in the pews is one of them. God uses another.. your quote is correct. many will say Lord Lord..He keeps different records that we do :>) I suspect the further we move from 9/11 and the holidays the pews will be back to normal, people will have their fortunes told to know the future and TV will take up their time..we will be right back to the days of Noah again....till the next time..
Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
It could be your parish is an exception..or it could be the holidays..our Sunday attendance is up a tiny bit since then ,but it is hard to tell if it would have happened anyway
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