California Family Minute
September 29, 2010
Have it Your Way: Tailoring Truth
by Rebecca Burgoyne,
CFC Research Analyst
A new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life examined the truth behind a 2007 book, “Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know – And Doesn’t.” The author, Stephen Prothero, a Boston University professor, presented anecdotal evidence to conclude, “Americans are both deeply religious and profoundly ignorant about religion.”
The Pew U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey found that, while the United States consistently ranks as highly religious, most individuals know little about their own – or their neighbors’ – religions. On average, the 3,412 Americans who took part in the survey answered only 16 of 32 questions correctly on a questionnaire that measured biblical knowledge, knowledge about world religions, and religion in public life. Find abbreviated quiz at the end of article.
And we shouldn’t be surprised. Since Burger King stated it in 1974 with the “Have it your way” slogan, Americans have gotten used to “having it our way” – not only on our hamburgers, but also in our lifestyles and beliefs. Today, we can program our DVR for television shows, download to our iPod our specific music choices, and select our news sources according to our ideology.
Ironically, technological advances such as those above may actually raise one’s level of ignorance! In our growing ability to deny contrary perspectives access into our lives, we may also be eliminating intellectual and emotional conflicts that would otherwise stimulate us to gain confidence through an integrated set of beliefs.
Today’s prevailing culture of postmodernism rejects absolute truth and puts into question everything from the mundane to matters of religion and morality. Feelings and personal happiness trump tried-and-tested truth, as beliefs about issues like abortion, divorce and sexuality are tailored to fit the individual. In postmodern thought, my truth may not be your truth.
The Pew survey results found atheists, agnostics, and Jews to score the highest overall; on biblical knowledge, Mormons, followed by white evangelicals, did the best. Not surprisingly, those who said they attended worship at least weekly and considered religion important scored high, but the strongest indicator of performance was overall education attainment. Those of us living in the West score slightly higher than those of other regions in the country.
Our knowledge of religion and public life is fuzzy. While 89 percent know that a public school teacher cannot lead her class in prayer, two-thirds also think that a teacher cannot read from the Bible as an example of literature, and more than half wrongly believe a class on comparative world religions would be prohibited.
While 86 percent of Americans claim to believe in God, this survey reports that we either don’t know the truth claims of the Bible or we have chosen to tailor our beliefs to what we want – interpreting truth to fit our lifestyle or culture. No wonder research today shows little variance in beliefs between professing Christians and non-Christians. According to the Barna Research Group, only 9 percent of born-again believers hold a biblical worldview.
A worldview that is biblically coherent is a prerequisite to living out authentic Christianity in today’s postmodern culture with its subjective claims of truth. California Family Council provides leadership training for The Truth Project, a DVD-based small group study that practically and personally introduces viewers to the truth claims of God. Our next training opportunity is October 16 in Clovis.
Take an abbreviated online quiz.
Have it Your Way: Tailoring Truth
by Rebecca Burgoyne,
CFC Research Analyst
A new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life examined the truth behind a 2007 book, “Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know – And Doesn’t.” The author, Stephen Prothero, a Boston University professor, presented anecdotal evidence to conclude, “Americans are both deeply religious and profoundly ignorant about religion.”
The Pew U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey found that, while the United States consistently ranks as highly religious, most individuals know little about their own – or their neighbors’ – religions. On average, the 3,412 Americans who took part in the survey answered only 16 of 32 questions correctly on a questionnaire that measured biblical knowledge, knowledge about world religions, and religion in public life. Find abbreviated quiz at the end of article.
And we shouldn’t be surprised. Since Burger King stated it in 1974 with the “Have it your way” slogan, Americans have gotten used to “having it our way” – not only on our hamburgers, but also in our lifestyles and beliefs. Today, we can program our DVR for television shows, download to our iPod our specific music choices, and select our news sources according to our ideology.
Ironically, technological advances such as those above may actually raise one’s level of ignorance! In our growing ability to deny contrary perspectives access into our lives, we may also be eliminating intellectual and emotional conflicts that would otherwise stimulate us to gain confidence through an integrated set of beliefs.
Today’s prevailing culture of postmodernism rejects absolute truth and puts into question everything from the mundane to matters of religion and morality. Feelings and personal happiness trump tried-and-tested truth, as beliefs about issues like abortion, divorce and sexuality are tailored to fit the individual. In postmodern thought, my truth may not be your truth.
The Pew survey results found atheists, agnostics, and Jews to score the highest overall; on biblical knowledge, Mormons, followed by white evangelicals, did the best. Not surprisingly, those who said they attended worship at least weekly and considered religion important scored high, but the strongest indicator of performance was overall education attainment. Those of us living in the West score slightly higher than those of other regions in the country.
Our knowledge of religion and public life is fuzzy. While 89 percent know that a public school teacher cannot lead her class in prayer, two-thirds also think that a teacher cannot read from the Bible as an example of literature, and more than half wrongly believe a class on comparative world religions would be prohibited.
While 86 percent of Americans claim to believe in God, this survey reports that we either don’t know the truth claims of the Bible or we have chosen to tailor our beliefs to what we want – interpreting truth to fit our lifestyle or culture. No wonder research today shows little variance in beliefs between professing Christians and non-Christians. According to the Barna Research Group, only 9 percent of born-again believers hold a biblical worldview.
A worldview that is biblically coherent is a prerequisite to living out authentic Christianity in today’s postmodern culture with its subjective claims of truth. California Family Council provides leadership training for The Truth Project, a DVD-based small group study that practically and personally introduces viewers to the truth claims of God. Our next training opportunity is October 16 in Clovis.
Take an abbreviated online quiz.
Fox Politics
- High Honors: Living Soldier Awarded Medal of Honor for Afghanistan Service
- Senator questions $18B for job training, as study suggest rampant waste, abuse
- JP Morgan CEO Dimon to testify before Congress
- Author shares audio of interview with Wright claiming he was offered money to stay quiet
- Rubio upset over US issuing visa to Castro's daughter
