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Ann Coulter's political observation
One evening, several years ago, I had dinner with Ann Coulter. We have a mutual friend who invited me to join them. I’m not a big Ann Coulter fan, but I’m not in any sense an Ann Coulter enemy. I guess I’m neutral toward Ann Coulter. Although I consider myself politically leaning toward the conservative side, I don’t listen to Rush Limbaugh either. I tell you this so that you can understand that what Ann said that night is only an illustration of the spiritual point I’d like to make. During dinner, Ann told the story of a conversation she had with a young woman who told her that she was a Republican. The woman went on to tell Ann that she believed in a woman’s right to choice, that she felt like George Bush might be the anti-Christ, that the answer to the economic crisis in America was larger government, and that the war in Iraq was a disastrous mistake. In response, Ann Coulter told the young woman, “My Dear, you are a Democrat, not a Republican!”
Now I am going to sound to some of you like a raving fundamentalist. I am going to propose that in the same way this young woman thought she was a Republican, but was one in name only, there are massive numbers of people in America who say they are Christians, but what they actually believe and the decisions they make would indicate that whatever else they might be, they are not Christians in any meaningful sense of the word. They might believe in God. And maybe they even would say that Jesus is the Son of God. But any conformity to what the Christian faith has historically stood for ends at this point.
In 1990, George Gallup released the results of a major study indicating that 86% of Americans identified themselves as Christians. He also said that his research indicated that some 70% of the 80% indicated that they were “born again.” At the time, I remember thinking to myself, “No way!” I confess that I am a bit of a cynic by nature, but if these statistics were true, then I was constantly surrounded by the 20% that weren’t Christians. Maybe I needed to move to Texas! At the same time, statistics were indicating that something like 130 million people regularly attended religious services on Sunday. That number was close 47% of the adult population of America. I also found this hard to believe. Of course, at the time I was the minister of a church in Santa Cruz, California, where the statistic for church attendance was closer to 2%.
The latest research in these areas indicates that much of this earlier information was either incorrect, or has radically changed. As someone once said, “87% of all statistics are questionable.” (You have to think about that one!) The latest findings from the Pew Foundation give us a much different picture of what is really going on in the religious landscape.
The Pew research indicates that the actual percentage of people who attend church in America on any given Sunday is closer to 24%. This is actually a higher number than the Baylor study, which places it at 17%. The Baylor research was based on hard data from church services, versus the interview method normally used to gather most of this kind of information. The Pew study goes on to indicate that 52% of the people actually attending services at Mainline Christian churches say that “religion” is “very important” in their life. That means that the other 48% either think it is “somewhat important” or “not at all important.” I would suggest you ponder the question of whether this information might suggest that at least 48% of those attending mainline churches might not be Christians at all; at least in any meaningful definition of the word.
The study also shows that 79% of those attending evangelical churches find their faith “very important” compared to 17% who think it is only “somewhat important” and the 3% who say it is “not at all important.” This tells me that at least 20% of those attending evangelical churches are not evangelical in any meaningful sense of that word. When you drill down a bit deeper, the stats get even more disturbing. In evangelical churches, the research shows that 36% of those who attend believe that belief in Jesus is the true way to eternal life. 57% believe “many religions can lead to eternal life.” Welcome to the age of religious political correctness. Christianity is based on the conviction that Jesus’ death on the cross was the way for our sins to be forgiven, and that authentic faith in him results in a spiritual experience of life from God being given to person who is born “dead” in “sins and trespasses.” So if this is the bottom line in Christianity, is it possible to be an authentic Christian and believe that Buddha’s eight-fold path will get you home?
When you look at the stats on mainline churches, the percentages drop rapidly. Only 14% believe that Christianity exclusively provides the way to eternal life, while 83% think “many religions” lead there. Only 22% of this group believe that the Bible is fully inspired. 28% believe that it is just “a book written by men, not the word of God.” This could be the watershed explanation for the above results. Compare this to evangelical churches where only 7% don’t believe the Bible is a divinely inspired book.
I have no problem with someone not believing in Jesus. I’d like everyone to believe in him because I am convinced he is the Son of God and his sacrifice on the cross provides forgiveness for those who by faith accept his work on their behalf. But I recognize people’s right to believe differently. I believe in religious tolerance. I actually even believe in the separation of church and state – exactly as the founding fathers intended it to be interpreted and applied – not as the ACLU and others have distorted it. Now I’m really beginning to sound like Ann! But what I think is a disaster is to reject every major doctrine of the historic Christian faith and still think you are a Christian. I don’t think it works like that.
So here is a little quiz:
- Can a person not believe Jesus Christ is the incarnation of the living God, and still be a Christian?
- Can someone not believe Jesus’ death on the cross is their only hope and still be a Christian?
- Can a person reject the idea that they need a spiritual rebirth and still be a Christian?
- Can a person reject the Bible as the source of information for their spiritual life and still be a Christian?
What the Pew statistics tell me is that one of the last great mission fields in the world today is the Church! “Christians” need to know Christ. “Christians” need to know what it means to be a Christian. “Christians” need to be taught the Bible and learn to study it themselves. Accomplishing these tasks will determine if in the future the word “Christian” means anything more than someone who attends church. As a good friend once pointed out to me: sitting in church doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than sitting in your garage makes you a car!
For more information on this subject, see the book "Real Christianity."
Comments
One of the things I told my son early on in his life (and still do to this day) is that you're not a Volkswagen just because you're standing in the garage.
now i'm not sure if it was a miracle?
The "church" is not a building with a pointy roof. The Church is every human on earth that has accepted the gift of salvation freely offered by Yeshua [Jesus]. The Church has left the building
I think you are right on. The North American Church anyways, is a mess. It is a sad thing, but the preachers are to blame, don't you agree.
www.revcjconner.com
Well I do agree that not everyone that sits in a pew on Sunday or Wed. is a Christian and that too many are trying to implement too many different religions into their own in the name of "political correctness". I think the ministers have some responsibility but no one is forced to go to a particular church so if the minister in a particular church is not teaching the truth perhaps finding one that does is each individuals responsibility. Our society today tends to go where they think they should for whatever reason, family, friends,other influences..... in my mind our only reason for attending a particular church should be that the teaching is Biblical. In my mind as Christians we should not be comfortable with watered down teaching, we are to be lights in this world leading the lost to Christ Jesus, you can't shine if you're afraid to show the truth. That is what scares me today.... we seem to be "going along to get along", why should we be the ones to be accommodating when it actually changes the message we are supposed to be spreading. We are indeed to love our neighbor and see them as God sees them, but we are also to bring the message of Jesus Christ to our world, sometimes that can be difficult. Jesus was always able to speak the truth while still loving the person he was speaking to, I believe most human beings find that line a tough one to walk, but that should not mean we stop speaking the truth. Acceptance or rejection of something that is said is each persons choice and the Holy Spirit is the only one that can truely change that person's perception.... as a Christian we just need to try to be truthful in what we say about Jesus Christ and not be afraid to say it. This world gets a bit scarier everyday but Jesus remains the same and as Christians He is still THE MAIN THING.
God bless all,
Ardis
Christ came to free us, jew and gentile alike, from the chains of institutional religion. When He asked the twelve who they say He is, Peter ansered " The Christ, the son of the living God". Jesus then said that Peter had gotten a word from God [my paraphrase], and that He would build His Church upon that rock. He was talking abou what Peter was sitting on, He was talking about getting a word from God Himself. Because of Christ's work on the cross, we no longer need to go to a priest or preacher to have relationship with the creator of the universe. Priests and preachers all over the world want to keep this a secret.
John ! if you are the same john that made both comments I would like to give you a resounding AMEN. it is not about religion but relationship with a ressurected, living CHRIST. YESHUA came to preach "the KINGDOM of GOD"(luke4:43). As it was then religion is still the greatest enemy of CHRIST.
Hey gray good one to !
GOD Bless you ALL.
I think if the poll was taken to check the number of people going to Church in this area, they would be surprised. They were have a problem parking. The church's here are always packed and not for just Easter and Christmas. They even get pack during the opening of fishing and hunting season.
Dr. Beltz, you said in your column:
"I actually even believe in the separation of church and state – exactly as the founding fathers intended it to be interpreted and applied – not as the ACLU and others have distorted it."
Would you be so kind as to tell us how our founding fathers interpreted the separation of church and state?
President George Washington
Presidential Thanksgiving Day
Proclamation
November 26, 1789
Nov 26, 1789
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor, and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint committee requested me to "recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanks-giving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many single favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the Service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks, for His kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the single and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, of the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have to acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge and in general for all the great and various favors which He hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humble offering our prayers and supplications to the Great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all people, by constantly being a government of wise, just and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone know to be best.
I would answer all four of your quiz questions "Yes." Jesus did not preach the need to "believe" nearly as much as he preached the need to love others, which can be done genuinely without belief in specific "Christian" doctrines. One of the failures of "Christians" is to dis the loving achievements of "nonchristians." Secular humanism is not the enemy; remember the story of the good Samaritan. By your standard he would not be a "Christian;" by my standard he is.
Louis,
I would recommend the book "Under God: George Washington and the Separation of Church and State". It is a very scholarly new book written by a constitutional law attorney. You can find it on amazon.
Wils,
You do know that the parable of the Good Samaritan is a parable. There really was no actual Good Samaritan, and the issue was defining "who is my neighbor", not what constitutes the means of salvation. I would refer you to the numerous statements Jesus also made, such as: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Or the great classic, John 3:16 - addressed to a man not unlike the Good Samaritan who seems to have been uncertain about his future, "God so loved the world that he sent his only Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." Of course, earlier in the discourse Jesus also told Nicodemus that "Unless you are born "from above" or "again" or "of a different kind of birth" (depending on how you translate "anothen" out of the Greek) you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Of course, since I know you - I know you already know all this!
John,
You might like to check out my previous examiner post titled: "I don't go to church, I am the church." It makes the same point.
John,
Sorry. The article is actually entitled: "Why I don't go to church."
Funny, you're a believer but you call yourself a bit of a cynic...that has to be one extremely small bit.
I would hope that everyone would agree that the separation of church and state, as constitutionally written was meant to afford citizens protection from a federally mandated religion. This means that the government cannot persecute you or discriminate against you for believing something else, or not believing at all. It does not mean that government cannot be involved with, represent positively, or otherwise deal with religion or religious issues important to people - especially when that religious ideal, i.e. Christianity, is represented by nearly the entire population. There is no right not to "feel left out" because you don't like Christmas trees or the words God on currency, or using bibles or oaths to swear in public figures. It is as simple as this: "The government cannot expressly say that the country is and must be Baptist, or Methodist, or Catholic, or atheist, and then make laws particular to those beliefs that disenfranchise, persecute or otherwise prohibit an Americans right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". Anything else just baloney. Christians, practicing or not, make up this country and the few % of those not calling themselves Christian, have no constitutional leg to stand on if they simply feel "uneasy" because someone in government mentions religion.
I would hope that everyone would agree that the separation of church and state, as constitutionally written was meant to afford citizens protection from a federally mandated religion. This means that the government cannot persecute you or discriminate against you for believing something else, or not believing at all. It does not mean that government cannot be involved with, represent positively, or otherwise deal with religion or religious issues important to people - especially when that religious ideal, i.e. Christianity, is represented by nearly the entire population. There is no right not to "feel left out" because you don't like Christmas trees or the words God on currency, or using bibles or oaths to swear in public figures. It is as simple as this: "The government cannot expressly say that the country is and must be Baptist, or Methodist, or Catholic, or atheist, and then make laws particular to those beliefs that disenfranchise, persecute or otherwise prohibit an Americans right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". Anything else just baloney. Christians, practicing or not, make up this country and the few % of those not calling themselves Christian, have no constitutional leg to stand on if they simply feel "uneasy" because someone in government mentions religion.
sorry for the double post..
Mikey,
I assume you do know the difference between a skeptic and a cynic.
Gee Bob
Apparently you hit a very controversial point....lots of comments.
God bless,
Ardis
Interesting article.
There have been a number of studies, including gallup polls, on the state of the Catholic Church in the United States which reflect very similar trends.
These studies have revealed that 70-75 percent of Catholics don't truly believe in the Divine presence of our Lord in the Holy Eucharist (Protestants might attest that this only refelects common sense) and that the Lord is only presented in a traditional sense through Holy Communion.
To Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is the source and summit of their faith. And, yet, three quarters of the body of the Church don't see it.
What is causing this apparent degeneration of faith?
The obvious answer is to consider who is responsible for the supposed proliferation of an apostasy in modern faith.
The source of the degeneration isn't natural. And, he has an objective.
It also appears that there is mounting evidence to suggest that he is meeting his objective.
So, how is he doing it? The answer to this question reveals the reasons to why Christianity, appearing healthy,is actually deteriorating.
I present the answer in the form of a question, where's the truth?
The devout Christian would immediately answer,"in scripture." But, which Bible? And, by whose interpretation? Which divinity school or scriptural software does one need to understand the truth? Which pastor should I watch on television, maybe all of them? Pre-tribulation or post-tribulation? Which blogs should I visit daily on the tree of knowledge?
A man walks into a bar and asks a bartender for a beer. The bartender tells the man the 150 different beers they stock. The man orders a seven and seven.
The multitude of presentations to the "truth" from Christian resources has actually diluted its affect on the modern world. And, in increasing instances acted as a deterrant towards appreciating the truth.
Or, since the stories of the first "Christians" revolved around the transcending of racial barriers (following Jesus' example), "Can a person believe in the superiority of their own culture/race or be apathetic to the struggles of someone else's and still be a Christian?"
Evaluating the legitmacy of someone's faith claims is a slippery slope, but it seems clear from the New Testament that our treatment of "others" is one clear barometer.
God is one...Unfortunately, yours is not the only religion..all religions lead man to same ultimate goal.
Sorry, but got to grow out of bible...
Bob
I see you think the parables are stories. Christ gave us the Great Commission AND the Greatest Commandment. He said we are to go into all the world and teach about Christ and salvation. He also commanded that we love one another. Even in the marriage Christ said man is to love his wife as Christ loved the Church. It is too bad that our world cannot see it. I believe that failing to love our neighbors is our single most failure in all time. I pray that you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Wils,
One of the basic tenants of the faith is "strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it" Matthew 7:14. You can say you love your neighbor but evidence is in the results of your love to your neighbor (meaning mankind in general). I have heard people say they love God and they ignore the plight of their neighbors. God said you can not love me if you don't love your neighbor. And Christ said there is no way to life eternal "take up the cross, and follow me" Mark 10:21. In following Christ you would only do that if you believe in what He teaches. I wish you well but you need to study the Bible a bit more - and which Bible you ask any but 2 - the Morman Bible was written by John Smith and was not an inspired writing and the politically correct Bible which has skewed all the things ever written in the Bible. The Methodist, Catholic, Evangelical, Episcopalian any or all - just begin to study
Anyone who answers "yes" to any of these questions is not saved. The bible supports this.
Do you know how arrogant it is for you to say only your god (one among millions) is the only right one? Can't you see every civilization invented gods and believe in theirs just as much as you do yours? Religion is there to fulfill our desires and quell our fears, it is a fiction though. The bible contains no more truth than any other decently moral book, and jesus was no more brilliant than socrates et al. It is an outdated book from the world of kings, and king of kings (we are democratic, ie anti-monarchic today) it says nothing of computers, global warming, cancer, aids, modern medicine, modern astronomy, it contains no brilliant prophetic wisdom or advice on how to solve any of these ACTUAL problems. It's just a book. Nothing special. Wake up.
I find it odd that someone like Ann could associate herself with any form of Christianity. I have heard her on many occasion put down the French as well as many other ethnic groups at a whim. These do not sound like the words of a Christian. Jesus would have turned the other cheek and or loved them anyways. Ann is a hater. Not what Jesus taught.
Also evangelicals who write of Haitians because of natural disaster is also not what Jesus taught. In fact the worst sin is to assume the rule and/or judgment of god. At least that is what I was taught and that's exactly what they did. You can rationalize almost anything but in reality, good is loving your neighbors not condemning them.
i do not think that Ann Coulter is the best reference for Christianity. She is a ideologue before she is a Christian. She is brash, arrogant, and uses her mouth to curse instead of to bless. A Christian is one the exemplifies the very nature of Jesus Christ himself. And there was one major component of Jesus nature that made him the sinless son of God and that is compassion. Garnering riches by bashing 9-11 victims in a book is any but Christian-- we have this false assumption that anything republican or conservative is synonymous with Christianity and that is just not the case.
I think its good that we are moving past silly superstition and fairy tales. I hope to see the day religion dies from the face of the earth and humans finally move on with ourselves; forging our own path through the cosmos as far as our minds and discoveries can take us.
Greetings Bob,
I shared your link on my article and thought you might like to see it.
http://www.examiner.com/christian-living-in-lexington/do-you-live-your-l...
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