America has historically been an exceptionally religious country. It was founded on Christian principles sustained by a largely religious population. Well into the 20th century, over 90% of Americans said they believed in God and identified with an organized religion. In the 1990s, however, Americans took a sharp turn and began rejecting faith. Unfortunately, the downward trend has continued, and we are reaping the consequences.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the results of the latest Pew Research Poll on religion and the facts presented should sadden and embarrass every Christian in America. The WSJ stated that the percentage of Americans who identify as Christians now stands at 63%, down 2% from 65% in 2019 and down 15% from the 78% in 2007. Meanwhile, 29% of Americans now identify as having no religion, up from 26% in 2019 and 16% in 2007. Further, the religiously unaffiliated are the fastest growing group. These people, known as “Nones,” now account for 29% of the population—up 3% points in 2 years! Grim statistics indicating the sorry state of Christianity in America.
In addition, many of our most prominent societal influences, such as celebrities and the media, continue to be hostile toward religion. This was unfortunately confirmed again, in the almost joyful manner The Seattle Times covered this bad polling news. The Seattle Times did not present “just the facts” as the WSJ reported, but also include numerous interviews from people who were happy that they had abandoned their Christian religion for secularism or atheism.
We all know that The Seattle Times opposes Christians and their beliefs, but this continually passive aggressive propaganda disguised as reporting really is tiresome. The Seattle Times should just admit to their biases, rather than continue this biased, passive, anti-Christian “programming” in their news articles.
While 63% of American identify as Christian, the state of Christian America looks much worse if you look at a recent Gallop Poll which measured the stricter measure of church membership, and that number fell below 50% for the first time in 2020. Unfortunately, many of these people who have abandoned religion or church membership have adopted the new secular religion called woke progressivism or radical paganism.
Radical pagans, like the pagans from 2000 years ago, do not believe in a transcendent God as they are religiously dedicated to libertine or disordered sexual practices. Interestingly, three of the five people interviewed by The Seattle Times confirmed this when they stated their LGBTQ identity and beliefs caused them to abandon God and Christianity.
We also know that those that are leaving Christianity are not going to any of the other major religions (Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist) as they too are sinking each year and they also tend to be closer to Christianity in sexual or family beliefs than atheism or secularism.
Sadly, fleeing from Christianity does not liberate us, but shackles us to our own worldly desires and sins. By our nature, we long to worship and submit to something, some truth or principle, and if it’s not God, it will be some dangerous secular, even demonic idols.
The lack of religiosity in our country is the reason for most of our maladies and the sad state of our country. If we don’t cling to God, the Devil will take advantage of the emptiness of our hearts and infiltrate our society with false idols.
Without God, we also have no objective standard for morality and the lines between good and evil are blurred.
Our founders knew that the country they established could only survive with a religious people. As John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
A free country can only prosper with a virtuous, God-fearing people.
Let’s not be happy with this 63% and sinking trendline. Let’s pray for these lost souls and for a new Christian revival in our country. Even better, as a next step, read the Bible and start talking to others about what Jesus and His words of Truth mean to you. Our nation’s future depends on it!
