SOME SOBERING, AND REVEALING, STATISTICS

February 4, 2014

A study was released by Gallup on February 3^rd indicating which states were the most and least religious.  The survey classified as “very religious” those who took their religion seriously on a day to day basis and attended religious services every week or almost every week – 41% of Americans fell into that category.  Those classified as “nonreligious” said religion was not an important part of their lives and they did not attend religious services – 29% of Americans were categorized in that fashion.  Another 29% fell somewhere between these two categories and were classified as “moderately religious.”

A breakdown of the most and least religious states was also shared by the Gallup Poll.  Those states considered to be most religious included Mississippi, Utah, Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Kentucky.  The percentage of “very religious” people in these states varied from 61% in Mississippi to Oklahoma and Kentucky tying with 49%.  Those states which came in as the least religious were Vermont (with only 22% very religious), New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, Nevada, Washington, Connecticut, Hawaii, and the District of Columbia (the last four states and the District of Columbia all surveyed 32% of their population as “very religious”).

Even a cursory observation of these numbers reveals some fascinating insights into where we are religiously, politically, and values wise as a country…

Only four out of ten people, a distinct minority, are “very religious.”  Since religious would cover everything from Muslim and Buddhist to Christian and Jew, it seems clear we are no longer a “Christian” nation.  The once dominate Christian voice and influence is no more.

We are becoming a nation with a significant portion of our population who consider themselves to be nonreligious – almost three in ten.  When combined with those who basically could take religion or leave it, another three in ten, the majority of our population is now non or irreligious.  The impact of this on values and morals is enormous.

The states where the population is most religious are found in the South, with the exception of Utah, with its high percentage of practicing Mormons.  The states that are least religious are centered in the Northeast and Northwest with the exceptions of Hawaii and Nevada (which should be no surprise).  Religious convictions are becoming more and more regionalized.  This is being reflected in “red” and “blue” state divisions.

Every state considered to be most religious voted Republican in the 2012 election.  Every state considered to be least religious voted Democrat.  Obviously, deep religious convictions, or a lack thereof, affect political affiliations and voting patterns.  There is an undeniable 100% correlation. 

The seat of our government is one of the least religious places in the country.  The District of Columbia underrepresents the average religious convictions of the general populace by nearly ten percent.  How has it come about that the religious viewpoint of over forty percent of the population is not reflected by at least a similar percentage in our nation’s capital?  Is it any wonder that laws and decisions are emanating from there which are in direct conflict with God’s will?  Satan knows how important seats of power are.  Remember the angelic battles alluded to in the book of Daniel?  This should be deeply troubling to all believers.

“Values” voting is going to continue to be an area of more and more verbal, legal, and legislative warfare.  This conflict of values directly correlates to the divided nature of our country religiously.  Those with deep religious convictions concerning matters such as abortion and same sex marriage are not going to be willing to compromise in those areas.  Based upon their convictions, they can’t.  On the other hand, the nonreligious, whose moral scruples are unaffected by Biblical teaching, will be, and are, disdainful and dismissive of, if not openly hostile and critical to, Biblically based moral standards.  As the nonreligious continue to advocate for equally intractable positions in support of both abortion and same sex marriage, based upon their humanistic values, open conflict is inevitable.

In conclusion, Christians can no longer assume that government legislation and legal decisions, particularly on a federal level, are going to be based on traditional Judeo-Christian values.  This survey, and present political and judicial reality, indicates the opposite. On a state level, the contrast between those which are categorized as “very religious” and “nonreligious”, and the moral, or immoral, character of the laws passed in those states, will only become more marked.  We are a deeply divided nation not only politically, but morally as well.

Ours is now a minority voice.  Christians no longer enjoy cultural support and endorsement.  We have surrendered the cultural megaphone.  We will have to shout to be heard.  However, I would observe that minority voices markedly smaller than ours have been out there screaming for years, railing against traditional Christian moral values, and they have been heard and exerted great influence.  That tells me it is no time to be discouraged or give up the fight.  Quite the opposite.  More than ever, the voice of God’s people needs to be heard.  The destiny of millions of souls, and of a nation, is at stake.