Saturday, September 14, 2013

WHY RELIGION IS LOSING INFLUENCE IN AMERICA


A recent Gallup Poll found 77% of Americans believe religion is losing its influence on American life. This compares with 1957, when 69% thought religion was increasing its influence on the culture. The highest point was December, 2001, when 71% of the folks thought this way. This was right after 9-11.

Reality? For all it's philosophical stance, as a predominantly Christian culture, America has largely paid lip-service to The Gospel. The rise in public opinion about what Gallup calls "religion,' has been largely emotional. the high-water mark of 71% is a case in point. Patriotism [survival?] was running high and God was on everyone's lips.

After WWII, the same religious euphoria prevailed. Foxholes tend to clarify the realities of life and death as little else does. Men, coming home from war, saved in many cases while in the military, were zealous about Christ and the rise in Evangelistic zeal, as illustrated by Crusades and Campaigns, reflected that zeal. Additionally, there was a 'Baby Boom.'

By the late 1950's, teenagers were everywhere, with more wealth and leisure time than any society this world had ever seen. Youth Ministries were popping up all over the world. It looked good! It felt good! God was making inroads on every front, or so it seemed.

The late 1960's brought reality home, as social, political and racial unrest erupted in city after city. Stirred by the idealism of college campuses and an unpopular (and frightening) war, fueled by drugs, sensual music, Free Love and radical political rhetoric, America woke up!

The euphoria of the 1950's was apparently not real! The perception of peace and prosperity masked a systemic reality: Religion [Christianity] was not as dominant as we thought.

Why? In large part because of the Peace & Prosperity. To a greater degree, because of the Evangelistic Campaigns, both in churches and in Colosseums. These evangelistic appeals relied too much on emotionalism.

There is an excitement generated by public meetings. Religious meetings tap into a deeper part of our psyche. The atmosphere, the staging, the music, the 'star power' of some preachers as well as simply preaching, as a technique, are all calculated to bring folks to a climax: The Decision!

Herein lies The Rub! Salvation is NOT, strictly speaking, a Decision! That Americans have assumed as much may be why so many think themselves to be Christians, while their lives speak a very different language.

We see it in the divorce rates among Evangelical Christians, the drug rates, the abortion rates, the fashions, the worldliness and greed. We see it in the theatrics, the music, the carelessness of what is now being called worship. We see it in the gullibility, foolishness and strange behaviors of church-goers, not to mention the preachers. It is not uncommon to hear about a popular preacher involved in some form of immorality: sex, drugs, alcohol, thievery, etc.

It may be Gallup has it right when they speak of Religion, because biblical Christianity is not like any other religion. Christianity has always been about a heart change. In this sense, it has always been a minority influence.

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