Only 9% and 1% of children believe entirely in the bible.

[mattjtayl]

According to a poll I heard on "The View" this morning. Only 9% of adults and 1% of teenagers believe everything that is written in the bible is true and did happen. It seems it is extremely unpopular to believe all scripture these days. It seems most Christians believe in some of the bible and the other parts they either don't believe or don't think it applies in today's society. I use to believe that way, but after studying the bible diligently for the last couple years my views have changed. If events didn't happen, would God lie about it? Would prophets skew Gods word and what we are reading isn't true at all? I believe God has given us a bible that is 100% accurate bible and I believe everything we are told or instructed to do as the truth coming from God.

It seems American's are "loosing [their] religion," as the famous rock band R.E.M. would say. With each new generation America seems to be watering down their religious beliefs and in order that God can still fit in their life they have to modify or erase in their minds what the bible teaches.

There are too many things God tells us to do that simply are too hard to accept in today's society that we have to pretend he never said them or a prophet lied to us. Just as long as religion is a "luke warm" one most Christians will find it easy to follow. Unfortunately if we are too be true Christians like the bible teaches then it is by no means an easy if not an almost impossible task to live up to. It seems many Christians don't understand we have to give up and sacrifice pleasures of life to truly follow his way.

Real sacrifice isn't about eating fish on Friday's during lent. Maybe it is if you hate fish, but if you are a fish lover like myself it really is a joke. Real sacrifice is about giving up pleasures you may enjoy in this life in order to be better Christians and follow God.

Many people would prefer to be greedy, especially in hard times, to hoard all their money to pay for stuff they need rather then donate it all away. We truly may be hurting financially, but that is the whole point of sacrificing a part of what we own for God. We can dismiss charity or claim we don't need to be giving people or do great things for people or love each other, but then that would be just lying to ourselves and having dead faith.

Unfortunately many Christians are perfectly happy with a cafeteria style religion; idolatry! I see it at many churches I visit. Christians pick and choose what they want to believe in the bible.

I see Snooty people who only will shake hands with a select crowd and say "peace be with you" or "welcome". Luckily at my Baptist church everyone shakes hands with everyone and no one points their nose in the air. It seems it is too embarrassing for some people to associate with other Christians who are not of the same economic class as themselves.

I see preachers say only fantastic things about his congregation. Their sermons are always warm and fuzzy completely avoiding controversial topics. If he said any discouraging words people might leave his church and go somewhere else, no he can't have that happen. It seems pastors that admonish Christians who disobey God is not at all popular these days. Christians want to go to churches where everyone is a good person regardless if they beat their wives, or abuse their children, or rewrite Gods words in their minds so they better can blend in at church.

 

[gb93433]

According to a poll I heard on "The View" this morning. Only 9% of adults and 1% of teenagers believe everything that is written in the bible is true and did happen. It seems it is extremely unpopular to believe all scripture these days. It seems most Christians believe in some of the bible and the other parts they either don't believe or don't think it applies in today's society. I use to believe that way, but after studying the bible diligently for the last couple years my views have changed.

I see preachers say only fantastic things about his congregation. Their sermons are always warm and fuzzy completely avoiding controversial topics. If he said any discouraging words people might leave his church and go somewhere else, no he can't have that happen. It seems pastors that admonish Christians who disobey God is not at all popular these days. Christians want to go to churches where everyone is a good person regardless if they beat their wives, or abuse their children, or rewrite Gods words in their minds so they better can blend in at church.

I remember the time when I was pastoring my first church and a much older preacher told me not to preach the passages I was asking him about how he would preach them. My response was that I was going through the book. His response was to skip the passage and that probably nobody would notice. Now we see where that has gone among so many preachers. I simply refused to just disregard scripture. I have always felt that telling the congregation that I do not know is better than skipping passages and pretending. In that same convention I spoke with an author who has since died and he told me that the published of the commentary completely changed what he wrote. That gave me great disrespect for that publisher. I know of two similar things by that same publisher.

 

[sag38]

I would like to see the source of this poll before I gave it any serious thought. Considering that it was used on "The View" doesn't exactly give me confidence in it veracity.

 

[Mexdeaf]

I looked at 'The View' website and saw no mention of that on the recaps. Perhaps it was just mentioned in passing. I personally would not doubt the statistics but it would be interesting to know who brought it up and why.

 

[just-want-peace]

gb sez:

I simply refused to just disregard scripture. I have always felt that telling the congregation that I do not know is better than skipping passages and pretending.

A great big triple AMEN to this.

When I moved to my present town my wife & I were visiting various churches.

In one of them, a very prominent one, we visited the SS and I noticed the teacher just skipped over part of the scripture. A few minutes later one of the regulars asked about this, & she replied that she didn't understand it, so "I just ignored it".

Told my wife after SS that we could write off that church, and, as it turned out, it was one of the liberal leaning ones, so we would not have set roots there anyway.

But a simple "I don't know" would have been very acceptable and welcome

 

[Revmitchell]

I would like to see the source of this poll before I gave it any serious thought. Considering that it was used on "The View" doesn't exactly give me confidence in it veracity.

ditto................................

 

[JeaniMarie]

We all know how liberal "The View" is. Where did they get that poll from? To the person that said they left the church they visited because of skipping the passage since she didn't understand it. I say WAY TO GO!!!!:thumbsup: I've left a church before because they didn't like that the dress I had on had a slit to my knee. gasp. LOL And my husband and I left one because it was too man focused.

 

[Squire Robertsson]

Time to re-focus folks

Can we get back to the OP. I read it as referring to the Biblical illiteracy of a vast majority of our country. This mean we have problems when we seek to wittness. Our listeners may not have a clue as to what we are talking about. Further, they may not readily accept the Bible as authoritative as to what it says.

Also, the name of this forum is the Fundamental Baptist Forum. As such, the inerrency of the original autographs is accepted as presuppositional truth.

 

[Mexdeaf]

In response to Squire's inquiry, I think the answer is that in light of the high rates of Biblical illiteracy we need to take every opportunity to reach out to the world by our good works which will open doors to giving the good Word to others as 1 Peter 3:13-17 teach-

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

I have been blessed in that I had to recently become bi-vocational. I was able to get a position in a local college as a tutor on a part-time basis. I was further blessed by having a boss who is a Christian and who told me that if the students "open the door" then I am allowed to go through it. I have had some great conversations about the Lord with the students as well as with my co-workers. There haven't been any decisions for Christ made that I am aware of but, what a mission field!!

We need to get out of our offices and into the trenches more.

I should add, as to the question of Biblical authority, my finding is that most times the amount of authority folks give to the Bible is in direct proportion to the amount of living folks do according to the Bible. Folks tend to respect what is said when we live it before them.

 

[Jerome]

According to a poll I heard on "The View" this morning. Only 9% of adults and 1% of teenagers believe everything that is written in the bible is true and did happen.

Youtube: The View Hot Topic "Does Satan Exist?"

Whoopi Goldberg: You know, a whole lot of Americans believe Satan is real. . . .

. . .

Barbara Walters: It says only one percent of the youngest adults (18-23) has a quote "biblical world view" which is that the Bible is completely accurate and the Satan is a real being.

Joy Behar: How many?

Barbara Walters: Only one percent of young adults and only nine percent of all American adults have a biblical worldview, that is, that the Bible is completely accurate which includes Satan being a real being or force.

. . .

Sherri Sheppard: [My son] Jeffrey's going to believe in Satan. . . . ate all [his potty-training-reward] chocolate chip cookies. . . . Satan made me do it!

Joy rightly sensed something was fishy about Barbara's poll "numbers".

The actual Barna Goup survey she is citing is detailed here, including the finding that 27% of adults believe that Satan is a real force.

The 9% of adults and 1% of young adults are those who answered every single of a series of questions with the pollster-determined "biblical-viewpoint" answer.

 

[gb93433]

In response to Squire's inquiry, I think the answer is that in light of the high rates of Biblical illiteracy we need to take every opportunity to reach out to the world by our good works which will open doors to giving the good Word to others as 1 Peter 3:13-17 teach-

The illiteracy rate has nothing to do with obedience. There are those who have much head knowledge and tremble at the thought of sharing their faith because they lack boldness. However I have not met one person who shares their faith who is ignorant about what the Bible teaches. They are constantlyasked questions and challenged.

 

[Squire Robertsson]

The illiteracy rate has nothing to do with obedience. There are those who have much head knowledge and tremble at the thought of sharing their faith because they lack boldness. However I have not met one person who shares their faith who is ignorant about what the Bible teaches. They are constantly asked questions and challenged.

The Biblical illiteracy I refer to is that of the listener not the Believers. 60 years ago we shared a common vocabulary and dictionary. Today, there is a need to bring our listeners up to speed.

 

[Bob Alkire]

The Biblical illiteracy I refer to is that of the listener not the Believers. 60 years ago we shared a common vocabulary and dictionary. Today, there is a need to bring our listeners up to speed.

You are correct my friend. When I was a child where I lived, one could have a talk with a loss person about salvation and they knew what you were talking about, today most don't have clue. We did live in a Christian culture for the most part and today we don't. For the most part the area isn't even Christian friendly today. Kind of like Paul speaking to the Greeks they didn't know as much so he told them about their unknown god. He led them right to his know God.

 

[gb93433]

The Biblical illiteracy I refer to is that of the listener not the Believers. 60 years ago we shared a common vocabulary and dictionary. Today, there is a need to bring our listeners up to speed.

One of my seminary professors told the class that when he was younger the view was that if a person wanted to know about Jesus they would go to church much like if a person wanted a drink they would to to a tavern. In essence they did not share their faith.

I am quite confident that if one were to ask the children of believers about their parents that the vast majority would make the claim that they have never heard their parents share their faith and that their parents would have never taught them to share their faith.

 

[robycop3]

Also, many people don't take the Scriptures at face value. They focus more upon what someone else sez about them than upon what they actually say.