13 Aug, 2008
Is there a God?
Study Sizes Up Gaps Between Christians, Atheists and Agnostics
A study on America's atheists and agnostics compared the no-faith audience to those who actively participate in the Christian faith.
As more books asserting the absence of God are being published and listed as bestsellers, the Barna Group study found a significant gap between the atheist and agnostic group and the believers as well as some commonalities.
Those who openly identified themselves as an atheist, an agnostic or said they have "no faith" make up only 9 percent of the American adult population. Although only about 1 out of every 11 Americans, the no-faith group numbers roughly 20 million people in a nation of more than 220 million adults, the study noted.
Only about 5 million adults unequivocally use the label "atheist" and staunchly reject the existence of God. The rest have doubts of God's existence but do not outright reject a supreme being.
Most atheists and agnostics (56 percent) agree with the idea that radical Christianity is just as threatening in America as is radical Islam. Two-thirds of active-faith Americans (63 percent) perceive that the nation is becoming more hostile and negative toward Christianity.
"It is important for Christians to understand the environment and the perspectives of people who are different from them, especially among young generations whose culture is moving rapidly away from Christianity," said Kinnaman. "Believers have the options of ignoring, rejecting or dealing with the aggressiveness of atheists and those hostile to the Christian faith. By their own admission, Christians have difficulty handling change, admitting when they are uncertain of something, and responding effectively to divergent perspectives. These characteristics make the new challenges facing Christianity even more daunting."
The Barna study is based upon a series of nationwide telephone surveys conducted from January 2005 through January 2007 on 1,055 adults who identified themselves as atheists or agnostics and 3,011 active-faith adults aged 18 and older. Each study included at least 250 active-faith adults and 100 atheists and agnostics.
photo courtesy images.google.com & story christianpost.com, 6/12/07
Psalm 14:1-2
The Fool Says, There Is No God
To the choirmaster. Of David.
14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,
there is none who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,
who seek after God. (ESV)
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about believing His existence?
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
I think this is pretty clear. What do you think?
Today's story about the study done by the Barna Group reveals some interesting data about the views of atheists and people who claim to be Christians.
A real atheist is either a fool or wicked - and sometimes both! An atheist is a fool because he is denying the proof that God exists. Wicked? Yes, because he or she is not only refusing to live according to God's truths, but leading others away from the truth of God. BUT, God loves fools so much that He wants them to become Christ's followers!
Is it possible that sometimes we live as though we are atheists? We may never say that there is no God, but David is writing about people who "say" this in their hearts.
As followers of Jesus, we live as atheists when we rely on ourselves rather than depending on Jesus. Some people practice atheism all week, except for one hour at a church on Sunday morning.
- Thank God that He has given all the evidence needed to prove His existence and love for you by coming to earth in the form of a human being - Jesus Christ! Confess any way in which you have been living as an atheist lately. Thank Jesus for His forgiveness and ask Him to help you rely on Him minute by minute. Ask Him to give you the daily desire to seek God for who He is and in all that you do.
- Every day, for at least one week (or for one month!) write down one bit of evidence you see for God's existence.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Pray for anyone you know who might be an atheist or at least trying to talk like one. Pray that he or she will recognize God's existence and become a follower of Jesus.
- Use the challenge to journal (see above) to be ready with lots of examples of how God's Story and your story have connected as you learn the stories of others. But remember, relationships are more effective than debates. Someone who does not believe in God's existence may have their eyes opened as they notice something unique about your "story".
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