Some interesting statistics

Now I know this isn't what I said my next post would be on...but I found this and had to post it...a little long but I'll post some key parts of what I read. You may still think it's a tad long but hang in there...some stuff in there you don't want to miss! If you're interested in reading the whole post you can find it here: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:tdsM01iZVDEJ:www.irfi.org/articles/articles_51_100/bible_reading_declines.htm+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us


According national surveys conducted in 1992, by Barna Research, almost half of the Christian adults read from the Bible during a week.  In 1995, that figure came down to less than one-third.  In 1999, the figure rose to slightly more than one-third.  The evangelical pollster (George Barna) is convinced that "traditional Christianity" is losing its grip. And a 1997 Barna Research poll showed 12 percent of Christians think Noah's wife was Joan of Arc.  A recent study by Christian pollster George Barna showed 63% couldn't name the four gospels of the New Testament.


About 92 percent of Christian Americans own at least one or portion of the Bible (the New Testament) in their homes, and the average household has three. Two-thirds say it holds the answers to the basic questions of life. However, the number of Americans who consider the Bible as infallible and wielding authority over their lives is decreasing distinctly .


"Most Americans consider the Bible to be a collection of inspired writings, but 'not everything in it should be taken literally.' This moves toward understanding the Bible as the inspired, and not necessarily as the actual, word of God, is one of the most dramatic shifts in religious beliefs since 1960s. As recently as 1963, two persons in three viewed the Bible as the actual word of God, to be taken literally, word for word.  Today, only one person in three still holds to that interpretation."


Ten Commandments are considered to be the moral health of American society, however six out of 10 Americans can't name half of them, or any of the Ten Commandments.  To the question "Can you name the first and last books of the Bible? "  An  older man answered “First Testament...and I think second one."  They think  "Moses" gave the Sermon on the Mount?


When a True or false question was asked whether the Bible teaches "God helps those who help themselves?"  A young man answered it to be  “True”. Actually, Ben Franklin said that.  About 80 percent of born-again Christians believe it is the Bible that says, "God helps those who help themselves."



Just some thoughts to chew on!