Gallup reports new low in religious confidence
Published: Monday, July 16, 2012
Americans’ confidence in organized religion, slowly but steadily declining since the 1970s, slipped to a new low in the latest survey, the Gallup Organization reported. Today only 44 percent of Americans have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in “the church or organized religion,” Gallup said. It was 68 percent in the mid-1970s.
Pollsters did not name any church or religion in particular, letting respondents define that as they wished, the organization said.
Most Protestants, 56 percent, expressed confidence in the church, but only a minority, or 46 percent, of Catholics did.
But Gallup senior editor Lydia Saad pointed out that the question deals with churches and organized religion. Americans are still generally a very religious people, although increasingly on their own terms.
In 2007 a poll by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found only about one in six respondents said religion was “not too” or “not at all” important in their lives.
Only five percent said they did not believe in God or a universal spirit.
Saad said in 1975, “the church or organized religion” was the highest-rated of the 16 institutions Gallup asked about.
It still ranks fourth. The top three institutions Americans have most confidence in are, in order, the military, small business and the police.
The least-trusted institution is Congress, in which only 13 percent of Americans voice “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence.
Health maintenance organizations and banks follow right behind Congress.
The survey included 1,004 adults and was taken June 7-10, Gallup said.
Bruce Nolan can be reached at bnolan@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3344.
>>>I sure would like to see the empirical data here; within Catholicism I believe that many a "Catholic" are willing to be interviewed and express a negative opinion. I believe many among them have long ago quit being an active Catholic. However, we must admit that we, as Church(and here I mean the hierarchy, the instutionalized part of the Church)has done plenty to possibly contribute to these type of results.
But while we all are quick to jump on the "Church", we also leave untlold the whole story. Despite constantly increasing attacks from without(the media, the current administration, break-away religions that need to promote anti-Catholicism in order to exist) we also have our fair share from within. The Church is not with it; the Church is too liberal; the Church is too conservative, the liturgy does nothing for me, and on and on; these are some of the attacks from within.
Despite a very difficult 10 year period where we learned rather completely about the sex abuse scandals, and we lost a beloved Pope in John Paul II, the Church endures. And she endures even in America. Still, about 26% of Americans identify themselves as Catholic. Growth in traditional so-called Bible belt America has been outstanding. In my own area 50 miles or so north of New Orleans, Catholic Churches are packed. Worldwide, the Church has never been larger, over 1.2 billion members. Amazing growth exists in Asia and Africa while Europe and parts of North America do struggle.
So if you are Catholic, maybe a good time to assess your opinion of the Church. And always remember, "the gates of hell shall never prevail against her". Jesus!
Pollsters did not name any church or religion in particular, letting respondents define that as they wished, the organization said.
Most Protestants, 56 percent, expressed confidence in the church, but only a minority, or 46 percent, of Catholics did.
But Gallup senior editor Lydia Saad pointed out that the question deals with churches and organized religion. Americans are still generally a very religious people, although increasingly on their own terms.
In 2007 a poll by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found only about one in six respondents said religion was “not too” or “not at all” important in their lives.
Only five percent said they did not believe in God or a universal spirit.
Saad said in 1975, “the church or organized religion” was the highest-rated of the 16 institutions Gallup asked about.
It still ranks fourth. The top three institutions Americans have most confidence in are, in order, the military, small business and the police.
The least-trusted institution is Congress, in which only 13 percent of Americans voice “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence.
Health maintenance organizations and banks follow right behind Congress.
The survey included 1,004 adults and was taken June 7-10, Gallup said.
Bruce Nolan can be reached at bnolan@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3344.
>>>I sure would like to see the empirical data here; within Catholicism I believe that many a "Catholic" are willing to be interviewed and express a negative opinion. I believe many among them have long ago quit being an active Catholic. However, we must admit that we, as Church(and here I mean the hierarchy, the instutionalized part of the Church)has done plenty to possibly contribute to these type of results.
But while we all are quick to jump on the "Church", we also leave untlold the whole story. Despite constantly increasing attacks from without(the media, the current administration, break-away religions that need to promote anti-Catholicism in order to exist) we also have our fair share from within. The Church is not with it; the Church is too liberal; the Church is too conservative, the liturgy does nothing for me, and on and on; these are some of the attacks from within.
Despite a very difficult 10 year period where we learned rather completely about the sex abuse scandals, and we lost a beloved Pope in John Paul II, the Church endures. And she endures even in America. Still, about 26% of Americans identify themselves as Catholic. Growth in traditional so-called Bible belt America has been outstanding. In my own area 50 miles or so north of New Orleans, Catholic Churches are packed. Worldwide, the Church has never been larger, over 1.2 billion members. Amazing growth exists in Asia and Africa while Europe and parts of North America do struggle.
So if you are Catholic, maybe a good time to assess your opinion of the Church. And always remember, "the gates of hell shall never prevail against her". Jesus!
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