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NEW BARNA MORALITY SURVEY
George Barna is an evangelical Christian who operates a religious polling oganization, so keep that in mind when analyzing his data; nevertheless, what impresses me most about Barna is that he publishes data not favorable to Christians or religion (such as the fact that the divorce rate among Christians is just as high as it is for non-Christians and atheists). This increases my confidence in the integrity of his data.
http://www.barna.org
November 3, 2003
Morality Continues to Decay
Of the ten moral behaviors evaluated, a majority of Americans believed that
each of three activities were "morally acceptable." Those included gambling
(61%), co-habitation (60%), and sexual fantasies (59%). Nearly half of the adult
population felt that two other behaviors were morally acceptable: having an
abortion (45%) and having a sexual relationship with someone of the opposite
sex other than their spouse (42%). About one-third of the population gave the
stamp of approval to pornography (38%), profanity (36%), drunkenness (35%) and
homosexual sex (30%). The activity that garnered the least support was using
non-prescription drugs (17%).
Faith Commitment Impacts Views
Morality perspectives vary tremendously according to people's faith commitments.
Of the seven faith groups studied, evangelicals were the least likely to
accept each of the ten behaviors as moral. Less than one out of every ten
evangelical Christians maintained that adultery, gay sex, pornography, profanity,
drunkenness and abortion are morally acceptable. In contrast, every one of those
ten behaviors was deemed "morally acceptable" by more than one out of ten
people from each of the other six faith groups studied. (The other faith segments
included non-evangelical born again Christian, notional Christians, adherents
of non-Christian faiths, atheists/agnostics, Protestants and Catholics.)
On average, born again Christians who are not evangelical were more than
three times as likely as evangelicals to describe any given behavior tested as
morally acceptable. In fact, the data showed that non-evangelical born again
Christians were more similar in their moral perspectives to "notional Christians"
than to evangelicals. (Notional Christians are those who describe themselves
as Christian but are not born again--that is, they do not believe that after
they die on earth they will go to Heaven solely because they have confessed
their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.)
Among people aligned with faiths other than Christianity, half or more
described each of seven behaviors as "morally acceptable": gambling,
co-habitation, sexual fantasies, having an abortion, having a sexual relationship with
someone of the opposite sex other than their spouse, pornography and profanity.
Atheists and agnostics were the people most likely to describe any of these
behaviors as morally acceptable. In total, atheists and agnostics defined nine of
the ten behaviors as morally legitimate, dismissing only the use of
non-prescription drugs.
Protestants and Catholics differed to some extent on nine of the ten
behaviors, with Protestants less likely to describe any of those behaviors as morally
acceptable. (The only moral behavior for which both groups held the same view
was regarding the use of non-prescription drugs.) The biggest gaps between
Protestants and Catholics were found in relation to cohabitation (deemed morally
acceptable by 50% of Protestants and 66% of Catholics), sexual fantasies (51%
and 63%, respectively), and gambling (52% and 70%, respectively).
Generation Gap Evident
There were also huge differences in moral viewpoints based upon a person's
generation. In nearly every case there was a pattern of Mosaics (the oldest
members of the youngest generation, currently 18 or 19 years old) and Busters
(those 20 to 38 years of age) being most likely to deem the behavior morally
acceptable. Baby Boomers (ages 39 through 57) were less likely to buy into each
behavior, and Elders (a combination of the two oldest generations, comprised of
people 58 or older) emerged as the people least likely to embrace the behavior.
Whereas at least half of the Mosaics and Busters considered eight of the ten
behaviors morally acceptable, a majority of Boomers endorsed only four of the
behaviors, and a majority of Elders identified just one behavior (gambling) as
morally legitimate.
Also noteworthy was the fact that men were more likely than women to deem
nine of the ten behaviors to be morally acceptable. (The exception was sexual
relations between people of the same gender, which women were slightly more
likely to condone.) The most sizeable gaps were related to pornography (men were
twice as likely to deem pornography acceptable) and drunkenness.
morality poll
by peacefulpete 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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peacefulpete
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jwbot
cheating fared better than homosexuality???? ok....
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Phantom Stranger
gambling (61%) your own personal business
co-habitation (60%) your own personal business
sexual fantasies (59%) human and unavoidable, one's own business
having an abortion (45%) matter of choice but not taken lightly
having a sexual relationship with someone of the opposite sex other than their spouse (42%). Breaking one's integrity
pornography (38%) objectification but still ones own business
profanity (36%) jeez
drunkenness (35%) irresponsible and unhealthy
homosexual sex (30%) one's own business
The activity that garnered the least support was using non-prescription drugs (17%). Everyone but Rush and his maid
I find this list absolutely infuriating! Where's stealing from pensioners? Lying to stockholders and the SEC? War profiteering? Censoring reporters and editors in your employ to conform to your opinions? Forcing competitors out of business by violating antitrust laws? Employing people at wages that ensure they can't make a living without two jobs? Accepting huge bonuses when the company is losing money? Tell me the morality in those!
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Faraon
Phantom,
sexual fantasies (59%) human and unavoidable, one's own business
You're right: Every time I hear about pedophylliacs. I fantasize about sticking them with a bat full of nails where the sun doesn't shine. I just cannot avoit it.
I find this list absolutely infuriating! Where's stealing from pensioners? Lying to stockholders and the SEC? War profiteering? Censoring reporters and editors in your employ to conform to your opinions? Forcing competitors out of business by violating antitrust laws? Employing people at wages that ensure they can't make a living without two jobs? Accepting huge bonuses when the company is losing money? Tell me the morality in those!
Well, this is not expresely covered in the bible, so it must be moral to do it.
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Euphemism
*sigh* "Morality continues to decay?" By whose standards? I think that increased acceptance of homosexual sex is a sign of moral enlightenment.
Here in the United States, politics is far less corrupt than it was a hundred years ago. Civilian casualities in war are far less acceptable. Domestic abuse is far less acceptable. And of course, racism and sexism are far less acceptable. You ask me? I think morality has improved tremendously in the last hundred--or even fifty--years.
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peacefulpete
He he, I thought it might stir a few comments. remeber the poll was done by a fundementalist. And I agree that some of the matters considered morals in this poll are social constructs and archaic control devices. Useful at times but not the measure of personal decency.
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SanFranciscoJim
Less than one out of every ten evangelical Christians maintained that adultery, gay sex, pornography, profanity, drunkenness and abortion are morally acceptable.
These ultraconservative moralists, by their inclusion of "gay sex" in their list of so-called "immoralities", continue to perpetuate the myth that homosexuals are lascivious, promiscuous perverts lurking in shadows awaiting their next sexual prey.
Most of the gay people (men and women) that I know are in stable, loving same-sex relationships. There is no immorality in loving someone, regardless of gender.
But then, these ultraconservatives, themselves sex-deprived through their own belief systems, can concentrate only on the one thing they can't have -- sex. They have become so myopic in their condemnations of others that they can't see beyond their own morals to realize that those who don't believe the way they do can also have loving relationships based upon much more than what goes on in the bedroom.