I understand that you feel it is inappropriate for some to claim to be something that you feel they aren’t.

That doesn’t change the fact that this survey suggests that a very large number of people seem to feel comfortable claiming affiliation with a religious group even though they don’t share all of the tenents of that group.

So, at the end of the day, you can say that this means that there are a lot of hypocrites in this country. Or I can say that there are a surprising number of people who are willing to honestly admit that they don’t feel comfortable with everything their church teaches.

Just depends on how you look at it.

Based on previous posts, your views on the current pope are pretty clear. There are certainly some in the Catholic church that would say, as a result of those views, that you are the heritic, but that’s not for me to say.

I can only observe that, as with many other things, “beauty” is in the eye of the beholder.

I understand your point of view.

The survey suggests that the majority of Americans simply don’t share it.

I also understand the foundation of your view because I was raised in the Cathholic church. I just don’t happen to agree with it.

Since there isn’t any simple way to prove who is right in this particular case, we’ll just have to huddle up after we pass on to compare notes.

Jeff

You may not like the process or the conclusions, but the Pew Forum has been at this for years. They are widely respected for their research and this appears to be another solid professional piece.

I’m familiar with George Barna, but I don’t think he or his firm was involved in this project. Princeton Survey Research Associates International did the work.

People are going to call themselves whatever they want to call themselves. That’s the whole point. Many thoughtful spiritual God fearing people in this country reject dogmatism and embrace the two great commandments, “Love God” and “Love your neighbor as yourself”.

I happen to share your belief that all men have to come to God through Christ, but I also believe that all people will come to that conclusion on their own. God doesn’t need my help and would rather I spend my time working on my own salvation.

i am not impress with this guys research as he identifies people by denomination or religon. i’ve read much of george barnas stuff and of the many, many folks who claim to be Christian really are not. i am more then sure the same can be said of hindu’s, budists or any other religon. thats the problem with most of the research done on religon. they simply identfy someone as “catholic” who says they are yet does not live by the tenents of the catholic faith. same with Christians. you simply can not be a Christian if you believe there is any way to heaven but through Jesus. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me.” i know that’s devisive but a belief in Christ is a belief in Christ that He is who He says He is and He allows for noe other then Him….