A recent survey by the Barna Research Group indicates a biblical worldview really does make a difference.
Unfortunately, the research also shows that few American adults have one.
A recent survey by the Barna Research Group indicates a biblical worldview
really does make a difference.
Unfortunately, the research also shows that few American adults have one.
A survey of 2,003 American adults found that just 4 percent have a biblical
worldview. Also, only 9 percent of those categorized as born-again Christians
have a biblical worldview, researcher George Barna said.
“Worldview” is a term used to describe the belief system by which
a person understands or makes decisions about the world.
One of the prominent current worldviews is postmodernism – a belief system
that rejects the notion of absolute truth. This often is expressed in the statement
– “That may be true for you, but its not true for me.”
Not surprisingly, the Barna research found that adults without a biblical worldview
and those with such a worldview had vastly different views of immoral and unethical
behavior. For instance, those without a biblical worldview were:
About 100 times more likely to endorse abortion (46 percent of
those without a biblical worldview believed it to be acceptable, compared to
less than 1 percent of those with a biblical worldview).
About 80 times more likely to say that exposure to pornography
is morally acceptable (39 percent versus less than one-half of 1 percent).
Thirty-one times more likely to believe living together before
marriage is morally acceptable (62 percent versus 2 percent).
Fifteen times more likely to believe homosexual sex is acceptable
(31 percent versus 2 percent).
Eighteen times more likely to endorse drunkenness (36 percent versus
2 percent).
Twelve times more likely to accept profanity (37 percent versus
3 percent).
Eleven times more likely to say adultery is okay (44 percent versus
4 percent).
Eight times more likely to purchase lottery tickets.
“The primary reason that people do not act like Jesus is because they
do not think like Jesus,” Barna said.
“Behavior stems from what we think – our attitudes, beliefs, values
and opinions.”
Barnas definition of a biblical worldview includes a belief that absolutes
exist and a belief that the Bible defines them.
Additionally, the definition stipulates a belief that Christ lived a sinless
life; God is the “all-powerful and all-knowing creator of the universe
and stills rules it today”; salvation is by grace and not by works; Satan
is a real being; Christians have a responsibility to witness; and the Bible
is “accurate in all of its teachings.”
The research found that those who attended college were more likely to have
a biblical worldview than those who did not (6 percent versus 2 percent).
Married adults also were more likely to have such a worldview (5 percent for
married people versus 2 percent for singles).
Also, 10 percent of Republicans but only 2 percent of independents and 1 percent
of Democrats had a biblical worldview.
Respondents were not asked if they considered themselves to be born again,
but instead were asked a series of specific questions. Born-again believers
were defined as those who “said they have made a personal commitment to
Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today and who also indicated
they believe that when they die they will go to heaven because they had confessed
their sins and had accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.” (BP)