Religion: Americans & God

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

—I John 1:8

In a survey published this week, the Ladies’ Home Journal reports that the average U.S. citizen—perhaps no more nearsighted than any human being as he gazes in the mirror—feels that, spiritually, he is doing fine.

The Journal conducted a coast-to-coast, Gallup-style poll of a cross-section of Americans on the delicate subject of what they believe and how much it matters to them. Among other things, the poll showed:

¶ That 95% of U.S. citizens believe in God, with 76% describing themselves as church members. Ninety percent stated that they pray—and 56% said that they pray “frequently.”

¶ That 71% think of God as their judge, meting out rewards or punishments for their actions. Seventy-three percent professed belief in some kind of after life (“I believe the spirit goes to heaven and will see members of his family later”; “I suppose there is something—won’t be gold streets, though”). Of those who said that they believe in heaven, more than three-fifths coolly admitted that they expect to go there.

In his own appraisal of his individual virtue, the U.S. citizen thinks pretty well of himself. No less than 91% asserted that they were “honestly try[ing] to live a good life,” with 44% of these declaring that they were conscious of the spiritual struggle “almost all the time.” On this score, many admitted that the going is tough; a majority thought that it is harder to love one’s neighbor now than it was in the time of Christ (“Today it’s every man for himself”).

The average pollee sounded not unlike the Pharisee who went into the temple to pray.* To the question—”If you yourself followed [Christ’s rule of love] ALL THE WAY, what would you do differently—that is, how would it change your life?”—half answered that they would not change their present lives at all. Nearly two-thirds (62%) admitted that on thinking over the past 24 hours they could recall no time when they might have acted differently if they were explicitly following Christ’s injunction: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” At the same time, 82% regretfully decided that most of the people they knew went only part way in meeting this Christian standard.

The most detailed question of the survey asked the individual if he really thought that he loved his neighbor in certain specific cases. The tabulation:

QUESTIONS . . . . YES . . NO . . NO OPINION

When your fellow man is a business competitor? . . . . 78% . . 10% . . 12%

When your fellow man is a member of a different race? . . . . 80 . . 12 . . 8

When your fellow man belongs to a different religion from yours? . . . . 90 . . 5 . . 5

When your fellow man is an enemy of your country? . . . . 25 . . 63 . . 12

When your fellow man is a member of a political party that you think is dangerous? . . . . 27 . . 57 . . 16

The Journal draws a conclusion: “The remarkable point is that as many as one-quarter think that they practice the highest, transcendent form of love—love of one’s enemy . . . These figures are dramatically incompatible with the facts of American behavior as revealed on every level of national existence today . . .

“It is evident, therefore, that a profound gulf lies between America’s avowed ethical standards and the observable realities of national life. What may be more alarming is the gap between what Americans think they do and what they do do.”

*The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I possess.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

—Luke 18:11-14