Spreading the Word

My reason for writing this blog is to encourage Bible reading.  According to several polls I’ve run across on the web, Bible literacy remains low.  One headline said six out of ten Americans read their Bible – back in 2006.  I didn’t find a newer poll, though several sites gave a variety of percentages, none of them any better, and most don’t define the poll’s participants nor the actual question.

The Pew Research Center actually gives the questions and results.  Same for The Gallup Poll.  The Pew Forum on Religion and & Public Life is more focused on gauging religion in American lives. Whether I like (or agree) with the results, they are available to analysis.  I appreciate that in looking for the truth behind percentages tossed to the public without references.

Under an extensive Pew poll of US Religious Knowledge we find:  Impact of Religious Affiliation - # of questions answered correctly compared with the national average.  Of course Baptists are not listed, maybe falling under Evangelical Protestant, with .09% more correct answers than the national average.  Mainline protestants were a negative, .09% fewer correct answers. Jewish answered 2.3% more correctly, while atheist/agnostics were the highest, at 2.9% more correct answers.

Why do non-believers provide more correct answers than believers?  Why aren't believers more knowledgeable about the Bible?  Excellent questions -- what is your individual answer?

There are several viewpoints on the Importance of Religion.  Where do you fall?  How important is religion – how important should it be?

Gallup goes further than some of the other polls, in my opinion they insert opinions along with defined statistics.  For example, “Republicans Remain Disproportionately White and Religious,” confirming in the subheading, “Democrats are more racially and ethnically diverse, and less religious,” that the wording is biased.

Of course, without looking at the questions and results we can’t analyze results.

What I can do is encourage Bible reading to increase knowledge.  Don’t hesitate to discuss with others, remembering it is not our place to accuse, but to contend:

Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. (Jude 1:9 KJV)
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 1:3 KJV)

Do not be one of those Christ described:

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. (Matthew 22:29 KJV)