More Americans Say They Have No Religion

More Americans Say They Have No Religion

The above title was the head of a newspaper article in the Messenger-Inquirer, dated Monday, March 09, 2009 . Here’s what the article said. “Fifteen percent of respondents said they had no religion, an increase from 14.2 percent in 2001 and 8.2 percent in 1990, according to the American Religion Identification Survey.” The least religious area in our country is the Northeast with 34 percent of those living in Vermont claiming to have no religion. These trends have been going on for some time now. In 1990, 86 percent of the population considered themselves to be religious. Now that number is 76 percent. The article also pointed out that 12 percent believe in a higher power but not the “personal God at the core of monotheistic faiths.” Such is a sign that the New Age religion has had an impact on our society. Why is this happening in our nation?

Our society is becoming more atheistic and paganistic, partly because religion has been ridiculed and mocked by so many and for so long. The other day I was watching the movie “Lilies of the Field.” This movie was made in 1963 and tells the story of a black man that comes across five nuns that had escaped from Nazi Germany. In the course of the movie the man is at first tricked into helping the nuns build a church building. By the end of the movie they come to understand and help each other. The movie was nominated for Best Picture. What movie won for Best Picture this year? It was “Milk” a story about the first homosexual elected to public office in San Francisco . I can not remember the last movie to come out of Hollywood that depicted religion in a positive light. Most movies that deal with religion show it to be evil and full of hypocrisy.

Our society is becoming more atheistic and paganistic, because God is no longer allowed in our public institutions. Public schools are no longer allowed to talk about or study God’s word. At one time the Bible was the textbook of America . Young children learned how to read in the classroom by reading their Bible. McGuffey’s readers were widely used in most schools from 1836 to the mid-1900s. Not only did young people learn their ABC’s by studying the material they also learn moral lessons. Titles such as: Beware of the First Drink, The Honest Boy and The Thief, A Place for Everything, The Money Amy Didn’t Earn, Don’t Kill the Birds, The Contented Boy, Waste Not-Want Not, What Is Death?, A Mother’s Gift—The Bible, and a host of other stories are found in these readers. Each teaches an important moral lesson. What moral lessons are being learned today at school?

Our society is becoming more atheistic and paganistic, because our leaders are becoming the same. Political leaders of both parties are quick to bow down to public pressure. Sometimes the masses are wrong and our leaders should stand up for what is right. “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil” (Exodus 23.2) applies as much today as it did in the days of Moses. When our elected officials forget God they are no longer worthy to be leading our nation.

Our society is becoming more atheistic and paganistic, partly because religion has become more atheistic and paganistic. Many religious organizations no longer see themselves as pro-claimers of the Gospel. They are now community organizations. The group that did show a little growth in the pole is the mega-church group. They are not bound by religious doctrine but by what will appeal to the masses. Worship Services are not aimed at pleasing God but entertaining the people. Lessons may have some moral teaching but not to the point of hurting feelings. Baal had his altars at Dan and Bethel and we have our mega-churches. We need to remember that the church is to preach the word. We need to be evangelistic in nature and reach out to the lost. I am afraid that some have interpreted “conservative” as the same as scriptural. There are some “conservative congregations” that are not scriptural because they are not preaching to the lost as the scriptures teach.

Our society is becoming more atheistic and paganistic, because God’s word is not being heard or read by the masses. There was a time the Bible was respected and studied. I believe it is no coincidence that over the last 25 years our society has become this way because a generation has passed away. Those that would have been shocked to see “gay pride parades” or heard of “couples living together outside of marriage” or situation ethics are gone. My generation is not shocked or ashamed of immoral and unethical behavior.

Our society is becoming more atheistic and paganistic, because God’s word is no longer taught in the home. Young people are being reared without any knowledge of the Bible. God commanded the Israelites to teach their children His word in Deuteronomy 6.6-8. They were to teach their children in the morning and at night, they were to teach their children when they left the house and when they returned. Despite such instruction we read that there arose a generation that did not know the Lord, Judges 2.10. In the New Testament parents are taught to teach their children, Ephesians 6.4. I have heard it said that history begins when we are born. Each generation must be taught what occurred before their birth. Our children will know nothing of God, His power, His nature, or His word if we do not teach them. Many parents are more concerned with their children’s grades than their souls. We have a nation of well educated infidels. If we want our nation to know God’s word we must teach God’s word.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that our nation is experiencing a downturn at this time. One can hope that those that do know God’s word will be willing and able to preach it to the masses and it will be heard. – Dennis Tucker

Home Page