Looking over numbers from the Harris poll concerning religious belief in America is enough to make you pull your hair out. I guess it’s my own fault for searching for consistency and logic.
Here’s some numbers that jumped out.
80% of Americans believe in God. Good, I guess. But only 88% of Catholics believe in the Resurrection. So, if you’re Catholic and you don’t believe in the Resurrection, what are you? Only 78% believe in the Virgin birth.
And the numbers grow in their ability to disturb such as 40 percent of Catholics believe in Astrology. 26% of Catholics believe in reincarnation. What?!
This reminds me of someone I once heard say, “You don’t have to believe in God to be a good Catholic.” And he meant it. I think the term that needs defining for people is “Catholic.”
In the famous words of Inigo Montoya, “I do not think that word means what you think it means.” Because to me, these numbers are inconceivable.
December 15, 2008 at 4:04 am
I don’t think this poll is very well made or very sceintific.
Unless you know the language and the terminology used in the questions any assumptions made from the results are suspect.
December 15, 2008 at 4:10 am
We can only hope, Anon.
I’m not really surprised – we have done a TERRIBLE job as a church in educating people.
December 15, 2008 at 6:27 am
I would be more concerned that 7% of Catholics don’t believe in God… How does that one work?
December 15, 2008 at 10:31 am
I’ve got to agree that this has got to be an oddly worded survey….
For example, if someone called me up and, outside of a Catholic context, asked me if I believed in “Resurrection”– I’d probably say no, because that’s usually a way of referring to reincarnation.
December 15, 2008 at 11:56 am
If I go by my experience, these numbers are encouraging! Recently, when I confronted a family member about living with her boyfriend & going to Mass & Communion, she assured me that they were both devoted Catholics & they'd spoken with their priest about it & he, in his turn, assured them that all was well! Furthermore, she was shocked that I'd said anything to her because she "thought you'd be happy that we're Catholic!"
So, you're right, the problem is that its way past time to redefine the term "Catholic".
December 15, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I think some of those numbers are interesting. In many ways, we seem to be in a “post Christian” age. I’ve actually noticed less hostility than before because a lot of people have no catechesis at all and are surprisingly open to hearing the Gospel.
Does anyone know of an orthodox book that would explain phenomenon that people call “ghosts”? I mean, people are seeing *something* and there’s got to be an explanation. I worry that not having a good explanation of things like this could wind up inadvertantly pushing people towards pagan/wiccan mysticism simply in order to get an explanation for their experiences.
December 15, 2008 at 2:10 pm
"If I go by my experience, these numbers are encouraging! Recently, when I confronted a family member about living with her boyfriend & going to Mass & Communion, she assured me that they were both devoted Catholics & they'd spoken with their priest about it & he, in his turn, assured them that all was well! Furthermore, she was shocked that I'd said anything to her because she "thought you'd be happy that we're Catholic!" So, you're right, the problem is that its way past time to redefine the term "Catholic"."
There are actually exceptions to cohabitation. If no other living arrangement is expedient or even possible, cohabitation is permissible as long as the couple lives in chastity.
December 15, 2008 at 2:38 pm
“exceptions to cohabitation?”Can you show me any that don’t cause scandal and lead others astray? And, GET REAL, most healthy young adults with romantic feelings who share a bed (and board!) are not going to be praying the rosary together before falling asleep in each others arms.
Why not just marry, for heaven’s sake. What living together really is is a trial marriage, and those HAVE been condemned! (CCC 2391, I believe)
December 15, 2008 at 4:13 pm
So, if you’re Catholic and you don’t believe in the Resurrection, what are you?
John Dominic Crossan?
Oh? That was rhetorical?
December 15, 2008 at 4:40 pm
EN,
Nice try. Months before I challenged her on it, I specifically asked if they were sleeping together & she readily admitted it. BTW, they're both grandparents.
December 15, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Who are these people (1 in 50) who go to mass weekly and still dont belive in God? I would really like to meet some of them, I bet they are an interesting bunch to talk to.
December 15, 2008 at 5:47 pm
As my former self, Marie Antoinette, is reputed to have said, “Let them eat cake.”
–Carl Jung
December 15, 2008 at 6:01 pm
How is it that only 98% of people who go to church at least weekly believe in God? and only 88% of them believe in the immortality of the soul?
December 15, 2008 at 8:16 pm
10 percent believe in a God that doesn’t like us very much, I guess.
December 15, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Well, I’m not surprised. It is generally understood that catechesis in the Church has been wretched for 3+ decades. Heck, I’m surprised the ignorance isn’t greater.
December 17, 2008 at 11:40 pm
I’m surprised the ignorance isn’t greater.
It’s not always ignorance. Sometimes people know the teaching of the Church and simply reject it.