Why Americans No Longer View the Bible as the Ultimate Authority
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As our nation continues to battle over for a set of values that will carry on into the future, A recent study released by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University reveals that less than one-third of Americans believe that the Bible should serve as the ultimate foundation for determining right and wrong.
The study notes that 7 out of 10 adults (71%) claim to support traditional moral values in America today. But there is a significant transition in the public perception of the Bible’s role in defining traditional moral values.
The survey revealed that traditional moral values included integrity, justice, kindness, non-discrimination, trustworthiness, free expression, property ownership, individual self-expression and self-control.
Although most say they abide by traditional moral values, the Bible no longer holds its place as the ultimate authority on right vs. wrong, according to responses in a July survey of nearly 2,300 people. Instead, a whopping 42% of respondents say that should lie with “what you feel in your heart.”
Majority rule, which both former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and political activist Kirk Cameron label as “mob rule,” came in at 29% as a method of determining right and wrong. Only 29% of those surveyed expressed a belief that the principles in the Bible should determine the understanding of right and wrong. That figure rose to 66% among spiritually active conservative Christians.
The survey revealed that an overwhelming majority of Christians expressed support for traditional values (82%). The study said a strong majority of respondents who believe the Bible is God’s true word have traditional moral values (83%), and 63% of those who do not view the Bible as the true and accurate words of God also hold traditional moral values.
Political views as it pertains to the Bible revealed some interesting figures, especially with one of the most important elections in history happening Tuesday, Nov. 8.
An outright majority of respondents who do not identify with a particular faith (53%), along with half of LGBTQ respondents (50%), self-described moderates (47%), political independents (47%), Democrats (46%), self-described liberals (46%) and Catholic church attendees (46%) expressed that “what you feel in your heart” should form the foundation of what Americans view as right and wrong.
The survey revealed that sizable numbers of members of a particular fait other than Christianity (45%) who identified as both Republican and moderate (38%) said that they feel they should do “what’s right in their heart,” as did pluralities of Americans between the ages of 18-29 (47%) and 30-49 (44%). {eoa}
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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor of Charisma Media.
