Immoral Popularity
The Barna Group has published some interesting research that investigates the moral downfalls of adults (age 18+). Here is what they discovered:
DURING THE PAST WEEK,
- 28% of adults cussed
>> 64% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 60% of Atheists
>> 33% of Men
>> 33% of Non-Christian Religions
>> 24% of Women
>> 19% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
>> 16% of Evangelicals
- 20% of adults gambled (including purchased a lottery ticket)
>> 25% of Catholics
>> 23% of Men
>> 18% of Protestants
>> 15% of Women
>> 2% of Evangelicals - 19% of adults intentionally viewed pornography
>> 50% of Atheists
>> 33% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 32% of Non-Christian Religions
>> 30% of Liberals
>> 16% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
>> 12% of Evangelicals
>> 8% of Conservatives - 12% of adults gossiped
>> 34% of Atheists
>> 26% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 17% of Liberals
>> 10% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
>> 9% of Conservatives
>> 4% of Evangelicals - 12% of adults got drunk
>> 33% of Atheists
>> 25% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 22% of Men
>> 17% of Liberals
>> 16% of Catholics
>> 9% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
>> 7% of Conservatives
>> 7% of Protestants
>> 3% of Women
>> <0.5% of Evangelicals - 11% of adults lied
>> 37% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 21% of Liberals
>> 18% of Non-Christian Religions
>> 8% of Conservatives
>> 6% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
>> 1% of Evangelicals - 9% of adults had sex with someone to whom they were not married
>> 38% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 21% of Singles
>> 20% of Liberals
>> 13% of Men
>> 6% of Women
>> 4% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
>> 4% of Conservatives
>> 3% of Evangelicals
>> 1% of Marrieds - 8% of adults engaged in acts of retaliation
>> 13% of Liberals
>> 12% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 11% of Atheists
>> 6% of Conservatives
>> 5% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
What I find most interesting is how much higher the percentages are for Mosaics than Baby Boomers. Are Mosaics just that much worse than Baby Boomers? Or were Baby Boomers just as bad but have learned self-discipline over the years. My guess is both
What do you think?
Adam Lehman Said,
August 25, 2008 @ 4:36 pm
4% of evangelicals gossip?
what if I’m an evangelical mosaic?
oh no…….
Chris from Canada Said,
August 25, 2008 @ 6:57 pm
“Are Mosaics just that much worse than Baby Boomers?”
Or maybe there are people who just don’t see these things as being all that bad. You call it moral downfall and immoral popularity but I know lots of people who would call this the “Are you having fun?” quiz.
Kent Shaffer Said,
August 25, 2008 @ 7:09 pm
@Chris.
Very true!
bob Said,
August 25, 2008 @ 7:35 pm
Is it possible that Mosaic’s are more likely to be truthful than Boomers?
Boomers have always been about imagine management, Mosaics not so much.
Mike Little Said,
August 26, 2008 @ 8:32 am
A couple of observations…
1. GenX truly is the forgotten generation. I guess they answered every question correctly or just messed up the bell curve.
2. I think that what you see is that Evangelicals and Baby Boomers are just really good and saying what is supposed to be said…not what is real.
Less that .05% of Evangelicals got drunk? Less than 4% gossiped? I would have given myself that label 10 years ago and still I am very involved with those that call themselves “evangelicals”. I KNOW more than 4% gossip.
The tell tale answer — only 1% of evangelicals lied. Uh-huh.
aaron Said,
August 26, 2008 @ 11:24 am
I personally feel that 86% of evangelicals who took that survey lied… Thus negating the lying category (and probably a few others).
Seriously, did they follow people around all week to see or just say, “So…did you talk about anyone else this week?”
Gossip - known in many churches as the “prayer chain”
Lied - If you lie about lying does it count?
Drunk - Lemme see…I know I had a drink but I can’t remember if I got drunk…well I guess not.
Cussed - Nope..I always say “Gosh Darnit” instead.
Such relative terms…I bet I could make this survey data say anything I wanted to.
Kent Shaffer Said,
August 26, 2008 @ 11:32 am
@Bob, Mike, & Aaron
I wondered about the truth factor too. Typically, respondents of all demographics will withhold some truth. But perhaps Evangelicals & Baby Boomers are also more likely to lie during a survey.
Jaci Askew Said,
August 30, 2008 @ 12:26 am
I would have to agree that some people told some fibs when they were taking this survey. Having been in a ministry position with my husband and seeing first hand what evangelicals are capable of, there is no way these statistics aren’t skewed by those folks that like to put “their best foot forward” or lie about the things they aren’t proud of doing. But I firmly believe that so many of the older (45+) generation are so rooted in the belief that hiding the truth to save face is sooo much better than being honest with your self, admitting your faults, and moving on with life. (I also have to add that immorality is focused on way too much. Why not focus on God’s grace? That’s what unbelievers want to hear. That they haven’t screwed up so much that God will never forgive them. Not that they just screwed up and they better fix it or it’ll be hell fire and brimstone!) Just my 2 cents
God Bless.
Kevin Said,
August 31, 2008 @ 9:41 am
Questions for ya…
why are you focusing on sin so much?
why post something telling people how much they sin?
do you really think that Christ really looks at us as a bunch of stats of how much we sin?
think about that one.
Kent Shaffer Said,
August 31, 2008 @ 9:55 am
@Kevin
Life as a minister can often be like living in a “bubble.” Research like this helps pastors to be aware of the likely percentage of their community and congregation that struggles with a particular vice.
For instance, pastors may know that people cuss, but statistics like these help reveal how great the need is for sermons on controlling one’s tongue, etc. After all, the best way to overcome bad habits and vices is to renew one’s mind with the Word of God.
I hope that makes sense to you.
Chris Askew Said,
September 9, 2008 @ 12:48 am
I want to preface this by saying that I have nothing against The Barna Group…other than I have always been skeptical of their surveys. (actually of any survey really) I think it would be great to post how many (total) people were polled and how many from each category (x amount of atheists, x amount of mosaics etc..).
Think about it…it is very, very easy to unintentionally skew results in a survey. (who were the near perfect evangelicals that they surveyed? and how many were there? How many mosaics vs. atheists?)
Here’s another question…was the survey taken anonymously or was a pollster point blank asking the baby boomers if they intentionally viewed pornography, gossiped, lied or had sex with someone to whom they were not married? - If someone was asking me point blank to answer these questions and I was guilty of them…I would definitely be more inclined to lie about it, and to lie about lying so they didn’t suspect I was a swearing, gambling, gossiping, lying, adulterous porno lovin’ angry drunk!
So the moral of the story is….sometimes a survey is just a survey. Sometimes you have to really be able to use discernment to judge your community…rather than what some group of pollsters tell you about your community.
Just my 2
God Bless.
Kent Shaffer Said,
September 9, 2008 @ 7:39 am
@Chris
The Barna Group is does provide most of that information. It is at the bottom of their original article.
They do surveys quite well and professional.
Chris Askew Said,
September 10, 2008 @ 12:42 pm
I was never questioning barna’s professionality. I get that they are a professional polling company. But obviously something with this survey has run amok.
The survey states that 3% of evangelicals had sex with someone with whom they were not married to…but only 1% of evangelicals lied - seriously only 1%?
These results are not accurate. Plain and simple. They messed up on this one. And this survey was a phone survey (see my comment above about talking point blank to a pollster about your morality)
Once again…I do not have anything against Barna or their professionalism. I am simply responding to this article to say that obviously the results are skewed and something went wrong…and sometimes a survey is just a survey…don’t believe everything you read.
Kent Shaffer Said,
September 10, 2008 @ 12:44 pm
@Chris
I agree that almost all surveys are flawed.
Tim Said,
September 19, 2008 @ 4:35 pm
First; I use Barna and appreciate their efforts.
Help me out….what is a Mosaic?
Also, I guess ommiting the truth wasn’t considered a lie, unless 66% of the evangelicals who had an affair were upfront with the second party they were married and then informed their spouse about what occured.
In my book 3% affairs equals 3% lies.