Study: Youth see Christians as judgmental, anti-gay

Study: Youth see Christians as judgmental, anti-gay - USATODAY.com

Study: Youth see Christians as judgmental, anti-gay



By Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service
Majorities of young people in America describe modern-day Christianity as judgmental, hypocritical and anti-gay. What's more, many Christians don't even want to call themselves "Christian" because of the baggage that accompanies the label.

A new book based on research by the California-based research firm The Barna Group found that church attitudes about people in general and gays in particular are driving a negative image of the Christian faith among people ages 16-29.

"The Christian community's ability to take the high road and help to deal with some of the challenges that this (anti-gay) perception represents may be the ... defining response of the Christian church in the next decade," said David Kinnaman, Barna Group president and author of the book, UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity.

"The anti-homosexual perception has now become sort of the Geiger counter of Christians' ability to love and work with people."

The findings were based on surveys of a sample of 867 young people. From that total, researchers reported responses from 440 non-Christians and 305 active churchgoers.

The vast majority of non-Christians ? 91% ? said Christianity had an anti-gay image, followed by 87% who said it was judgmental and 85% who said it was hypocritical.

Such views were held by smaller percentages of the active churchgoers, but the faith still did not fare well: 80% agreed with the anti-gay label, 52% said Christianity is judgmental, and 47% declared it hypocritical.

Kinnaman said one of the biggest surprises for researchers was the extent to which respondents ? one in four non-Christians ? said that modern-day Christianity was no longer like Jesus.

"It started to become more clear to us that what they're experiencing related to Christianity is some of the very things that Jesus warned religious people about," he said. "Which is, avoiding removing the log from your own eye before trying to take the speck out of someone else's."

Kinnaman said some Christians ? including those in the entertainment industry ? preferred to call themselves "followers of Jesus" or "apprentices of Christ" because the word "Christian" could limit their ability to relate to people. Even Kinnaman, 33, described himself as "a committed Christ follower," though he has called himself a Christian in the past.

In addition to reporting on the negative statistics, Kinnaman used the book to also give advice ? from himself and more than two dozen Christian leaders ? on new approaches.

"Our goal wasn't simply to say here's all the problems, but to hopefully point a way forward," Kinnaman said.

"When Jesus pursued people, he was much more critical of pride and much more critical of spiritual arrogance than he was of people who were sinful. And today's Christians, if you spend enough time looking at their attitudes and actions, really are not like Jesus when it comes to that."

Megachurch pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., used the book to say he hopes the church will become "known more by what it is for than what it is against.

"For some time now, the hands and feet of the body of Christ have been amputated, and we've been pretty much reduced to a big mouth," Warren wrote. "We talk more than we do. It's time to reattach the limbs and let the church be the church in the 21st century."

Andy Stanley, senior pastor of North Point Ministries in Atlanta, suggested that churches should not focus solely on converting people, as has been the emphasis for generations.

"If we were able to rewrite the script for the reputation of Christianity, I think we would put the emphasis on developing relationships with non-believers, serving them, loving them, and making them feel accepted," he wrote.

"Only then would we earn the right to share the gospel."

The research reported in UnChristian reflected larger Barna Group studies with about 1,000 respondents as well as the specific study of young people. The sample of 440 non-Christians had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points and the sample of 305 active churchgoers had a margin of error of plus or minus 6 percentage points.

I know that I am more than a follower of Jesus; I am one of His younger brothers.

could you expound on this for me?

Well I am not a shame to say that I am a Christian....I know that I am more than a follower of Jesus; I am one of His younger brothers. It does not bother me if some people have a negative view of Christians, because I don't really know all the detail of the circumstances why they would believe this.

I know that not everyone who calls themselves Christian are Christian; Jesus even spoke about this to the disciples before He was crucified. He said that there would be many false Christians. Also, it is possible that some of those who are critical of Christians, are that way because they hate the idea that there is something call wrong. Most people do not like to be told when they are doing something that is wrong, and because of that they can interpret that as being judgmental.

Well, some people have a delusional view of what it means to be a Christian.
One of those delusions is to adopt a "self-righteous" stance, and go about pointing fingers at those whom the self-appointed judge feels doesn't quite measure up to his or her interpretation of what the Bible says or, better yet, "means"....this is the height of arrogance, because the "self-appointed judge" is himself, "a sinner", no better or worse than those whom he is pointing fingers at.
The Puritans came to America seeking freedom from religious persecution....no different than what is being displayed here...persecution, based on one's interpretation of scripture...God said "Judge not, lest ye be judged"...and somehow, some people just ignore his instruction and go about "judging".....well, it was wrong then, and it's wrong now....you can't point fingers at anyone, with a big ol' thumb pointing back at you.
Why can't people get that

Well I can't speak about those people you might be talking about, but I know this, God use imperfect people to point out the sins of others in the Bible. One does not have to be perfect to have authority to point out the sins of others. You see, there is a difference between when a Christian sins and when an unbeliever sins. A Christian, if being lead by the Holy Spirit does not practice sin; but he/she will sin from time to time because of human weakness. But an unbeliever sins because they chose to do things that are wrong. And also, as far as God is concern a Christian is considered righteous, because the righteousness of Jesus has been passed on to him/her.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that God uses people to point out the sins of others...you have just borne "false witness', a sin, I might add.
One does not have to be perfect to have authority to point out the sins of others????? So, you get to make up your own doctrine, and expect others to accept it? Wrong! If what you're saying is true...God would not have spoke to the subject...unless you're one of those Christian whom you spoke about...you know, "an unbeliever". I cannot believe the crap you are professing, and calling it "from the Bible"....Brian, you are full of it...whether you know it or not.

"A Christian, if being lead by the Holy Spirit does not practice sin; but he/she will sin from time to time because of human weakness."
this is the caveat, which allows you to sin "at will", because you already have a "built-in" excuse, "human weakness"...BS....Crap...pure crap...the mark of a false Christian.

Well I can't speak about those people you might be talking about, but I know this, God use imperfect people to point out the sins of others in the Bible. One does not have to be perfect to have authority to point out the sins of others. You see, there is a difference between when a Christian sins and when an unbeliever sins. A Christian, if being lead by the Holy Spirit does not practice sin; but he/she will sin from time to time because of human weakness. But an unbeliever sins because they chose to do things that are wrong. And also, as far as God is concern a Christian is considered righteous, because the righteousness of Jesus has been passed on to him/her.

Those who are off God understands what I am talking about, but those who are not will not.

Hmm, didn't Jesus say Let he who is without sin cast the first stone? Also something about taking the plank out of your own eye before trying to remove the speck? I don't have my bible here with me right now. It is this crap which is turning people away from christianity. "Oh we can sin cause we say we believe in the imaginary sky person."

Also aaronsongs, for clarification. The puritans did not come here to start a country of religous freedom, they came here to start a colony where only there views were allowed. This is a common misconception about the founding of America. The church leaders had near total control of everything, not belonging to the church was punishible by death at the worst, just a branding and banishment at the least. Christians in the US have always been a rather judgemental breed. Lovely christians not only actively participated in the use of slaves, but somehow found a way to say it was what "God" wanted. Sick if you ask me

God, I'm almost sure, believes in deeds, not empty words.

Hmm, didn't Jesus say Let he who is without sin cast the first stone? Also something about taking the plank out of your own eye before trying to remove the speck? I don't have my bible here with me right now. It is this crap which is turning people away from christianity. "Oh we can sin cause we say we believe in the imaginary sky person."

Every one of those whom God used that are mentioned in the Bible sins. The reason why Jesus told those men, who-so-ever that is without sin cast the first stone is because there in tension was not legitimate. They caught the woman in the very act, as they said yet they only brought the woman to Jesus. They were also trying to put Jesus to the test, as they often try to do, to make Him do or say something to cause Him get in trouble. And also, Jesus purpose for coming was not to condemn, but to save, so if He said that she should be stoned to death, He would be going against His propose for coming.

The other thing is there is a difference between judging and condemning; the two are not the same. We make judgment everyday, without even knowing it. Judgment simply means to make a decision; it can be good, bad or neither. Condemning is to decide the faith of some one.

The brother who had the figurative plank in his eye was not fit to judge his brother, who had only a speck in his eye. Jesus did not say he should not speak to his brother about the speck in his brother's eye, but that he should first remove the plank from his eye, then he will see clearly to remove the speak from his brother's eye.

The moral of what Jesus was saying is that if we have a problem which is greater than the one whom we are criticizing, it will impair our judgment, just as if a literal plank was sticking out from our own eye would prevent one from properly seeing...your own problem is distorting what you are seeing.

based on that study a little over 50% of young Americans consider themselves not a christian. When compared to 70% of Americans who call themselves a christian, down from 73% ten years ago, it is safe to say that the religious structure of our country will change dramatically this century. We could be looking at a largly Agnostic America by the year 2100

This really would make a lot of sense, especially with the Jews back in Israel. According to the Scriptures this would be the time of the great falling away. 2 Thessalonians 2:3, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,

The moral of what Jesus was saying is that if we have a problem which is greater than the one whom we are criticizing, it will impair our judgment, just as if a literal plank was sticking out from our own eye would prevent one from properly seeing...your own problem is distorting what you are seeing.

The Lord, will judge all me included. and I worry about my place in His, book of life because of what was quoted above. The church will destory itself if it doesn't stop trying to dictate their views on others out side the church. And if it doesn't stop trying to control politics. let those who belief vote or not vote if they can't find a person who lives by their values. It is that simple. But as it is in many churchs they think they have the correct ideas, and that is because the pastor puts them into this with out a choice on the breathern part. belief in God, the Lord jesus and the Holy Spirit is a personnel choice..