WHAT AMERICANS BELIEVE. A recent Newsweek poll reveals the shocking truth of American religious beliefs. Newsweek reports that seventy-nine percent of Americans believe in the virgin birth, that is Jesus was born to Mary without the intervention of a human father.
The poll also revealed that sixty-seven percent of Americans believe that the entire Biblical account of the birth of Jesus, from the angels appearing to the shepherds, the Star in the East, the Wise Men from the East, and the virgin birth is historically accurate.

Here is other startling, but good, news:

1. 93 percent of Americans believe Jesus Christ actually lived;
2. 82 percent believe Jesus Christ was God or the Son of God;
3. 52 percent believe Jesus will return to earth someday (only 21 percent do not believe it) Bad news for the premills, only fifteen percent believe Jesus will return in their lifetime. I guess that goes to show that even Hal Lindsey can only be wrong so many times before people quit listening.

Before euphoria sets in, however, can we determine what effect this belief has on us as a society? Only 11 percent of those surveyed believe our culture very closely reflects Christian values, but 53 percent believe it somewhat reflects Christian values.

Newsweek also reported that 86 percent believe organized religion has a “a lot” or “some” influence on American life.

Here is a result that will set scientists, humanists, and liberals teeth on edge: Sixty-two percent favor teaching creation science in addition to evolution in public schools. A strong minority, Forty-three percent, favor teaching creation instead of evolution.

I sure Newsweek itself is stunned and dismayed by this information.

Well, then, what conclusions can we draw from this information? I’ll address that in the coming posts.