“Increased Religious Security”

Cultural Context:  The explanation given in a FoxNews.com article by C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, for some of the findings about Americans and Religion from a Pew Forum study surveying 35,000 adults.  The results of the study were recently released. The quote:

“It shows increased religious security.  People are comfortable with other traditions even if they’re different.  It indicates a level of humility about religion that would be of great benefit to everyone.”

Really?  Hmmm…

What does it mean to be secure?  
My dictionary widget tells me that “secure” means 

• fixed or fastened so as not to give way, become loose or be lost
• not subject to threat, certain to remain or continue safe and unharmed
• protected against attack
• safe, stable and free from fear or anxiety
• certain to achieve

When I read the article highlighting some of the Pew findings, the word “security“  as revealed in these definitions did not spring to mind.  In fact, my first thought was “all over the map.”  Reading the article was a study in contradictions.  Looking at some of the actual statistics, there seems to be no mistaking the rampant confusion that exists with Americans regarding their own professed religious “beliefs”.  We have become a belief-addicted culture ready to accept anything because the act of “believing” is the answer.  Just believe.  The object of belief apparently doesn’t factor in. 

Some of the statistics:

70% of those with a religious affiliation said there was more than one way to gain eternal life (even when that belief was contrary to their own professed religion’s teachings).  This percentage includes 57% of evangelical christians, 83% of protestants, 79% of catholics, 82% of Jews and 56% of Muslims.

Don’t even bother picking a “way” because they all lead to the same place.  Don’t bother learning what your own religion believes.  You don’t have to believe to believe.  Just believe.

92% of those studied professed belief in God.  But 1 in 4 also express doubts about His existence.
21% of professed athiests said they actually believed in God – 8% are “absolutely certain” of it

Not believing just doesn’t measure up to believing.  Make no mistake, it takes just as much faith to believe there isn’t a God as it does to believe there is one.  For sure, almost the same percentages in both camps have achieved the same level of confusion about the issue.  Oh, who needs that kind of scrutiny?  It doesn’t matter if you jump around from one belief to another.  Just believe.

44% of those with religious affiliations felt their religion should preserve its traditional beliefs and practices, but many believe in multiple interpretations of their religion’s teachings.

Keep the old ones, interpret new ones?  It doesn’t matter.  Just believe.

D. Michael Lindsay (of Rice University) offered a very astute evaluation of the report:

“The survey shows religion in America is indeed, 3000 miles wide and only three inches deep.”

Not exactly the picture of stability.  At three inches, we have no roots, no foundation.  Without a full depth of truth, we have no hope to withstand being “tossed about by every wind and wave” (ephesians 4:14) and the rudderless doubt that inevitably ensues.

It seems that Mr. Gaddy’s coveted “humility about religion” really translates as a meandering lack of commitment.  In our culture, commitment has now been deemed intolerance, and a lack of commitment has been transformed into a virtue.  This mentality grossly underestimates the God-given mental capacities of human beings and completely negates the political ideals we so stringently seek to uphold.  To imply that non-commitment is the only viable option in maintaining “tolerance” is preposterous.  To assume that a person can’t whole-heartedly disagree with another’s beliefs without persecuting him is a complete injustice to “freedom” of religion.

When, in our culture, did it become questionable to stake yourself, your words, your money, your free time — your life on something you believe and stick to it?  

Alexander Hamilton said “Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.”
Hook. Line. Sinker.