Atheists and Agnostics Take Aim at Christians
Pastor Dale Morgan
Atheists and Agnostics Take Aim at Christians*
June 21, 2007
A rapidly rising new evangelistic movement has emerged in America. Yet
this effort does not spring from those loyal to a particular faith or
religious view.
The new evangelists are atheists. People who have determined there is no
God or who doubt His existence (a group commonly known as agnostics) are
adopting a more aggressive, intentional effort to discredit the notion
that God exists and to critique people of faith. Widely reviewed new
books such as The God Delusion and God is Not Great represent this movement.
Beyond the bestseller lists, however, a new survey shows there is indeed
a significant gap between Christians and those Americans who are in the
"no-faith" camp. For instance, most atheists and agnostics (56%) agree
with the idea that radical Christianity is just as threatening in
America as is radical Islam. At the same time, two-thirds of Christians
(63%) who have an active faith perceive that the nation is becoming more
hostile and negative toward Christianity. ("Active faith" was defined as
simply having gone to church, read the Bible and prayed during the week
preceding the survey.)
A new study by The Barna Group examines the numbers, lifestyles and
self-perceptions of America's atheists and agnostics, contrasting the
no-faith audience with those who actively participate in the Christian
faith. Surprisingly, not every measure shows points of differentiation;
there was also some common ground between the two groups who are at
opposite ends of the faith spectrum.
Two Worlds Colliding?
In the study, the no-faith segment was defined as anyone who openly
identified themselves as an atheist, an agnostic, or who specifically
said they have "no faith." In total, this group represents a
surprisingly small slice of the adult population, about one out of every
11 Americans (9%). However, in a nation of more than 220 million adults,
that comprises roughly 20 million people.
Interestingly, only about five million adults unequivocally use the
label "atheist" and, when asked to describe the nature of God, staunchly
reject the existence of such a being. In other words, most of those who
align with the no-faith viewpoint harbor doubts as to the existence or
nature of a supreme deity but do not express outright rejection of God.
Atheists and agnostics are distinct demographically from the
active-faith segment. The no-faith audience is younger, and more likely
to be male and unmarried. They also earn more and are more likely to be
college graduates.
Perhaps partly due to the younger nature of the audience, atheists and
agnostics are more likely than are active-faith adults to say they are
into new technology (64% among no-faith individuals versus 52% among
active-faith adults) and to assert that they adapt easily to change (81%
versus 66%). Atheists and agnostics are also significantly less likely
to say they are convinced they are right about things in life (38%
versus 55%).
One of the most fascinating insights from the research is the increasing
size of the no-faith segment with each successive generation. The
proportion of atheists and agnostics increases from 6% of Elders (ages
61+) and 9% of Boomers (ages 42-60), to 14% of Busters (23-41) and 19%
of adult Mosaics (18-22). When adjusted for age and compared to 15 years
ago, each generation has changed surprisingly little over the past
decade and a half. Each new generation entered adulthood with a certain
degree of secular fervor, which appears to stay relatively constant
within that generation over time. This contradicts the popular notion
that such generational differences are simply a product of people
becoming more faith-oriented as they age.
Independent and Disengaged
One of the most significant differences between active-faith and
no-faith Americans is the cultural disengagement and sense of
independence exhibited by atheists and agnostics in many areas of life.
They are less likely than active-faith Americans to be registered to
vote (78% versus 89%), to volunteer to help a non-church-related
non-profit (20% versus 30%), to describe themselves as "active in the
community" (41% versus 68%), and to personally help or serve a homeless
or poor person (41% versus 61%). They are also more likely to be
registered to vote as an independent or with a non-mainstream political
party.
One of the outcomes of this profile — and one of the least favorable
points of comparison for atheist and agnostic adults — is the paltry
amount of money they donate to charitable causes. The typical no-faith
American donated just $200 in 2006, which is more than seven times less
than the amount contributed by the prototypical active-faith adult
($1500). Even when church-based giving is subtracted from the equation,
active-faith adults donated twice as many dollars last year as did
atheists and agnostics. In fact, while just 7% of active-faith adults
failed to contribute any personal funds in 2006, that compares with 22%
among the no-faith adults.
Lifestyle Gaps and Common Ground
The study produced a mix of findings when it came to lifestyle and
personal priorities. In terms of differences, Christians were more
motivated by faith, as expected. Yet, just one-quarter of active-faith
adults identified their faith as the primary focus of their lives. For
their part, atheists and agnostics were more likely than were Christians
to be focused on living a comfortable, balanced lifestyle (12% versus
4%) or on acquiring wealth (10% versus 2%). Three-quarters of no-faith
adults said they are clear about the meaning and purpose of their life
and a surprising one-quarter said the phrase "deeply spiritual"
accurately describes them. One of the largest gaps was the perception of
being "at peace," a description less frequently embraced by no-faith
adults (67% versus 90%).
Nevertheless, there were a number of areas of commonality between the
two audiences. The two groups were equally as likely to think of
themselves as good citizens, as placing their family first, as being
loyal and reliable individuals, as preferring to be in control, and as
being leaders. Each group admitted to experiencing personal difficulties
with similar frequency, including being in serious debt (11% versus
10%), dealing with a personal addiction (13% versus 12%), and trying to
find a few good friends (41% versus 40%). Christians admit to being
overweight with greater frequency (26% of no-faith, compared with 41% of
active-faith), while atheists and agnostics are more likely to feel
stressed out (37% versus 26%).
In their interactions with others, the two groups also share common
ground. Both audiences were equally likely to say they have discussed
political, moral, and spiritual issues with others in the last month. In
addition, about one-fifth of both active-faith and no-faith adults said
they often try to persuade other people to change their views.
Perspective on the Findings
David Kinnaman, the president of The Barna Group, directed the study of
the lifestyles and habits of no-faith adults in America, and pointed out
some of the implications of the research. "Neither the 20 million
no-faith adults nor the 58 million active-faith Christians are as
internally consistent as those who write and speak on behalf of their
groups make them out to be. Proponents of secularism suggest that
rejecting faith is a simple and intelligent response to what we know
today. Yet, most of the Americans who overtly reject faith harbor doubts
about whether they are correct in doing so. Many of the most ardent
critics of Christianity claim that compassion and generosity do not
hinge on faith; yet those who divorce themselves from spiritual
commitment are significantly less likely to help others.
"Ironically, however, both atheists and committed Christians share one
unusual area of common ground: concern about superficial, inert forms of
Christianity in America. There are nearly 130 million American adults
who describe themselves as Christians, but who are Christian in name
only; their behavior includes little related to experiencing and
expressing their alleged faith in Christ."
Kinnaman addresses some of the realities of increasing hostility toward
Christians in a new book that examines Mosaics and Busters, releasing in
the fall of 2007, called unChristian: What a New Generation Really
Thinks About Christianity...And Why It Matters. "It is important for
Christians to understand the environment and the perspectives of people
who are different from them, especially among young generations whose
culture is moving rapidly away from Christianity. Believers have the
options of ignoring, rejecting or dealing with the aggressiveness of
atheists and those hostile to the Christian faith. By their own
admission, Christians have difficulty handling change, admitting when
they are uncertain of something, and responding effectively to divergent
perspectives. These characteristics make the new challenges facing
Christianity even more daunting."