Religion and America

Results of the recent survey conducted by the highly regarded Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life are troubling to say the least. Thirty-four hundred respondents demonstrated an achingly dismal acquaintance with religion in general but also a shocking ignorance of even the precepts of their own faith.

Less than 50 percent of Christian respondents could name the four gospels or choose Martin Luther from among three names offered as the inspiration for the Protestant Reformation. Forty-five percent could not identify the incorrect Commandment from a list of four choices.

Forty-five percent of Catholics didn't know a major tenet of Church teachings is that the Communion bread and wine is not a symbol but actually the body and blood of Christ.

On average, respondents got only 16 answers right out of 32 questions. Atheists and agnostics answered the most questions correctly, 21. Jews and Mormons, 20. Protestants, 16 and Catholics and others less than half.

What the faithful know or don't know about their own religion is the business of priests, not mine. But when misinformation impacts social and political discourse it's a concern to everyone.

For instance, 89 percent of respondents -- I'm sure to the great consternation of many of them -- knows the Supreme Court ruled a public school teacher is not permitted to lead a class in prayer.

What 77 and 66 percent respectively don't know, but is equally important to our democracy, is the Court also ruled a teacher is permitted to read from the Bible as an example of literature and conduct a class in comparative world religions.

This kind of misunderstanding plays directly into the hands of those who rail against the courts for their supposedly anti-religion bias and, considering the results from a second Pew survey outlining the influence of conservative clergy in shaping attitudes on social issues, could easily be rectified if it didn't serve a purpose to not do so.

According to that study, 94 and 82 percent respectively of those who oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally and believe abortion should be illegal in all or most cases say their religion and clergy are what most influences their opinions.

Now clearly everyone has the right to believe what they want. And a strong personal faith can't help but inform a person's attitudes, but that's why it's called "faith" and not "fact." It is opinion, no more nor less valid than anyone else's. And it doesn't become any more credible by quoting ancient scriptures or popes, mullahs or evangelists who claim they speak for God.

Given the abysmal results in the first survey, it would appear people of faith should get their own religious houses in order before telling the rest of us how to live.