Congress remains overwhelmingly Christian as U.S. shifts: survey
Source: Reuters
By Ian Simpson | WASHINGTON
The U.S. Congress taking office on Tuesday remains almost as overwhelmingly Christian as it was in the 1960s even while the share of American adults who call themselves Christians has dropped, according to Pew Research Center analysis.
A report from the nonpartisan group said that 91 percent of lawmakers in the Republican-dominated 115th Congress described themselves as Christians, down slightly from 95 percent in the 87th Congress in 1961 and 1962, the earliest years for comparable data.
By contrast, the portion of American adults who call themselves Christian fell to 71 percent in 2014, the Pew report said. While Pew did not have numbers for the early 1960s, a Gallup survey from that time found that 93 percent of Americans described themselves as Christian.
"The most interesting thing is how little Congress has changed over the past several decades, especially in comparison with the general public," Aleksandra Sandstrom, the report's lead author, said in a telephone interview.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-religion-idUSKBN14N1PE
tenorly
(2,037 posts)Because as far as GOP congresscritters go, this is their true religion:
barbtries
(28,770 posts)it would be so much more accurate to say "CLAIM to be christian." I mean, come on. if ever there was a faithless bunch of assholes ...
spooky3
(34,407 posts)Non-Christian people are spread across many geographical areas and even if they voted as a bloc they would be outvoted by others.
lancelyons
(988 posts)I have no problem with Congress being christian.
You probably wouldn't think the same way if Congress started becoming more Muslim or Jewish or atheist. Let's face it, the Cons want a theocracy as long as it's Christian.
keithbvadu2
(36,669 posts)Political Christians rather than Christians of faith.
Many 'Christians' would like to see America run by Christianity but would be sorely disappointed if it was not their version of Christianity in charge.
Many Protestants/Catholics feel that the other is not a true Christian.
Ireland's history is a good example of such.
keithbvadu2
(36,669 posts)Donald Trumps upcoming inauguration will include Paula White and possibly other members of his inner circle, Darrell Scott, Apostle Wayne T. Jackson and Mark Burns. Theyre all televangelists who hail from the prosperity gospel camp. They advocate a brand of Pentecostal Christianity known as Word of Faith.
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Like her mentor, T. D. Jakes, White adheres closely to the Word of Faith teachings. Besides throwing out doctrines like the Trinity and confusing ourselves with God, the movement teaches that Jesus went to the cross not to bring forgiveness of our sins but to get us out of financial debt, not to reconcile us to God but to give us the power to claim our prosperity, not to remove the curse of death, injustice and bondage to ourselves but to give us our best life now. White says emphatically that Jesus is not the only begotten Son of God, just the first. Were all divine and have the power to speak worlds into existence.