Most Trusted Christian Spokesperson - Falwell and Robinson in top ten (Earth, contradiction)

[Bright-ness' Shadow]

Complete survey report at Barna

The 614 Senior Pastors interviewed were asked to identify up to three individuals whom they believe have the greatest influence on churches and church leaders in the U.S. Pastors named more than 300 different individuals, but only 10 of those leaders were listed by 4% or more of the clergy.

Most Trusted Spokesperson

Billy Graham also led the pack as the most trusted spokesperson for Christianity, garnering the support of six out of ten pastors (58%). James Dobson was a distant second, with 20% naming him, followed by the 14% who identified Rick Warren. T.D. Jakes placed fourth (7%), followed by veteran pastors Charles Swindoll and Jerry Falwell, each at 6%; and by Bill Hybels and author and prison ministry pioneer Charles Colson (5%). Pastor D. James Kennedy, President Bush, broadcaster Pat Robertson, and author Max Lucado rounded out the top ten individuals, each mentioned by 4% of the clergy.

Although evangelical Christians are only 7% of the nation’s adult population[Ed. pah - an interesting figure], evangelical leaders were three out of every five names (59%) listed by pastors as the greatest influence on churches. In contrast, only 6% of the top influencers were associated with mainline Protestant denominations and 5% were Catholic.

[Sunstone]

James Dobson? Jerry Falwell? Pat Robertson? Trusted? This is scary stuff.

[Jaymes]

Yea, I trust them, too... to provide twisted information and condemn people they don't agree with.

[LittleNipper]

Originally Posted by Jensa

Yea, I trust them, too... to provide twisted information and condemn people they don't agree with.

And you do not?

Actually, I find the statistics they provide and the general news they publish to be very honest and very conservative----unlike the national new media----which will only publish what some people want to see and hear.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by LittleNipper

Actually, I find the statistics they provide and the general news they publish to be very honest and very conservative----unlike the national new media----which will only publish what some people want to see and hear.

(1) "very honest and very conservative" are almost contradictions in terms these days. Maybe a few years ago, it could be said with a straight face that true conservatives were a bit more honest than many others in our society, but nowadays that simply is not the case. Now that conservatives have come to power, they are rapidly becoming vile and corrupt.


(2) Almost all media is driven by publishing what its audience wants to see and hear, not just liberal media outlets. Being aware of this fact, and of its implications, is just commonsense nowadays. If you are not aware of this fact, and of its implications, you are unprepared to cope with the post modern world.

Honestly, I don't know just how naive someone would have to be to think that a major media outlet of either the right or the left was "fair and balanced".

[Lightkeeper]

It would be interesting to give these men, Robinson, Falwell, Graham, Dobson, etc. lie detector tests. I would like to have them asked if they believe in God, in addition to other questions about their beliefs. It would be interesting to ask them if they thought they were God. I think we might get some very interesting results and may have to reassess where we put our trust and our money.

[t3gah]

The problem with a lie detector test is when the person trully believes something beyond what others may consider a lie.

So if they, the persons in pah's article really believe that God is dfirecting them, then the lie detector will show them as telling the truth.

The power of the mind when it's deluded is scary.

Take Jim Jones and his followers. I bet if people had the chance to test them that all of them would come out with all pluses as far as the test is concerned, because afterall they drank the coolaid, didn't they?

Still, Farwell and Robinson are no different than the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses. God will sort all of this out one day.

A true shocker it will be for everyone who thinks they are going to heaven and those who believe that it's their only course in the end when God shows the real 144,000 angelic body to those, the ones that were sure they would be in heaven as they look upwards from the soil of the earth to the sky, and then God says "You were close with your interpretations, but that only counts with that game horse shoes".