What Is A Purpose-Driven Life to Americans?

Results of a Barna Survey

Family First

More than four out of every ten adults – 44% – said their top priority in life is having a satisfying family life. This was nearly three times as popular as the second-most common response and more than four times as prolific as the third-most popular reply.

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Faith Foremost

The second-most common life priority, listed by 18% of all adults, was that of understanding and carrying out the principles of their faith. Again, women were more likely than men to list this emphasis (22% versus 14%). Adults in the 40 to 70 age group were much more likely than younger adults to prioritize faith (21% versus 14%). Not surprisingly, residents of southern states were more likely to list faithful living on top, but residents of the western states were equally likely to do so (19%) while people in the Northeast and Midwest lagged (15% in each region). African-Americans were the ethnic group most prone to prioritizing their faith focus (24%), while Asian-Americans were the least likely (12%).

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Other Interests

The only other priority named by at least one out of every ten adults was having good friends. That commitment characterized the desire of 10% of the public. It was particularly common among people 60 or older (16%), downscale adults (18%), men (13%, versus 7% among women), and single adults (mentioned three times as often as it was among married adults).

Less common priorities included earning a comfortable living (8%), consistently having significant influence on other people’s lives (7%), achieving success (6%), and enjoying leisure experiences (2%). Although respondents mentioned a variety of other options, none of those was listed by at least 2% of the population.

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More detail avaiable at Barna Group http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdateNarrow&BarnaUpdateID=188

Or... looking at this in a different light...

56% of Americans did NOT consider family to be their top priority

82% of Americans did NOT consider religion to be their top priority,

90% didn't consider friends to be their top priority

92% didn't consider earning a comfortable living to be their top priority

etc...

Getting up to their eyeballs in debt before they die.

For me I would have to say my regilion is tide into my importants of family views and how to treat other creatures.Which would be my first then it would be having friends with good set values and honesty. Next I'd say Helping others is very important to me, I may not have a lot of money but there are several ways to help other. Donating clothes and unwanted items I don't use any more, to just being that shoulder to cry on and being a good friend and listener. Comfort in my life is important but I would rather be poor with lots of love and warmth in my family then rich and alone,it seems to me they have to buy their friends.


I know you probablly weren't looking for comments like this but I was complied to write.............