George Barna, the Christian pollster, says that optimism among Conservatives (mostly Christians) in America is limited in spite of potential four to eight years of good news on the political horizon.
Barna says that their SAGE Cons poll of 15 aspects of American society found only one issue that a majority of Christians have a positive view about, and that by only one percentage point. That one aspect was the “accessibility of financial opportunities to all people.”
“In particular, they look at things like people’s spiritual commitment, they look at the integrity of government officials, they look at the national respect for traditional values and the moral condition of the country – and there’s huge dissatisfaction,” Barna says.
Only 44 percent of SAGE Cons have a positive view of religious freedom in America. Only one third are satisfied with the fairness of the nation’s court system. Only 28 percent approve of the Christian commitment of Americans.
And at the bottom of the list, are the values taught in public schools and the honesty and integrity of mainstream media. They scored single digits.
Barna says the current “window of opportunity” to change some things on the cultural front may be missed if Christians move into their shell and isolate themselves from the Battle.
“When you have almost no trust in your core institutions, when you’re not sure that there are many other people out there who are willing to fight the battle, the tendency is to move into your shell and to isolate yourself from the battle,” he said. That would be “a huge mistake” for Christians to do that, he adds. “It would be a big loss – not just for the church and for biblical values – it would be a big loss for the country.”
The problem is that politically minded Christians aren’t likely to bring the nation back to center with a proper respect for religious liberty for example. While Christians can offer many good things to American society, they are predicted to go to the opposite extreme and disrespect the rights of minority religious groups, like Sabbatarians, for instance, in their pursuit of righting the culture.
“In the last conflict the Sabbath will be the special point of controversy throughout all Christendom. Secular rulers and religious leaders will unite to enforce the observance of the Sunday; and as milder measures fail, the most oppressive laws will be enacted. It will be urged that the few who stand in opposition to an institution of the church and a law of the land ought not to be tolerated, and a decree will finally be issued denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment, and giving the people liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death. Romanism in the Old World, and apostate Protestantism in the New, will pursue a similar course toward those who honor the divine precepts.” Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, Pages 444, 445