NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Special) — Many Americans believe religious liberty is on the decline in the country and Christians are increasingly confronted with intolerance, but some also said American Christians complain too much about how they are treated.
That’s according to a survey of 1,005 Americans conducted in September 2021 by LifeWay Research, a division of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville.
Fifty-four percent of those surveyed said religious liberty is down in America, including 24% who strongly agree. Thirty-two percent disagreed and 14% weren’t sure.
Although a similar percentage of males (53%) and females (54%) agreed religious liberty is on the decline, more females said they are not sure. Males (36%) were more likely than females (29%) to say religious liberty is not on the decline in America.
Religious affiliation, worship service attendance, and religious beliefs are some of the factors in a person’s belief about the state of religious liberty. Americans who are more engaged with their faith were among those most likely to believe religious liberty is on the decline in America. Those who are religiously unaffiliated are least likely to agree that it is declining (40%).
Among Christians, those who attend a worship service at least four times a month (64%) were more likely to believe religious liberty is on the decline in America than those who attend less than once a month (53%).
Furthermore, those who hold evangelical beliefs were more likely to say religious liberty is declining than those without evangelical beliefs (74% vs. 48%).
“Freedoms are not limitless,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “As some groups seek more freedom, it often encroaches on another’s freedom. It’s not surprising those who are more religiously active are the ones noticing reductions in religious freedom compared to those who don’t practice religion.”
When asked specifically about how Christians are treated, Americans surveyed said they believe religious tolerance for Christians in America is also headed downward. Fifty-nine percent of Christians said they are increasingly confronted with intolerance in America, including 24% who strongly agreed.
Twenty-four percent disagreed, and 18% said they were not sure. African Americans (68%) and white Americans (59%) were more likely to agree than people of other ethnicities (47%).
Those with more education were more likely to disagree. Americans with a bachelor’s degree (30%) or graduate degree (31%) were more likely to say Christians are not increasingly confronted with intolerance in America today, than those who are high school graduates or less (21%) or with some college (20%).
“Intolerance is about cultural pushback,” McConnell said. “In the American marketplace of ideas, not all systems of thought are welcomed. The majority of all religions notice this pushback against Christians today.”
Again, religious affiliation, worship service attendance, and religious beliefs are factors in a person’s beliefs regarding tolerance levels for Christians in America. Protestants were the most likely to agree that intolerance is increasing (69%), followed by Catholics (59%), people of other religions (53%) and the religiously unaffiliated (41%).
Evangelicals (84%) were more likely to agree than non-evangelicals (52%). Among Christians, those who attend a worship service less than once a month (55%) were least likely to believe Christians are facing increasing levels of intolerance in America.
Thirty-six percent said American Christians complain too much about how they are treated, including 14% who strongly agreed. Forty-nine disagreed, and 15% weren’t sure.
“While people of faith have had real challenges to their religious liberty in recent years in the U.S., it’s easy to become known only for talking about these issues,” McConnell said. “It’s ironic that the very ones people of faith would like to convert are noticing what Christians say about what they’re losing rather than what good they have to offer.”
There were several demographic indicators of whether someone believes Christians complain too much about how they are treated. Males (40%) were more likely than females (32%) to agree. Those who are oldest or have the least education were most likely to say American Christians do not complain too much.
Sixty-four percent of those over age 65 said American Christians do not complain too much. Those who are high school graduates or less (56%) were the most likely to say the same.
When it comes to religious beliefs and practices the religiously unaffiliated, Christians who attend church some, and non-evangelicals are among the most likely to say American Christians complain too much about how they are treated.
Those who are religiously unaffiliated (53%) were more likely to agree than Catholics (34%) and Protestants (27%). Among Christians, those who attend a worship service one to three times a month (44%) were most likely to agree Christians complain too much.
Those with evangelical beliefs (61%) are more likely to disagree than those without evangelical beliefs (45%).
Editor’s note: For more information, view the complete report and visit LifewayResearch.com.
