America's Top Five Sins

We don’t determine what is sin by taking a poll. Nevertheless we preachers are interested in what our listeners say is sin or isn’t sin. It’s a feedback channel on the effectiveness of our preaching to the church … and to the world. We evangelicals might think that the whole notion of sin has gone out the window and the America is going to hell in a hand basket. Yet at least one researcher has tested Americans view of sin and it might be helpful for us preachers to know what Americans say — both the evangelicals and the rest of America.

The #1 sin in America is Adultery. By that I don’t mean adultery is the most common sin — but that adultery is the most commonly agreed upon sin by most people, and not just by church folk. 87% of all Americans believe in the concept of sin, with more listing adultery as any other sin — 81% of them say adultery is sin. 100% of evangelicals believe adultery is sin and 82% of Catholics or other worshippers say adultery is sin. In America when we call adultery sin we are mainstream — even among the unchurched.

The #2 sin in America is Racism. Almost three quarters of Americans (74%) listed racism as sin — the second most commonly listed. More folk over 55 (75%) listed racism as sin than those under 35 (69%) but still there is wide agreement that racism is sin. Southerners were slightly more inclined to say racism was sin than others. Evangelicals roundly condemned racism (96%) and even more listed racism as sin than abortion. In America we can preach forthrightly against racism in the church — calling it sin — and still be mainstream, even in the world.

The #3 sin in America is using Hard Drugs. 56% of Americans consider using hard drug as sin. Older folk (68%) are more inclined than those under 35 (60%) to condemn drugs, but still the vast majority of American consider drug use is sin. In America we can condemn hard drug use as sin and say nothing unpopular, even among unbelievers.

The #4 sin in America is “Not saying anything if a cashier gives you too much change back.” Just two percentage points less than using hard drugs (63%) of Americans believe if a cashier gives you extra change and you say nothing about it you have sinned. Actually, slightly more evangelicals listed this as sin (94%) than listed the sin of using hard drugs (91%). In America we can preach against this “little” sin and be totally mainstream — even among unbelievers.

The #5 sin in America is Having an Abortion. Really. 63% of all Americans think abortion is sin — not just a bad choice, or unwise, but a sin. As we would expect, 94% of evangelicals (74% of Catholics) believe having an abortion is sin. We are succeeding at convincing people that having an abortion is sin — both among those under 35 (56%) and those over 55 (53%). In America we can preach about the personal sin of getting an abortion and not be outside the majority mainstream — even among unbelievers.

Sins #6-#12 show Americans believe in sin. There are two more sins the majority of all Americans agree on: #6: homosexual activity and #7: not reporting income on a tax return. After these top seven sins which the majority agree on condemning, still a large number of Americans condemn sins #8-#12 including pornography, gossip, swearing and premarital sex.

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[by Keith Drury]