According to a recent Barna survey, American Christians have some very non-biblical points of view:

  • 59% think Satan is not a real being, but only a symbol of evil
  • 39% think Jesus sinned
  • 58% think the Holy Spirit is a symbol of God’s power/presence, but not a living entity
  • 41% think the Bible, the Quran, and the Book of Mormon are just different expressions of the same spiritual truths.

While the figures weren’t so bad when isolated specifically to born-again believers, I think this goes to show that just because someone claims to be a Christian, it does not mean they hold to a Christian, Biblical worldview.

Many also hold conflicting points of view.  For example, only 28% reject the idea that evil spirit beings exist and can influence human behavior, and yet 59% reject the existence of Satan.  But Satan is an evil being who can influence human behavior, so why do 31% more people accept the existence of evil spirits than the existence of Satan?  No idea.