A Key Opening Question
April 16, 2009

While flying from Chicago to Portland last month I asked the young man next to me if he was coming home. The question seemed reasonable since he was dressed in camo military fatigues. "I'm heading home from Afghanistan," he said. Before the wheels of the jet had lifted off the tarmac we were talking about God. Turns out Scott had all sorts of questions.

If you're like me then you may get a bit nervous when you think of bringing God up in a conversation--yes, I still get nervous. A friend recently shared with me the best opening question I've ever heard. I'll get to that in a minute. First, I'd like assure you men, women, and children are interested in God. In fact, in the United States most even believe in the resurrection of Jesus. I know, I know, they may not understand who Jesus really is, but they do believe he was raised from the dead.

Some Recent Spiritual Stats
Just last Saturday the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 88% of adults nationwide think the person known to history as Jesus Christ actually walked the earth 2,000 years ago. That's up five points from a year ago and 7% are not sure.

Eighty-two percent (82%) also believe that Jesus Christ was the son of God who came to Earth and died for our sins. Another 10% think otherwise and 8% aren't sure. Nearly as many, 79% believe the central claim of the Christian faith--that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Only 10% say they do not believe the first Easter resurrection really happened, while 11% are not sure.

Overall, women tend to be stronger believers in Jesus Christ than men. Eighty-seven (87%) of women and 70% of men believe Jesus rose from the dead; 89% of women and 74% of men think he was the son of God; 91% of women and 85% of men believe he actually walked the earth.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of Catholics believe Jesus rose from the dead along with 86% of Protestants and 97% of Evangelical Christians. Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Catholics also think Jesus was the son of God. That view is shared by 90% of Protestants and 97% of Evangelical Christians. Finally, 87% of Catholics, 95% of Protestants and all Evangelical Christians surveyed believe that Jesus Christ walked the earth.

Among those who rarely or never attend church, 50% believe Jesus rose from the dead, 58% think he was the son of God and 72% say he walked the Earth. While most adults are believers in Jesus Christ, just over half (56%) of adults say they will attend a church service to celebrate Jesus' resurrection. Thirty-five percent (35%) have no intention of going to a service, while 9% are not sure if they will attend a service or not. A separate Rasmussen Reports survey found that 53% consider Easter to be one of the nation's most important holidays.