While less than half of adults in the U.S. believe in God without a doubt or attend religious services frequently, the majority, almost 80%, say they still pray, a new study from NORC at the University of Chicago shows. The study is based on the 2022 cross-sectional data for the General Social Survey, a biennial, nationally representative survey that NORC has conducted since 1972 to track “societal change and study the growing complexity of American society,” a release from the University of Chicago said.
“The past three years were a period of great trial and change for the United States. Understanding how these times affected Americans’ thoughts, beliefs, and opinions is critical to understanding social change,” René Bautista, director of the GSS and associate director of Methodology & Quantitative Social Sciences at NORC explained in the release.
Of some 2,336 people in the survey who responded to a question asking them to describe what they believe about God, only 49.6% said they believe in God with “no doubts.” Some 16.4% said they “believe in God with doubts,” while another 5.4% said they “believe sometimes.” A 14.4% share said they believe in a “higher power,” while 7.5% said they “don’t know and have no way to find out.” The share of respondents who indicated they “don’t believe” in God followed close behind with 6.8%. A majority of American adults also reported that they never had a born-again experience, which is described in the study as “a turning point in your life when you committed yourself to Christ? Some 61.7% of the 3,451 people who responded to this question said "no," while just 38.3% said yes.
Despite the majority of U.S. adults being doubt-ridden or having no faith in God, just under 80% reported that they still pray from “several times a day” to “less than once a week.” When asked, “About how often do you pray?” 29.6% of some 3,501 respondents said, “several times a day.” Another 19.5% said “once a day,” and 11.8% said “several times a week.” Some 5.4% said “once a week,” 12.9% reported praying “less than once a week,” while 20.9% said they “never” pray at all.
The question then arises on who exactly are these people who reject God and yet still pray praying to? They either like the comfort of praying because it makes them feel better or they are simply doing it because it is something that they are doing because they grew up in a religious family. They want religion without God but ultimately their religion is useless if they continue to reject God. It also shows that many want the trappings of religion and the benefits of prayer in their lives, but they do not want to accept it through God’s way.
Biblical Connection: In Isaiah 1:11-13 God told the people, “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats. “When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.” The Jews wanted to have religion that made them feel better but did not want to have a relationship with God. God instead told them they if they were not willing to come to Him properly, then He did not want their false religion. Similarly, those that pray to God without being willing to have a relationship with Him will also suffer the same consequences.
PRAY: Pray that those who want religion without God will have a true conversion experience and begin a relationship with God.