U.S. View of God

An article in yesterday’s USA Today contains results of a religion survey. The finding they found most findworthy? 91.8% of those surveyed say they believe in God, a higher power, or a cosmic force, but they had four distinct views of God’s personality and engagement in human affairs: Authoritarian, Benevolent, Critical or Distant.

• The Authoritarian God (31.4% of Americans overall, 43.3% in the South) is angry at humanity’s sins and engaged in every creature’s life and world affairs. He is ready to throw the thunderbolt of judgment down on “the unfaithful or ungodly,” Bader says.

Those who envision God this way “are religiously and politically conservative people, more often black Protestants and white evangelicals,” Bader says.

“(They) want an active, Christian-values-based government with federal funding for faith-based social services and prayer in the schools.”

They’re also the most inclined to say God favors the USA in world affairs (32.1% vs. 18.6% overall).

•The Benevolent God (23% overall, 28.7% in the Midwest) still sets absolute standards for mankind in the Bible. More than half (54.8%) want the government to advocate Christian values.

But this group, which draws more from mainline Protestants, Catholics and Jews, sees primarily a forgiving God, more like the father who embraces his repentant prodigal son in the Bible, Froese says.

They’re inclined (68.1%) to say caring for the sick and needy ranks highest on the list of what it means to be a good person.

This is the group in which the Rev. Jeremy Johnston, executive pastor and communications director for his father’s 5,000-member Southern Baptist congregation in Overland Park, Kan., places himself.

“God is in control of everything. He’s grieved by the sin of the world, by any created person who doesn’t follow him. But I see (a) God … who loves us, who sees us for who we really are. We serve a God of the second, third, fourth and fifth chance,” Johnston says.

•The Critical God (16% overall, 21.3% in the East) has his judgmental eye on the world, but he’s not going to intervene, either to punish or to comfort.

“This group is more paradoxical,” Bader says. “They have very traditional beliefs, picturing God as the classic bearded old man on high. Yet they’re less inclined to go to church or affiliate seriously with religious groups. They are less inclined to see God as active in the world. Their politics are definitely not liberal, but they’re not quite conservative, either.”

Those who picture a critical God are significantly less likely to draw absolute moral lines on hot-button issues such as abortion, gay marriage or embryonic stem cell research.

For example, 57% overall say gay marriage is always wrong compared with 80.6% for those who see an authoritarian God, and 65.8% for those who see God as benevolent. For those who believe in a critical God, it was 54.7%.

•The Distant God (24.4% overall, 30.3% in the West) is “no bearded old man in the sky raining down his opinions on us,” Bader says. Followers of this God see a cosmic force that launched the world, then left it spinning on its own.

This has strongest appeal for Catholics, mainline Protestants and Jews. It’s also strong among “moral relativists,” those least likely to say any moral choice is always wrong, and among those who don’t attend church, Bader says.

Only 3.8% of this group say embryonic stem cell research is always wrong, compared with 38.5% of those who see an authoritarian God, 22.7% for those who see God as benevolent and 13.2% who see God as critical but disengaged.

Where do Mormons fit? I see some of our views of God in all of those descriptions, though especially Authoritative and Benevolent. I think the average, active Mormon in Gospel Doctrine class tends see God more as the Authoritarian God, though the Church seems to be moving more towards a Benevolent God view. I don’t see us leaving behind either view, however.

edit: Get the actual report here.

18 thoughts on “U.S. View of God

  1. I meant to add (though forgot, so a comment will work as well as an edit) that, though I see what is taught in GD class as more Authoritarian, the Bloggernacle folks seem to lean more towards the Benevolent end.

  2. While I think Mormon belief encompasses a hybrid of the Authoritarian and Benevolent God, Mormon politics is overwhelmingly like the Authoritarian, “want[ing] an active, Christian-values-based government with federal funding for faith-based social services and prayer in the schools.”

  3. While I agree that the Benevolent view is a more accurate description than the Authoritarian, I do not think they are properly disjoint, generally speaking. In general, it is impossible for God to be benevolent unless he punishes evil doers, because his retribution against the latter is always ultimately in the interest of mercy, either in favor of ending the suffering of the innocent, or in terms of the long term salvation of the evil doers themselves.

    Salvation on the all mercy, no justice plan would be roughly equivalent to a government with no judges, no military, and no police power. That might work if everyone were angels, but I think it is a little impractical at this stage.

  4. Tanya,

    If He turns out to be Authoritarian, Distant, or Critical, would you really want to live with Him for the eternities? If in the end He isn’t the Stephen Robinson type (Benevolent) I might be interested in the terrestrial kingdom or the ministering angel gig.

    A bit flippant, I know but seriously I think He really has to be a loving Father who knows most people are doing the very best they can, but expects improvement.

  5. Pemble, when I made my post, I was thinking exactly of Stephen Robinson as the one who is near the lead of the shift in perception (as I see it, though I’m not sure others agree with my belief that there is a shift, that we’ve always been there). The popularity of Believing Christ seems to be leading mainstream Mormonism toward the Benevolent God.

  6. Tanya,

    These seem to be getting out of order again but thank-you for your post. The “diving board” and “bicycle” stories by Robinson seemed to have offered hope or at least a nudge in the direction the Church members have needed to head.

    While there are individual church leaders (local and general) who might approach things hard line from time to time, there is deference to the atonement and thus benevolence by I would hope a majority of the others.

    It does seem in the world at large, that “type” of God seems to go hand in hand with how much power or influence (not used by accident) one expects to exert over his or her congregation or constituency. Interviews with some of those who have left Colorado City, paint a picture of Warren Jeffs as a tyrant who made decisions out of a need for power, and not out of love and concern for his followers. For example one of the so called “Lost Boys” indicated that if anyone leaves the city its a one way ticket to hell.

    Then there is Osama with the promise of virgins if you kill others of God’s children. Personally I like the slant that the hijackers actually meet George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other “Virginians” and are a bit confused at their treatment, as that old joke is told. But God would have to be considered anything but benevolent in those caves in Pakistan.

    My question is, do we cross the line in our Church when we attempt to shame or guilt another member to do our bidding; either to look better in the eyes of superiors or for better statistical performance? Do we act in an authoritarian way while claiming to represent a benevolent God?

  7. Good question Pemble, I believe in a Benevolent God. In fact I think the word Benevolent is inadequate to describe the great mercy and love of God that I have experienced. I think that any authoritarian idea of God that we see is from us. Perhaps at times we project our own feelings, and our own since of Justice onto God. I think we do cross the line as you suggest in you post #10. But our God forgives us for such imperfections and continues to teach us through the Spirit. The challenge to me is how do we as LDS do we project God unto others? How do we demonstrate His benevolence that he has to the world? Does our personal “since of justice” or “fairness” get in the way at times in showing His love to the world? Do we have to have a satisfaction of justice ourselves before we can forgive others or to allow the repentance process be completed? I think our representation Of God is one of our most sacred responsibilities to the world.

  8. Adam,

    You make a very good point. In the end, we simply need to forgive those who may for whatever reason push their own agenda in pursuit of who knows what and realize that as they progress, we need to grant them the right, that we trust God to grant us; the right to repent and improve.

    Further, that tolerance so needed in the world, would do wonders in projecting who we really believe God to be, as you have so aptly stated.

  9. Adam,

    The out of order deal has put my response to you up at number 1 (should have been #15). Gee, I haven’t felt like I was number 1 all day! What a bonus!

  10. Agreed that Robinson is largely responsible for a subtle shift towards the Benevolent god. But I would point out that that means it’s not coming from GA’s, although they too have gotten somewhat softer.

    In any case, I think it’s very much both A and B; I don’t believe the descriptions of the two are in any way contradictory.

  11. I converted to the church thinking God was a benevolent caring involved divine parent. That was 20+ years ago. After getting sealed, serving at many levels in the church, having 4 childrenm 3 of whom I have baptized – I have decided he is a distant God if at all.

    When I joined the church my earth dad, told me “All your faith and 25 cents will buy you a cup of coffee”. I considered him overly cynical – even though he had been raised Methodist but after spending some time in some really bad Prisoner of War camps and being tortured himself, he grew cynical of Gods role if any in mans life, since God never seemed to eager to answer prayers. Now I realize him comment is false because I could not buy a cup of coffee for less than a buck and a half, and because I am Mormon I cannot even drink coffee. That was a joke in case you missed it

    Anyway, 20+ years later I realize he was correct. I have seen people die, never seen them come back. Next month marks the 23 anniversary of joining the church and I will give myself the gift of freedom as I have already discussed it with my wife and kids to make sure they understand my new choice and direction in life. I wish I had bought my coffee when it was only a quarter – ahhhh, he who hesitates

  12. Clamdom,

    Is it okay to ask which new direction you are headed and based on Tanya’s post, what type of God you hope to find? If not, simply best of luck.

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