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Monday, August 1, 2011

Fifty-two Percent Approve of God

            You may have already heard about this, but the well-known polling firm Public Policy Polling took a public opinion survey to find out God’s approval rating.  The questions they asked are these: 

--If God exists, do you approve or disapprove of its performance? 
--If God exists, do you approve or disapprove of its handling of natural disasters?
--If God exists, do you approve or disapprove of its handling of animals? 
--If God exists, do you approve or disapprove of its handling of creating the universe?

Before discussing the results, I have to note my amusement at the politically correct way the questions were asked.  Each question was prefaced with “if God exists”; after all, the folks at PPP couldn’t have people thinking they believe God actually does exist.  God was referred to as “it”; can’t have people thinking of God as male or female.  The idea that some of us may not approve of God being referred to as “it” apparently either did not occur to or did not matter to Public Policy Polling.

Anyway, in answer to the first question, God’s overall approval rating comes in at 52%, with 9% disapproving and 40% not sure.  God does best on creating the universe, with an approval/disapproval rating of 71/5.  God does worst on natural disasters, with a rating of 50/13.  Animals fall in-between, at 56/11.

Well, 52% isn’t too bad.  It’s a lot better than rating than the president or congress get, and it’s way ahead of the rating for Rupert Murdoch.  Also, enough people still have enough respect for God that the disapproval rating is very low, meaning God still has a chance to win over a lot of undecideds.

I have to wonder what God’s reaction to a poll like this is.  Is God angry with those who disapprove?  Is God upset at the idea that humans would think they have the right to judge God’s job performance?  Does God just sit there with a sort of bemused smile, the way a parent would if their five year old came up to them and gave them an “approval rating” on their job as parents?

I don’t know obviously, but I suspect it really depends on the spirit with which the questions were asked and the answers were given.  When we look in the Bible, we see lots of times when people questioned or challenged God because they did not understand what God was doing.  God does not seem to mind, as long as the questions were asked honestly and with a spirit of seeking knowledge.  On the other hand, when questions were asked arrogantly, with the idea that the questioner was equal to or superior to God, then God did get angry, and made that clear in no uncertain terms.

I should also note that some of the disapproval may come from people who are hurting, for a variety of reasons.  God understands that, too.  When we’re hurting, we often cannot help but feel what we feel.  When things happen that we don’t understand, it’s okay to be upset with God for a while.  God can handle it.  We just need to make sure that, even in our hurt, we don’t give up on God.

After all, God never gives up on anyone.  God is not just trying to win over the undecideds, God is also trying to convince those who disapprove.  God wants the rest of us to help with over those undecideds and those disapprovers.  That’s why Jesus told us to spread the gospel to all nations.

I suspect God looks at 40% unsure and 9% disapproval as an opportunity.  I think God wants us to look at it that way, too.

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