FAITH
Percentage of women who attended a religious service in the past week: 46
Percentage of men: 38
(Gallup Poll, cited in Christianity Today, 2/6/95.)
Percentage of Americans who believe God hears their prayers and has the power to answer them: 86
(Barna Associates, cited in National & International Religion Report, 3/6/95.)
YOUTH
Percentage of high school seniors who say they’ve tried illegal drugs: 45
(Rolling Stone, 1/26/95.)
Percentage of graduating high school seniors who said their generation will be remembered for advancements in technology: 20
For diversity/open-mindedness: 16
For social concerns: 14
(Yankelovich Partners for the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, cited in USA Today, 6/8/95.)
Percentage jump in murder rate of young men 15 to 19 years old from 1985 to 1991: 154
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cited in The New York Times, 10/14/95.)
HEALTH
Number of years until there may be no cases of polio or measles in the world: 10
(UNICEF’s “The Progress of Nations, 1995,” cited in USA Today, 6/8/95.)
Percentage of overweight American children a decade ago: 24
Today: 31
(Princeton Survey Research Associates, Inc., USA Today, 10/27/94.)
ABORTION
Estimated percentage of abortions in America for unwanted or unplanned pregnancies (and not due to rape, incest, or medical considerations): 95
Percentage of obstetricians who do not believe abortion should be available as a form of birth control for unplanned pregnancies: 52
(A poll of 36,000 U.S. obstetricians by the independent PPS Marketing Group, cited in Physician, 3-4/95.)
DEATH
The chances you will eventually die in a car crash: 1 in 125
Develop a brain tumor: 1 in 25,000
Die in a fire this year: 1 in 4,000,000
Win a state lottery jackpot: 1 in 4,000,000
(What the Odds Are (HarperPerennial, 1992) by Les Krantz, cited in Context, 2/1/95.)
Percentage of U.S. deaths handled by cremation: 20
(Cremation Association of North America, in American Demographics, 5/95.)
MEDIA
Percentage of people who think Hollywood, television, and the music industry are too full of sex and violence: 75
(USA Today, 6/6/95.)
Percentage of entertainment industry decision-makers who describe their political leanings as liberal: 52
As moderate: 31
As conservative:16
(U.S. News & World Report/UCLA survey, cited in USA Today, 6/6/95.)
Percentage of 35- to 64-year-olds who say it is “very or somewhat important” that movies they see reflect their moral and ethical values: 69
Of those 18-35: about 58
(Gallup Poll, cited in USA Today, 6/5/95.)
BIBLE
Percentage of the world’s population with at least portions of the Bible in their language: 97
(The Atlantic Monthly, 6/95.)
Percentage of Americans who own at least five Bibles: 27
(Harper’s, 9/95)
GOSSIP
Percent of adults who say their privacy is violated by gossiping neighbors: 29
(National Opinion Research Center, cited in American Demographics.)
Copyright (c) 1995 Christianity Today, Inc./LEADERSHIP Journal
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Copyright © 1995 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal. Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.
