Disappointing. This book is almost all statistics and percentages and I thought the title was misleading. ( )

Really good in depth statistical analysis of modern surveys about religion, esp Christianity. Should be must reading for anyone who chooses to quote some of the surveys that spread mis-information around. ( )

Bradley Wright. Christians Are Hate-Filled Hypocrites...and Other Lies You've Been Told: A Sociologist Shatters Myths from the Secular and Christian Media. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House, 2010. 180 pp. $14.99.

The dominant thought of the book is "Don't believe every statistic you hear!" Wright opens the book with an example of this provocative headline: "Only prostitutes rank lower than evangelicals in terms of respect in the mind of the public." Bradley Wright is a sociologist who sets out to demonstrate how headlines such as this one mislead the public.

Wright, himself an evangelical Christian, states, "The thesis of this book is that Christians are exposed to many inaccurate statistics about our faith." He points out how Christian research organizations such as The Barna Group, Lifeway Research, Reveal and Open Tomb are partially staffed by employees who are not formally trained in social research. Furthermore, their findings are seldom peer-reviewed for an external quality check (Unedited Galley Proof, 17).

Inaccurate statistics make headlines because such negativity is provocative and creates an audience. For example, plane accidents make the news while plane safety does not. Christian authors and ministers use such negative statistics to "prove" their book, sermon or seminar is relevant and helpful in solving the specific problem addressed. Such men and women willingly accept the statistic without verifying the truthfulness of such statements.

In the chapter "Is American Christianity on the Brink of Extinction?" Wright charts the 2008 Pew U.S. Religious Landscape Survey. In it, the survery shows which religious groups Americans associate themselves with: Evangelical Christian (26%); Mainline Protestant (18%); Catholic (24%); Unaffiliated (16%). Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddhists and Hindus make up less than 5% combined. The author is careful to point out how unaffiliated does not mean atheist, as the majority, 56%, believe in God while another 14% are agnostic.

In this chapter as in others, we find our kids and marriages are not as bad as some would have us believe. This is encouraging news that should be shared within our churches! The media is discouraging enough. Why must our churches be so negative as well? As a preaching minister I found this book's analysis fascinating. I believe seminarians, professors and even elders will benefit from reading this volume. The multiple charts and graphs will undoubtedly scare some away from reading the book, but the content is not complex. Christians will benefit from Wright's insightful read, especially George Barna fans! ( )

For a book filled with sociological data, statistics, and charts on nearly every other page, I found this book to be surprisingly engrossing. To be sure, this book is by no means an easy read, and requires a certain amount of intellect to understand the plethora of data that Wright provides on every conceivable topic related to the image of Christianity - whether it be from the perspective of Christians or non-Christians.
Wright also uses the book to teach the reader not only the correct data about many of the misconceptions of the image of Christianity, but also how to respond to the blind faith that many have when quoting others' seemingly statistically-based beliefs. He gives examples of this in conversation and how to enlighten others all throughout the book. He describes how many people, when addressing topics in Christianity, will use embellished or misinterpreted statistics to draw attention to themselves as an author or preacher just like the fear-mongering of the news on television or newspaper. He also discusses how the power of personal prejudices and stereotypes can override the blatant evidence to the contrary for many people.
Without getting into all of the detailed statistical findings that Wright reveals, I can easily say that most claims about the image of Christianity are exaggerated or completely false. But don't take my word for it - read it for yourself. ( )

Through careful research and much re-interpretation of faulty explanations of existing research, sociologist Bradley Wright paints a new picture of Christianity in America that will be a great encouragement to believers. His work refutes much of the doomsday scenarios carelessly spouted out by Christian authors, pastors and speakers.

As an example, just the other day, a friend of mine tweeted:

Today, fewer than 20% of Americans attend church regularly and only 22% have a positive view of church. #Exponentialbook

This is a fantastic example. In reality, only about 40% of people have a negative opinion of evangelical Christians today. However, it all depends on how someone defines “evangelical” because that is the term used in most of the survey questions asked. For example, according to the 2008 Gallup Poll, less than 12% of the respondents had negative feelings toward Methodists, Jews, Baptists, or Catholics.

Wright points out that much of the research used to say that people have a faulty view of Christians is spurious and unreliable. In addition, Wright deals with topics ranging from the divorce rate in the church to whether the church losing its young people.

You’ll be pleasantly surprised as I was to learn that good interpretation of these studies reveals that the church in America is in much better shape than we’ve been led to believe. The conclusion of the Wright’s book urges us to think critically again and not to believe stats, polls and “research” – especially when our intuition tells us that this may not be accurate.

He points out that bad news sells. It sells newspapers, it boosts media ratings, and unfortunately, it also sells Christian books and helps advance speakers. Sensational statistics have been used to urge pastors and Christian leaders to buy books which advocate “solutions” when in actuality, the entire thesis seems to be one of promoting fear and worry.

Of particular concern to me were Wright’s findings about some organizations that many Christian organizations depend upon for research (and quote often) – the Barna Research Group and Lifeway Research being two. I’d encourage you to check out Wright’s blog and keep up with his material for another perspective.

In conclusion, I predict that 90% of people who read this entry will think twice about reading another statistic. Like I said, 90% of people who read this entry will think twice about reading another statistic. ( )