Religion in America: How many Gods do we have? [View All]

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This helps explain much, and might help believers understand why atheists react with such skepticism to people's proclamations about "God" and "God's Word".


PDF of full report

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Four Gods live in the American religious pantheon, based on how Americans answered 29 different questions about God’s character and behavior. Analysts at Baylor distilled these answers into four images of God. Which one is closest to your view of God?

AUTHORITARIAN GOD: The Authoritarian God is highly engaged in our daily lives and world affairs. This God keeps a close eye on what we do. The Authoritarian God helps people make decisions and has a hand in the economy and natural disasters.

BENEVOLENT GOD: Believers in the Benevolent God also see God’s hand in our daily lives and world affairs. But they believe God is “mainly a force of positive influence in the world and is less willing to condemn or punish individuals.”

CRITICAL GOD: The Critical God is not actively engaged in our lives. He is a distant observer who doesn’t like the world he sees. Divine reward or punishment will be made in the afterlife.

DISTANT GOD: The Distant God is not engaged and not angry. This God is more of “a cosmic force which set the laws of nature in motion.”

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