Cultural and Religious Research Cheat Sheet

For the past week, I’ve blogged quite a bit on statistics and their use. I’ve discussed the misuse of stats, how to discern which stats are good and which are not, and even presented some new research on pastors’ views of the election and the use of stats.

You’ve responded with good questions and robust discussion (especially on my Facebook page). Through it all, I found a common theme in your tweets and comments: Where do I find accurate stats? While I can’t vouch for every research study conducted at every research firm under the sun, there are many trustworthy sources out there. You know their names, and I consider many of their leaders personal friends.

Since many of you use stats (as the research I presented yesterday showed) and want trustworthy ones to use, I thought I would share these stats I compiled for the Exponential Conference held this past April. These are as up-to-date as I could make them. But like any stat, they could be updated and changed. So before you use them, be discerning and verify them from the source listed in parentheses.

WORLD STATISTICS

• World population is over 7 billion people and growing at over 80 million per year (Population Media Center)
• Facebook has 1 billion monthly active users (Facebook)
• If the world were 100 people (100people.org)

• 33 Christians, 22 Muslims, 14 Hindus, 7 Buddhists
• 77 people would have a place to shelter them from the wind and the rain, but 23 would not
• 1 would be dying of starvation, 15 would be undernourished, 21 would be overweight
• 48 would live on less than $2 USD per day
• 87 would have access to safe drinking water, 13 would use unimproved water

UNITED STATES STATISTICS

• 827,609 abortions in 2007 (most recent data) (CDC)
• Finance (endoftheamericandream.com)

• Average household debt in the United States has now reached a level of 136% of average household income
• Over the last decade, the number of Americans without health insurance has risen from about 38 million to about 52 million
• Total U.S. credit card debt is more than 8 times larger o than it was just 30 years ago
• Americans now owe more than $904 billion on student loans, which is a new all-time record high
• 1.5 million Americans filed for bankruptcy in 2010. That represented the fourth yearly increase in bankruptcy filings in a row

• Medication (endoftheamericandream.com)

• 11% of women take antidepressants (highest in the world)
• Children are three times more likely to be prescribed antidepressants than Europe.

• Sexually Transmitted Disease (SimplexLove.com)

• One in five people in the United States has an STD.
• Two-thirds of all STDs occur in people 25 years of age or younger.
• One in four new STD infections occurs in teenagers.

• We’re Number 1! or USA! USA! (endoftheamericandream.com)

• Highest incarceration rate and the largest total prison population
• Highest divorce rate in the world
• Highest teen pregnancy rate
• Most obese
• More school shootings
• Highest child abuse death rate
• Produces more pornography
• Gets more plastic surgery

PEOPLE ARE LOOKING (LifeWay Research)

• 88% of Americans agree “There is more to life than the physical world and society”
• 76% of Americans agree “There is an ultimate purpose and plan for every person’s life”
• 67% of Americans agree “A major priority in my life is finding my deeper purpose”
• 78% of Americans agree “It is important that I pursue a higher purpose and meaning for my life”

PEOPLE ARE BELIEVING (Pew Research Forum)

• 88% of American believe in God or a universal spirit
• 75% of Americans pray at least one a week

PEOPLE ARE WAITING

• 41% of the formerly churched said they would return to the local church if a friend or acquaintance invited them (LifeWay Research)
• 63% of Americans are willing to receive information about a local church from a family member (LifeWay Research)
• 56% are willing to receive it from friend or neighbor (LifeWay Research)