www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall POLL: Where are people religiously ?

Greetings and Blessings, John,

Yes! I was one of the first who took the POLL!

This POLL really interests me...and I have (in the past) have done detailed research (in this style) and have evaluated those findings and wrote a summary paper of those same findings!

You have done well with this...and I would like to see this developed further...as I had suggested above.

Our Lord's Blessings Always to You!

Theory has already been tested. I'll leave it at that and just stay away from the contention of the board for a while.

Steve

Hi Steve,

I couldn't disagree with you more. I think the moderators here are great, and I think the people here usually show remarkable charity and grace in their discussions. I have been to other forums, where these characteristics are not the case.


Everyone,

But, as for a new poll, I am working on a revision of the one I posted. It would include the corrections and suggestions that people have made plus some extra questions that occurred to me since posting the original.

-- John

sometimes, we go off the deep end at times as far as rhetoric is concerned but I must say coming from a different political perspective from the majority, that the moderators have been very good at giving alternative voices the freedom to present another case and that is a good thing!

Two main results from the poll at 68 votes. (1) Many people here --perhaps 45% --are Westerners looking East. (2) Most people tend to be conservative theologically and morally.


About the first point:

-- 45% are coming to this website in order to learn about Eastern / Byzantine Christianity (41% to learn, 4% "just curious").

This is significant because of high percentage of converts here. Many people at this website have already changed their religion; many others are anticipating changing their religion; and most of them changed to Eastern Christianity from Western Christianity.

For example:

-- 15% reported that they were "other Christians" five years ago; only 3% are "other Christians" today.

-- 35% reported being Roman Catholic five years ago; 28% are Roman Catholic now; only 12% anticipate being Roman Catholic five years from now.

-- The numbers for Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox are correspondingly up. The former "others" and Roman Catholics are, generally, becoming Eastern Christian. Most become Eastern Catholic. However, a smaller but still significant number of people are becoming Eastern Orthodox.

In short, a lot of the people here are Western Christians who became or are thinking of becoming Eastern Christians.

(Interestingly: we don't have much data about people leaving the Eastern Christian Churches. Presumably, people who left Eastern Christianity don't come to this website and don�t, therefore, take this poll. Still, it would be very interesting to know about former Eastern Christians, why they left, and where they went to.)


About the second point:

Also, most people here are conservative theologically and morally .

Theologically, most (over 95%) believe in conservative theology about the Trinity, Jesus Christ, the Church and the Eucharist. However, the respondents are evenly divided about the filioque.

Morally, a smaller but still significant majority (over 75%) have conservative views about abortion and sexual activity. (A small but noteworthy number have moderate moral views on these issues.) However, the majority of respondents (69%) think that divorce is an acceptable necessity when there is no hope for a marriage.


In sum, this website is appealing not only to conservative Eastern Christians; it is also appealing to conservative Western Christians who are looking East.

-- John

Greetings and Blessings, John..

I could not have expressed it any better!

Your analysis was right on the mark!

As I said earlier, I sincerely believe this POLL should appear on the "entire" Forum! Then, at least you would then get an excellent demographic of the entire Byzantine Forum. And, this important information could assist Byzantine and Orthodox parishes as well...showing the trend from the West!

Also, as I understand the word "convert" is usually describing someone converting to another faith of belief! Moving from Roman Catholic to Byzantine/Orthodox Catholic or reverse is not a conversion... as we all have received the "same" Sacraments and are recognized within all Catholic faiths. Also, we (Roman/Byzantine/Orthodox) have the same Church roots from the Apostles and our priests and bishops have a true linage from the beginning. Based on this thought, I cannot use the word "convert." Our only differences would be our "traditions and cultures" not the importance of our valid 7 Sacraments.

May the Lord Always Bless YOU..

In Jesus Christ, Our Lord!

....Ignatius

Just attempted, unsuccessfully, to "vote" in the poll. The problem is that several of the questions are too restrictive and I have an aversion for Procrustean beds.

My religion, for example, is "Greek-Catholic", but that choice in not permitted.

Fr. Serge

Fr. Serge,

You could have selected "other Catholic", perhaps ? It would be interesting to have your input on the rest of the questions. But, I am going to post a longer version of the poll soon, so you can wait till I post that. Either way, I hope you aren't too disappointed to participate, and I thank you for giving it a try.

-- John

Joe,

Aside from the use of the word "Byzantine" (which I understand I used too broadly), what other improvements would you suggest ? I am preparing a revised and longer version of the poll, and I would like to know your comments.

-- John

Greetings and Blessings, John

It is interesting that you are doing another POLL, but with more detailed questions....

Are you going to announce this new POLL on all the Byzantine Forum main topic threads?

Everyone on the Byzantine Forum should take part with this to make it a "true" demographic representation...I truly hope you think of this, as it would have much more meaning.

God Love YOU for your ministry!

In Jesus Our Lord,

Blessings...

...Ignatius

IgnatiusB,

Thank you for your kind sentiments.

I'll post the new poll as a new thread under this sub-forum ("Town Hall"). That is because cross-posting isd not allowed at this forum.

The new poll will ask for more demographic information (to get a sense of who we are), more questions to measure praxis and moral opinion and theological opinion, and a few more questions about Eastern Catholicism.

If you or anyone else has suggestions for the new poll, please let me know. I have taken into consideration the suggestions that have already been posted, by pm or in public. Thanks to all who have responded.

Be well,

-- John

Just a note on this post John-



I'd generally agree with this, in terms of political orientation. However, not everyone here is either republican or an ardent fan of the "conservative movement", although many (I'd say the majority) are from my non-poll impressions.



I don't think it's best to characterize the positions on most of the questions you asked as "liberal" or "conservative". On one's views of the proper stance on abortion, marriage, and sexual activity, in a Catholic (or Orthodox) standard there is really only one view: orthdoxy or heterodoxy.

That most Catholics/Orthodox who follow their Church's teaching on these matters seem "conservative" on this should not be surprising, and may skew one's impression towards a more conservative board than may exist.