Americans’ views of the “honesty and ethics” of clergy have hit a 32-year low, with just half rating their moral caliber as high or very high, according to Gallup’s annual Honesty and Ethics Ratings of Professions survey.
Wait, that’s a good thing, right? Half the people don’t think Catholic Church clergy are honest or ethical — what’s wrong with that?
Only that half the people do see them as honest and ethical.
Let’s put this in contest:
Some priests raped children. Many churches covered it up for decades. And yet, more people see priests as ethical and moral… than would vote for an atheist in a presidential election.
Did we fail a PR campaign or is there just something wrong with our society? I’m inclined to say the latter.
Or maybe there’s something wrong with us. This finding from the survey is almost as disturbing as the previous one:
Ratings [for priests] dropped year-over-year among Catholics and Protestants, as well as among regular and occasional churchgoers. However, they rose in one category: among those professing “no religion.” Last year, 31% rated clergy honesty high or very high; in 2009, that figure inched up to 34%.
Among the nones, the honesty ratings for clergy rose?!
What. The. Hell.
Would anyone like to offer explanations for this?
(Thanks to Brian for the link)