Being religious is like saying you are warm...

Gallup released a new set of data this morning that you can find here. It shows the state of the US and each of the individual states in regard to their religious affiliation and emphasis. It is pretty brand new data, but there are some real interesting things to take from the study though.

• 4 of the 5 least religious states are New England States.
• My state, Massachusetts is tied for the 3rd least religious state. (One would have think that if some Catholics were pushed about their "practice" of faith, whether this number would fall or not. However, if Baptists in Oklahoma and Texas were pushed about their faith as well, those numbers might also fall.)
• When looking at the religious "pockets" in the US, New England is by far the least religious and largest pocket.

So what does all this mean? Well, I initially would like to say that I am really encouraged and have a different spin on what I see. One could look at this and say what a tragedy that New England is not religious. However, I think being described as religious is a lot like being described as being warm. If you are warm because you are snuggled on the couch in your favorite blanket, great. If you are warm because you have been set on fire, not so great.

Just like we have to find out what it means to be warm, we must find out what it means to be religious. Does it mean that people go to church more often? Does it mean that people pray and meet the needs of their neighbors? Does it mean they voted for the clean cut worship leader on American Idol and not the Glam rock gay guy?

What does it mean? Will this info simply continue to create a gap between these parts of America that Fox News and CNN love to widen? Will the religious look in judgment at the crazy liberals and pray like the Pharisee in Luke 18 in thanks that we are not like them?

I hope not. I hope it means that there is genuine faith in Jesus and lives lived for the gospel in these most religious parts. I also hope that the honesty of New England is seen as a confession of where we are and a realization of what God can do here. In fact, I have so much hope that God is working in this, I have wagered my life on it.