God and Guns? Evangelicals Shatter ‘Conservative’ Stereotype With This Shocking Stat

DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 19: Second Amendment supporter and gun enthusiast Derek Ringley displays an unloaded pistol that was being sold in an impromptu auction across the street from a gun buy back program at the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas on January 19, 2013 in Dallas, Texas. U.S. President Barack Obama recently unveiled a package of gun control proposals that include universal background checks and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 19: Second Amendment supporter and gun enthusiast Derek Ringley displays an unloaded pistol that was being sold in an impromptu auction across the street from a gun buy back program at the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas on January 19, 2013 in Dallas, Texas. U.S. President Barack Obama recently unveiled a package of gun control proposals that include universal background checks and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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Editor

The vast majority of evangelicals are both fiscal and social conservatives, but there’s one indicator that shows the key cohort defying stereotypes on at least one measure: gun ownership.

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Overall, 69 percent of evangelicals are conservative on fiscal matters and 79 percent said the same when it comes to social issues; they make up 6 percent of the overall U.S. population, according to a recent Barna Group report.

But here’s where things diverge quite a bit. With so much focus on the Second Amendment among political conservatives, the majority of evangelicals — 69 percent — don’t own a gun. It’s the key area where they diverge from other conservative ideals.

Barna Group

The Barna Group gave a snapshot of how evangelicals think on a variety of other issues: 18 percent said they are environmentalists, 18 percent supported Black Lives Matter, 4 percent were LGBT rights activists and 9 percent said they were willing to engage in civil disobedience when polling was conducted back in November.

Meanwhile, 84 percent of evangelicals saw themselves as pro-life advocates, 69 percent were unhappy with America’s current state and 50 percent supported the Tea Party movement.

The gun figure — at least on a stereotypical level — seems to defy all of these other ideals and stances, with just 30 percent of evangelicals reporting that they own a firearm.

Evangelicals’ conservative and political stances clearly take root in their theological perspectives, as 70 percent said they are theologically conservative. There was also a widespread belief among 86 percent of evangelicals that absolute moral truth exists, with 98 percent of evangelicals supporting traditional moral values.

Barna defines evangelicals as Americans who believe in biblical accuracy, see Satan as a living being, believe Jesus never sinned, see a responsibility to share their faith with others, and see God as the all-powerful, all-knowing creator of the universe.

 

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