Half of Americans no longer see traditional sins as wrong

Source: Chris Eyte, "Half of Americans no longer view most traditional sins as wrong, Barna study finds," Christian Daily International, 23 October 2025.

"... most Americans now say that they only consider half of 12 specific behaviors presented to them and traditionally considered sinful, as actually sinful."

"Some behaviors, such as drinking, gambling, and working on the Sabbath, are 'rarely viewed as sinful,' according to the research. Others such as abortion, sexual fantasies, and cheating on taxes split public opinion. Only six of the 12 behaviors were still widely regarded as sinful, mainly those related to speech, sexuality, faith, and drug use."

Source: "Millions of American Christians Deny Their Sinfulness," Cultural Research Center, Arizona Christian University, 4 September 2025.

"More than four out of five adults (84%) agree that there is such a thing as “sin.” The research revealed the population segments that are substantially less likely than the norm to believe in the existence of sin, including members of Gen Z, Asians, members of the LGBTQ community, people with no religious affiliations or who doubt the existence of God, those who do not believe the Bible can be trusted to teach truth, and adults who believe in reincarnation or do not believe in any type of existence after death."

"Only half of all adults (52%) believe that everyone on Earth has sinned. Although the sinfulness of all people is one of the foundations of the Christian faith and the basis of every person’s need to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, just two out of three self-professed Christians (66%) contend that everyone sins. Adults who attend Protestant churches are far more likely than those attending Catholic churches to believe that everyone is a sinner (73% versus 57%, respectively)."