Americans’ view of pastors is declining.
According to a recent study by Gallup, only two out of every five Americans say members of the clergy have high ethical standards and are honest people. By comparison, back in the mid ‘80s, nearly 70 percent of the country said pastors had high ethical standards and were honest.
In fact, the study found that Americans rank eight other professions as more trustworthy: judges, day care providers, law enforcement officers, pharmacists, medical doctors, teachers, military officers and, most of all, nurses.
In the study, Gallup explained:
[lborder]Gallup has measured Americans’ views on the honesty and ethics of the clergy 33 times dating back to 1977. Although the overall average positive rating is 55 percent, it has fallen below that level since 2009. This year marks the lowest rating to date, with 42 percent saying the clergy has “very high” or “high” honesty and ethical standards. The historical high of 67 percent occurred in 1985.
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