How Do Canadians Differ from Americans?

A poll titled God and Society in North America polled 3000 Americans and 3000 Canadians in 1996 on the eve of the American presidential election about their political leanings and religious beliefs.

• For Canadians, jobs are the most important national issue; for Americans, it is international affairs. (In Quebec, the level of concern about jobs and the economy was far greater than the rest of Canada and indeed the highest of any region in North America.)
  
• As their number 1 objective, Canadians chose building the economy; Americans opted for promoting the family.
  
• Decided voters in Canada are roughly equally motivated by liking their candidate or party and their dislike of the alternative; most Americans really prefer the candidate they support, and what they think of his opponent has less influence.
  
• Significantly more Americans say they go to church, pray and read the Bible than Canadians.
  
• More than twice as many Americans say religion influences their political thinking.
  

Canadian priorities are:

1. jobs
   
2. economy
   
3. deficit/debt
   
4. health care
   
5. education
   
6. defense/international issues
   
7. crime/violence
   
8. welfare
   
9. drugs
   
10. poverty/poor
    
11. abortion
    

American priorities are:

1. defense/international issues
   
2. crime/violence
   
3. education
   
4. economy
   
5. deficit/debt
   
6. drugs
   
7. health care
   
8. welfare
   
9. jobs
   
10. poverty/poor
    
11. abortion
    

quote:

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When the poll questions focused on desirable national objectives rather than existing issues, the cross-border dissimilarity was striking. In a list touching on the economy, law and order, the environment and morality, one-third of Canadians put the most emphasis on building the economy while roughly the same percentage of Americans selected promoting the family. "It's not that Americans aren't concerned about their economy," Grenville said. "But they've developed an almost morbid fear that the moral side of their society is slipping away and that the whole thing could come apart if they don't pay attention to their morality and values." Respondents in the two nations put much the same emphasis on the need to maintain law and order. But Americans were more than twice as likely to cite the importance of raising moral standards. Rae Corelli, author

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In Canada, most of the mainline Protestants and Catholics vote liberal but in the USA the conservatives get the mainline Protestant vote. Canadians don't much care what a candidate's religious beliefs are, Evangelical Christian, Muslim, or atheist would all get about the same number of votes. In America, the atheist would get only 43% of the votes cast. 41% of Americans said religion is important in their political thinking compared to just 19% of Canadians.

In Canada 22% of the respondents had not religious affiliation or were agnostic/atheist, while 68% claim Christianity. In America 76% of the people claim Christianity while only 13% have no affiliation or are agnostic/atheist. When Americans were asked to name the most important religious leader in their country, seven in 10 Americans had someone in mind, usually Billy Graham. Canadians drew a blank. Three fourths couldn't name anyone and those that did, 6%, usually named the Pope. Three fourths of Americans say they pray weekly but only half the Canadians do. In the American South, (called the Bible Belt) that number is 77% but in British Columbia, that number is just over 38%. More Americans believe that the world will end in the battle of Armageddon between Jesus and the antichrist.

It's just statistics, but there is a work for us to do on both sides of the border to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and his soon return.

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Even so come, Lord Jesus
Linda

Amen.

When my son-in-law was an LE here in NE Mi., he met a young man that had no idea who Jesus is, and had never prayed.

Our christian nation is missing the boat sometimes.

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Is what you're living for worth Christ dying for?

Gerry B.

Linda...You are so right!

I still meet people, including pastors of other denominations who don't know the first thing about SDA's, or, if they do know about them; we are called: "The ones who don't...." and you could fill in the blank there with one of 2 or 3 things.

We definitely have Lots to do!

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"The joy of the Lord will be your strength." (Neh.8:10).

Your brother in Christ

David T. Battler

P.S. A major difference between Americans and Canadians is the fact that Canadians always interject their conversations with: "Eh?"

[This message has been edited by DavidTBattler (edited August 03, 2000).]

I know for a fact that I was told by others that the SDAs were a cult. Everything I read said the same thing except for one book that listed the SDA's as Christian but off the deep end in some of its doctrines.

Daryl
From Campmeeting

Let me tell you about poutine. It's french--oops, fries dripping with cheese. I refuse to try it but it's a classic in the French Canadian North.

By the way, I visited a Baptist Church were there was a book in the lobby that said that Adventists were a cult that believed that there is sin in heaven. Their reasoning? Adventists believe that there is a Heavenly Sanctuary. A Sanctuary is where the problem of sin is dealt with. If there is a Sanctuary in heaven, it stands to reason (according to this book) that there must be sin in heaven.

Didn't the author ever think to look in the book of Hebrews. Maybe he had a blonde moment, eh Gerry? (Look in Suggestion Box for explaination).

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"He Restoreth My Soul"

Pastor Andrew

[This message has been edited by A. Marttinen (edited August 03, 2000).]

Not trying to put a damper on your enthusiasm, but as one of our Camp Meeting Speakers said (Victor Gill), "At the rate we are going in evangelism, we are NOT even keeping up to the birthrate in evangelism.

Folks, what we need, is a "right relationship" with Jesus Christ, so that we can receive the latter rain power. That /this is the ONLY thing that will evangelize the world. Right now, we are "only treading water".

May God wake us up!

Keep "the" faith!
Laurie

[This message has been edited by Laurie Mosher (edited August 06, 2000).]

I think He gave a wakeup call (1844) but, I think we missed it.

Maybe we need to reset our alarms.

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Is what you're living for worth Christ dying for?

Gerry B.

Ever heard of Laodicea? Welcome. But, I think you're right - until we have our personal relationship right with Jesus, He is hampered in using us to His honour and glory to bring others to Himself. Our work must begin at home.

That being off topic, but on topic at the same time, . . .

I want to say that Canadians and Americans differ greatly, many times in ways that you cannot put your finger on it! I went to school at Southern (Tennessee) and found it a bit of a culture shock. Not only was the weather extremely different from Alberta, but the people were as different as night and day also. I think it is in the opinions, prejudices and ways in which they view each other. Courtesy (as a general rule) is lesser, life is slower (at least in the South, here in Manitoba it moves fairly slow too...) Like I said, it's hard to put your finger on it, but I found that living in the states was a large difference than living in Canada. Maybe because their country is older and has more history behind it?

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Sarah Moss
*Prayer Changes Things!*