Murphy 1

Trystn Murphy
Ben Henderson
CAS 137H
22 October 2015
Jesus on a Sunday?
As the child of a mother who was raised in the church, I have been going since I
was literally in utero. Every Sunday, my father would knock on my door to let me know
it was my turn to go in the bathroom and get ready. In elementary and middle school,
there was no valid excuse that could get me out of going unless I was gravely ill. It
wasnt until I joined my high schools marching band that competitions trumped church
on Sundays. That being said, when I was younger, my beliefs in Christianity were very
rigid. Jesus was the end all be all, and the most important book in the house was a Bible.
My parents did not believe in homosexuality (the irony), even going as far as to turn off
the radio when I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry came on. My parents would turn off the
radio, not just change the station because it was that serious.
Religion has always been an important part of not only my life, but also in the
structuring of the United States. The Constitution provides freedom of religion, and our
government has revolved heavily around the morals and beliefs of the Christian faith for
over 200 years. In todays culture, however, religion has been placed on the back burner.
After a long week of hard work, weekends are usually for catching up on sleep. Many
parents work excessive hours, leaving family quality time designated for the weekends.
Church services are known to be very early in the morning, which can be daunting to

Murphy 2

many if they arent solid in their faith. ABC News reports that 83% of Americans
consider themselves Christian (Langer). How many out of that percent actually go to
church or follow their commandments? An article from churchleaders.com reports that of
the people who claim to be Christian, only about 17% attend church on a regular basis. If
you look further, church attendance is higher for those who identify as Republicans
versus those who are Democrats or Independent (Shattuck).
It seems that religion in 2015 has become moreif not toolaid back. It doesnt
serve the same purpose it did for the Puritans, African American slaves, or even my
grandparents generation anymore. Looking outside of the United States, religious figures
like the Pope has been watered down to political heads instead of his original purpose,
spreading the word of God. The New York Post reported that there is a rise in Americans
reporting atheism and agnosticism as opposed to a religion (Press). This pull in the
opposite direction has caused a more secular lifestyle to arise. Back in the old days
religion was more orthodox. Christian practices were closely associated with the Bible
and there was seldom exceptions to what was written. Today, there are many exceptions
made so the church can remain positive in the public eye. One of the most controversial
religious issues is gay marriage. Outspoken churches like Westboro Baptist are not
praised for promoting an unwavering faith, they are instead spoken of poorly and made to
look like savages. Before, being unreligious and not attending church was taboo. Now it
seems as if the script has flipped. A chart presented by Pew Research Center shows the
unaffiliated section is what has increased the most from 2007 to 2014 (Americas
Changing Religious Landscape).

Murphy 3

Looking back, my beliefs did not begin to transform until competitions began to
take over my life. By my junior year, my mom would let me cover my co-workers shifts
that were on Sundays. This past summer, I missed a whole two months of church due to
training for my job, a Jewish day camp. These situations would have never occurred
some 8 years before. Being in college, church and religion have been phased out of my
life even more since I have no motivation to go to church. I suppose that says something
about my beliefs to begin with, but these days, there isnt much of a stress on religion in
the media. If anything, it is the opposite. Pop culture promotes sex and drugs as a
gateway to a care free lifestyle and Jesus and his disciples are left in the dust. Music has
glorified breaking the 10 commandments when only a few decades ago, men and women
couldnt kiss on TV or even sleep in the same bed.
Ephesians 5:18 says, Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.
Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (New International Version). Music today glorifies
drugs and alcohol abuse. An article Billboard.com discusses The Weeknds Cant Feel
My Face along with other songs like Tev Los Habits (Stay High) and Lana Del Reys
High at the Beach and how the reference of drug abuse in music is on the rise. This
definitely has an impact on the decline in religious expression. Parents turn on the radio,
oblivious to what it is their children are listening to. Radio edits usually blank out the
curses, but this doesnt mask the underlying themes in the song. Cant Feel My Face
tells a story about cocaine addiction. Habits (Stay High) justifies reliance on drugs with
a heart ache. This is not to say that only gospel/Christian rock should be played, but how
has music taken such a drastic turn? The last time music with such blatant drug abuse was

Murphy 4

this popular was during the counterculture movement in the 60s (Lipshutz). Artists like
Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and the Doors performed festivals like Woodstock and
Altamonte were a place for free spirits and hipped to come together and enjoy good
musicas well as drugs. Since its one of the post popular social mediums, music and the
lyrics they have can a greater affect on a persons subconscious than they believe.
Where better to listen to such music than on the way to work? Busy schedules can
also be a factor in Americas gravitation towards a more secular version of Christianity.
According to Gallup, 92% of Americans over 18 with a full time job work 40 hours or
more a weekthe average being 47 hours a week (Saad). Thats about 9 hours a day at a
job, not including the work taken home! With the low end of that range being a 9-5 job, it
goes without saying that family time is probably not the main event on a given Tuesday
evening. A weeks worth of carpooling to soccer practice, getting up before the sun, and
going to sleep long after it sets takes a toll on the human body. Our natural response is to
sleep. Weekends are for relaxation. Who would want to interrupt their sleep for church?
Not many as mentioned before. Overworked, sleep looks a lot better than loud music and
a Pastor preaching about works from a book written ages ago. As a result, Americas
population of church goers is rapidly decreasing.
Society these days is more preoccupied with what is in the now, than what
happens later on. Putting religion on the back burner leaves room for what Americans
want to do, rather than what the Bible says they should be doing. People consider
themselves Christian, yet they dont know the names of Jesus 12 Disciples or even
simpler, why Noah was instructed to build his arc. The reality is, religion has shifted far

Murphy 5

from what it originally used to be. Fewer Americans follow the practices of Christianity
without several exceptions. Religion isnt supposed to be tailored to fit a lifestyle, rather
the lifestyle should be tailored to fit the religion. Busy schedules can only be a valid
reason not to attend church if you dont leave your house at all. If you can go to the bar to
watch a game, surely you can spend a bit of quality time with God. Secular religion is a
slippery slope and Americans are sliding further and further down. If the country would
slow down and take a breather, maybe it would see the positive side of religion, rather
than writing it off as another chore. Maybe theyll see that Jesus on a Sunday doesnt
have to be such a bad thing.

Murphy 6

Works Cited
"Americas Changing Religious Landscape." Pew Research Centers Religion Public Life
Project RSS. Pew Research Center, 11 May 2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. http://
www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/>
.Langer, Gary, and Analysis. "Poll: Most Americans Say They're Christian." ABC News.
ABS News Network, 18 July 2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
http://abcnews.go.com/
US/story?id=90356&page=1>.
Lipshutz, Jason. "The Weeknd, Lana Del Rey & The Rise of Songs About Drugs on Pop
Radio." Billboard. Billboard Magazine, 13 Aug. 2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/6663161/weeknd-lana-delrey-songs-about-drugs-pop-radio-analysis>.
New International Version. [Colorado Springs]: Biblica, 2011. Bible.com. Web. 21 Oct
2015
Press, Associated. "Study: Americans Becoming Less Christian, More
Secular." Nypost.com. New York Post, 12 May 2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
http://nypost.com/2015/05/12/study-americans-becoming-less-christian-more
secular/>.
Saad, Lydia. "The "40-Hour" Workweek Is Actually Longer -- by Seven Hours.
gallup.com. Gallup Inc, 29 Aug. 2014. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. <http://
www.gallup.com/poll/175286/hour-workweek-actually-longer-sevenhours.aspx>.

Murphy 7

Shattuck, Kelly. "7 Startling Facts: An Up Close Look at Church Attendance

in America." ChurchLeaders.com. ChurchLeadrs.com, 18 Feb.
2013. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors
pastor-articles/139575-7-startling-facts-an-up-close-look-at-churchattendance-in-america.html>.