People Will Tell Pollsters Anything They Want to Hear

From Retiring Guy's postcard collection

7 Startling Facts: An Up Close Look at Church Attendance in America. (Church Leaders)

1. Less than 20% of Americans regularly attend church — half of what the pollsters report.
2. American church attendance is steadily declining.
3. Only one state is outpacing its population growth.
4. Mid-sized churches are shrinking; the smallest and largest churches are growing.
5. Established churches — 40 to 190 years old — are, on average, declining.
6. The increase in churches is only 1/4 of what's needed to keep up with population growth.
7. In 2050, the percentage of the U.S. population attending church will be almost half of what it was in 1990.

Poll: America losing its religion. (Innovating for a Secular World, 5/29/2013)

Do-as-I-say-and-not-as-I-do excerpt: According to the poll, 75% of Americans said it the country would be better off if it was more religious.