“A large majority of Americans make important decisions without calling on religious leaders for advice, according to a new survey released Monday by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll finds three-quarters of American adults rarely or never consult a clergy member or religious leader, while only about a quarter do so at least some of the time.”

AP

Americans have lost faith in institutions, we take any pronouncement from government, financial institutions, academia, organized labor, the media and even organized religion with a grain of salt.

The Gospel truth ain’t what it used to be, we vet everything the pastor says for truth and accuracy on Google. Indeed, Google is omniscient and omnipotent and more accessible than the Almighty.

Polls have shown a steep rise over decades in the share of Americans identifying as unaffiliated with a religion. But even people who attend church on a regular basis rarely consult their minister when they’re faced with life-changing decisions.

After all, there’s a good chance your parish priest is a pedophile and your evangelical minister supports Trump. Why on Earth would a sane person rely on the judgement of a priest who’s a sexual deviant or an evangelical reverend who lacks the discernment to realize that Trump is a corrupt and vulgar racist?

No man is an island, and we all need friends and family members that we can talk to when dealing with stressful situations, and we should avail ourselves of their wisdom and advice. There’s no need to seek advice from your spiritual mentor, unless he also happens to be your friend.

And of course you can also seek comfort and wisdom from the Almighty Himself, whether it’s the Jehovah deity of the Bible or the artificial intelligence enhanced Google.