In the 2008 annual Honesty and Ethics of Professions poll conducted by Gallup, 56 percent of Americans rated the clergy’s honesty and ethics very high or high. In 2009, that figure dropped to 50 percent. Gallup says the reason for the drop is unclear, but the current rating is even below where it was earlier this decade during the priest sex-abuse scandals. Ratings dropped in 2009 among both Catholics and Protestants, as well as among regular and non-regular churchgoers. [Gallup.com]
An amazing change is such a short period. Any ideas why? Michael