(CNSNews.com) - A California-based Christian marketing research company says non-Christians in the United States view evangelical Christians "somewhat more kindly than prostitutes, but with less affection than lesbians and lawyers."
According to George Barna, president of Barna Research Group, many non-Christians expressed negative impressions of evangelicals because they don't know who or what an evangelical is. Barna categorizes people as 'evangelical' based upon their answers to nine questions about faith issues.
When determining if a Christian is truly an evangelical, the Barna Research Group (BRG) considers whether a person meets the criteria for being born again; whether they say their faith is very important in their life; and whether they believe they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians.