New Survey Shows More Americans Willing to Take Financial Advice from Trump than the Bible

NEW YORK, March 6, 2012—In a down economy, many Americans are searching for advice on how to manage their finances. But whose advice do they trust? A new study shows more Americans are willing to take advice from Donald Trump (50%), a man whose companies have filed for bankruptcy at least four times, than from the Bible (32%), the bestselling book of all time. Yet the Bible has more than 2,000 verses that relate to money and possessions.

The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of American Bible Society to coincide with the release of The Financial Stewardship Bible, also found that:

• 1 in 10 Americans age 18-34 would be most inclined to take financial advice from Kim Kardashian

• 86% of Americans do not follow what the Bible says about money management

• 1 in 4 Americans (24%) who do not follow what the Bible says about money think they would have more money if they followed its advice

• 94% of Americans are unable attribute a verse from Proverbs* about the rewards of work to the Bible

“God’s wisdom isn’t just for life and death or life’s moral conundrums,” said Lamar Vest, president of American Bible Society. “The Bible offers sound advice about managing money, avoiding debt and prospering in difficult times.”

The Bible’s counsel about personal finance is certainly timely.

“When it comes to finances, the past few years have been challenging for many Americans,” said Howard Dayton, founder and CEO of Compass–Finances God’s Way. “The Financial Stewardship Bible is designed to provide practical tips for managing money using the age-old wisdom found in its pages.”

Poll Your Audience:

• Do you believe God’s money advice is in your best interest, his best interest or both?

• Do you follow the Bible’s advice on money? If not, do you think you would have more, less or the same amount of money if you did follow its advice?

The Financial Stewardship Bible is a collaboration between American Bible Society and Compass—Finances God’s Way. Not a new translation, The Financial Stewardship Bible is the first to highlight more than 2,000 verses about God’s perspective on money. The integrated study guide focuses on topics including earning, spending, investing, debt, bankruptcy, cosigning, inheritance and saving for retirement. The Financial Stewardship Bible is available at Bibles.com, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and other online retailers.

About American Bible Society:

Headquartered in Manhattan, the 195-year-old American Bible Society exists to make the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford, so all people may experience its life-changing message. One of the nation’s oldest nonprofit organizations, today’s American Bible Society provides interactive, high- and low-tech resources enabling first-time readers and seasoned theologians alike to engage with the best-selling book of all time. For more information, visit AmericanBible.org.

About Compass—Finances God’s Way:

Compass—Finances God’s Way is a worldwide organization that teaches people of all ages how to handle money based on the principles of the Bible. Founded by Howard Dayton host of the nationally syndicated radio program MoneyWise and author of several books including Your Money: Frustration or Freedom, Your Money Counts and Your Money Map, Compass aims to equip people to improve their finances primarily through small group studies. Learn more by visiting Compass1.org

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive on behalf of American Bible Society from February 16-20, 2012 among 2,262 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Amy Huffman or Christy Lynn Wilson (770.813.0000).