Each year, Google compiles a report of the year’s most popular search terms. This year’s report can be found at Google Zeitgeist 2007.
The Zeitgeist analysis doesn’t simply track the most common searches, but the searches that have risen the fastest since the previous year. In this way, Google tries to figure out what we’re all thinking about.
“To get a glimpse of what’s been on our collective consciousness, we mined billions of search queries to discover what sorts of things rose to the top,” says Susan Straccia of the Google Zeitgeist Team. ”...what I found particularly interesting were some of the timeless themes that surfaced: what is love, who is god and how to kiss, to name a few.”
Data for the US shows searches about God beating out searches about Britney Spears. Among the top 10 searches in the “who is?” category are these: “who is God” (number 1); “who is Jesus” (number 4); and “who is Satan” (number 10).
Top-ranked in the “what is?” category is the question, “what is love?”
Lots of other interesting results in the data, which suggest that the Wii, American Idol and Heroes are also very big in American life.
But as Christians, I think we’d agree that the God results are fascinating. Do they suggest a growing interest in “spiritual things?” Are these results linked to the heavy god-talk in the presidential campaign, our continuing awareness of the threat of the violent Islamists, or… what?
If the data suggests a growing interest in God, what are we doing to respond?
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December 15, 2007 at 13:00
IMHO, I don’t think the interest in God is new at all. We just have Google now to tell us it is a common concern of mankind.
As far as what to do about it, the Word of God gives us the answer. We’re to be His witnesses, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Also, our love for one another is a sign to the unbeliever that we are His disciples. Ugh. We sure haven’t done a good job on that last one.
My New Year’s resolution (a tad early) is to spend more time with my Heavenly Father and allow Him to transform me into the image of His Son.
December 15, 2007 at 16:09
In my Bible Study Group, I asked the question who is God. And I got many answers. Here are some.
God is the king of kings.
God is our father.
God is the light.
God is the father of Jesus.
God is the comforter.
God is the listener.
God is love.
...
There are many words, adjectives and sayings to describe our God. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. Praise the Lord.
December 15, 2007 at 20:01
Nah, it doesn’t mean people are more interested. It means one of two other things:
1) They don’t want to ask us
2) We don’t want to tell them
December 16, 2007 at 11:14
I think Kyle is on the right track. I think it may mean both.
In response we can make sure there are some gentle, loving, open answers online, in our churches and out of our own mouths that invite conversation instead of shutting it down.
In response we can not be the stereotypical Christian that these questioners expect. I think Christian culture has become way too unapproachable and closed off. We should form relationships with people asking these questions, not just make people “projects.”
I heard someone say the other day that you can’t clean fish before you catch them. Loving people can get messy and my plans might get wrecked and my heart might get broken…I’m asking God to help me to form these relationships.