Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly now says that the main reason why people are no longer going to church and why Christianity is declining in the United States is because of rap music.

According to a 2007 study by Pew Research, the number of Christians has been diminishing. According to O'Reilly, rap music "glorifies depraved behavior" that "sinks into the minds of some young people," which he says is the age that usually "reject religion."

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The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan group that provides information on trends shaping the United States and the world. Its new survey from more than 35,000 American adults (ages 18 and older), who describe themselves as Christians, has dropped by nearly eight percentage points from 2007 to 2014. 

During the same period, the percentage of Americans who are religiously unaffiliated has risen more than six points.They describe themselves as atheist, agnostic, or "nothing in particular."   

Geraldo Rivera, another Fox News broadcaster, said that rap has "done more damage to black and brown people than racism in the last 10 years."

O'Reilly's comments about rap music are, according to critics, misinformed. There are numerous religious themes that run through hip-hop. Rappers such as Rick Ross, Kendrick Lamar, and Tupac, and especially Puff Daddy have all explored what religion means including Christianity.

O'Reilly's opinion recalls famed evangelist Billy Graham, who in 1966, believes that the decline of Christianity amongst the youth of America and England was the result of hedonistic rock music.

According to entertainment journalist Stereo Williams, hip-hop is actually "one of the most unapologetically religious genres of popular music over the past 35 years."  Such is the hip-hop group fronted by a minister, the Run-D.M.C. Their song, "Down With the King" contained blatantly religious overtones.

Another hip-hop group, Goodie Mob, explores spirituality into all of their music in the 1990s.

TagsBill O'Reilly, Fox News, Rap music, hip hop, Pew Research, Christianity