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   Religion               See also: Education | Law/Civil Rights | Science and Nature | Values

Polls listed chronologically. Data are from nationwide surveys of Americans 18 & older.
 
 

Gallup Poll. Dec. 4-7, 2008. N=1,009 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
           

.
"At the present time, do you think religion as a whole is increasing its influence on American life or losing its influence?"
 
    Increasing Losing Same (vol.) Unsure  
    % % % %  
  12/4-7/08 27 67 2 3  
  12/02 43 51 3 3  
  3/02 53 42 2 3  
  12/01 71 24 2 3  
  2/01 39 55 3 3  
  8/00 35 58 4 3  
  3/00 37 58 - 5  
  12/99 40 54 3 3  
  5/99 32 62 3 3  
  6/98 37 56 4 3  
  1/98 48 48 1 3  
  1990 33 48 8 11  
  1985 48 39 10 3  
  1980 35 46 11 8  
  1978 37 48 10 5  
  1970 14 75 7 4  
  1965 33 45 13 8  
  1957 69 14 10 6  
             
"Do you believe that religion can answer all or most of today's problems, or that religion is largely old-fashioned and out of date?"
 
    Can Answer Out of Date Other (vol.)/
Unsure		    
    % % %    
  12/4-7/08 53 28 19    
  12/02 59 24 17    
  3/02 66 20 14    
  12/01 61 21 18    
  2/01 63 22 15    
  8/00 63 17 20    
  3/00 66 21 13    
  12/99 68 19 13    
  5/99 66 21 11    
  6/98 63 20 17    
  1/98 67 20 13    
  1990 63 18 19    
  1985 58 24 18    
  1974 62 20 18    
  1957 82 7 11    

 

Quinnipiac University Poll. July 8-13, 2008. N=1,783 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 2.3.

.

"Do you support or oppose giving federal money to faith-based organizations, such as churches or synagogues, to help them run social programs?"

.
Support Oppose Unsure    
% % %    

7/8-13/08

 53 41 5    

.

"Do you think that these faith-based organizations that receive federal money should be able to discriminate in favor of hiring people of their own faith?"

.
Yes No Unsure    
% % %    

7/8-13/08

 16 77 7    

 

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. April 10-13, 2008. N=1,197 adults nationwide (MoE ± 3), including, with an oversample, 292 Catholics (MoE ± 5.5). Fieldwork by TNS.

.

"Do you have a favorable or unfavorable impression of Pope Benedict the 16th?"

.
Favorable Unfavorable Unsure    
% % %    

ALL

 48 24 28    

Catholics

 74 13 14    

.

Asked of Catholics:
 "Do you think Pope Benedict should maintain the traditional policies of the Church, or should he change Church policies to reflect the attitudes and lifestyles of Catholics today?" Options rotated

.
Maintain Change Unsure    
% % %    

4/10-13/08

 50 45 5    

4/05

 50 48 1    

.

Asked of Catholics:
 "In general, do you think the Roman Catholic Church is in touch with the views of Catholics in America today, or is it out of touch?"

.
In Touch Out of
Touch		 Unsure    
% % %    

4/10-13/08

 34 62 4    

4/05

 44 52 4    

10/03

 34 62 3    

10/95

 38 58 5    

.

Asked of Catholics:
 "Currently, Roman Catholic priests cannot get married. Do you favor or oppose that policy?"

.
Favor Oppose Unsure    
% % %    

4/10-13/08

 36 60 4    

10/03

 30 67 2    

10/95

 37 61 1    

.

Asked of Catholics:
 "Currently, women cannot become priests in the Roman Catholic Church. Do you favor or oppose that policy?"

.
Favor Oppose Unsure    
% % %    

4/10-13/08

 36 60 3    

10/03

 32 64 4    

3/02

 35 61 4    

10/95

 33 65 2    

.

"Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Catholic Church has handled the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests?"

.
Approve Disapprove Unsure    
% % %    

ALL

 17 74 9    

Catholics

 24 73 3    

 

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). Dec. 14-17, 2007. N=1,008 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1.

.

"When it comes to the role of religion in the presidential election, would you say that religion is talked about too much, too little, or about the right amount?"

.
Too Much Too Little About Right Unsure  
% % % %  

12/14-17/07

 45 22 30 3  

 

CBS News Poll. June 26-28, 2007. N=750 registered voters nationwide.

.

"Do you think it is appropriate for political candidates to talk about their religious beliefs as part of their political campaigns, or do you think this is not appropriate?"

.
Appropriate Not
Appropriate		 Unsure

%

%

%

ALL reg. voters

50

48

2

  Republicans

65

32

3

  Democrats

41

57

2

  Independents

48

51

1

.

5/20-23/04

50

47

3

.

"Do you think it is appropriate for religious leaders to urge people to vote for or against a political candidate, or is that not appropriate?"

.
Appropriate Not
Appropriate		 Unsure

%

%

%

ALL reg. voters

27

70

3

  Republicans

41

58

1

  Democrats

21

77

2

  Independents

22

72

6

.

5/20-23/04

33

63

4

.

"Thinking about your vote for president next year, how important is it that a candidate SHARES your religious beliefs? Is it very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not at all important?"

.
Very
Important		 Somewhat
Important		 Not Very
Important		 Not at All
Important		 Unsure

%

%

%

%

%

ALL reg. voters

15

23

23

38

1

  Republicans

30

28

20

21

1

  Democrats

7

23

27

42

1

  Independents

12

18

21

48

1

.

"How important is it for a candidate to have STRONG religious beliefs, regardless of whether those beliefs are the same as yours? Is it very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not at all important?"

.
Very
Important		 Somewhat
Important		 Not Very
Important		 Not at All
Important		 Unsure

%

%

%

%

%

ALL reg. voters

27

36

16

20

1

  Republicans

43

35

12

7

3

  Democrats

23

35

19

23

0

  Independents

20

36

17

27

0

 

Gallup Poll. May 10-13, 2007. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (total sample).

.
"For each of the following items I am going to read you, please tell me whether it is something you believe in, something you're not sure about, or something you don't believe in. . . ." N=500, MoE ± 5 (Form A)

.
  Believe In Not Sure Don't
Believe In		 Unsure
  % % % %

God

   5/10-13/07

 86 8 6 -

   5/2-4/04

 90 5 4 1

.

Heaven

   5/10-13/07

 81 8 11 -

   5/2-4/04

 81 10 8 1

.

Angels

   5/10-13/07

 75 11 14 -

   5/2-4/04

 78 11 10 1

.

The Devil

   5/10-13/07

 70 8 21 1

   5/2-4/04

 70 10 19 1

.
Hell

   5/10-13/07

 69 8 22 1

   5/2-4/04

 70 12 17 1

.
"Which of the following statements comes closest to your belief about God: you believe in God, you don't believe in God but you do believe in a universal spirit or higher power, or you don't believe in either?" N=503, MoE ± 5 (Form B)

.
  God Universal
Spirit/Higher
Power		 Neither Other (vol.) Unsure
  % % % % %
5/10-13/07 78 14 7 - 1
5/2-4/04 81 13 5 - 1
12/9-12/99 86