Pew survey finds believers flexible
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Who says Americans aren’t optimistic?
A massive new study of religious attitudes in the country found that 74 percent of respondents believed in heaven, while only 59 percent of people believed in hell.
Belief in hell was highest among attendees of historically black Protestant churches (82 percent) and lowest among Jehovah’s Witnesses (9 percent).
That’s among the findings released Monday by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life in the second part of its landmark “U.S. Religious Landscape Survey,” based on more than 35,000 interviews conducted in English and Spanish.
“Belief in hell, where people who have led bad lives and die without repenting are eternally punished, is less common than is belief in life after death or heaven, with about six in 10 Americans (59 percent) expressing belief in hell,” the study says. “In every religious tradition, including all the Christian traditions, belief in hell is at least slightly less prevalent than belief in heaven.
“Belief in hell tends to be most common among members of the various Christian traditions, with relatively few Hindus (35 percent), Buddhists (26 percent), unaffiliated (30 percent) and Jews (22 percent) saying they believe in hell.”
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Pew scholars said the most politically relevant finding is the fact that, as the 294-page report says, “Americans have a non-dogmatic approach to faith” — that is, a large majority of nearly every religious group believes there are other paths to salvation.
According to the study, “Seventy percent of Americans with a religious affiliation say that many religions — not just their own — can lead to eternal life. Most also think there is more than one correct way to interpret the teachings of their own faith.”
In politics, that means that coalitions are possible among members of divergent religious groups.
Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum, said: “Most people will be surprised that a majority of adherents in nearly all religious traditions, including a majority of evangelical Protestants, say that there isn’t just one way to salvation or to interpret the teachings of their own faith.”
The group most likely to describe itself as politically conservative was Mormons, at 60 percent, compared with 37 percent of the population as a whole. Evangelical Protestants were second, at 52 percent.
The most liberal group was Buddhists, at 50 percent, compared with 20 percent of the population at large. The second highest was Jewish respondents, at 38 percent.
The survey includes state-by-state data showing that the South is by far the country’s most religious region and New England is the most secular.
The state where the most people say they pray at least once a day is Mississippi (77 percent), with the lowest number on that question coming in Maine (40 percent).
The state where the most people say they are absolutely certain there is a God is a tie between Alabama and South Carolina, both at 86 percent. The lowest is New Hampshire/Vermont, which were combined for data analysis purposes, at 54 percent.
The state where the most people think they have a prayer answered at least once a month is Mississippi, at 46 percent. The lowest figure is New Hampshire/Vermont, at 19 percent.
Literal interpretation of Scripture — belief that the Bible is the word of God, word for word — is highest in Mississippi, at 64 percent, and lowest in New Hampshire/Vermont, 16 percent.
Readers' Comments (58)
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Let them eat cake.
Party: Democrat
Reply #1
Jun. 23, 2008 - 12:35 PM EST
The author probably never reads Townhall.com or listens to conservative talk radio. They hate all religions except Christianity.
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DannyHaszard
Party: Independent
Reply #2
Jun. 23, 2008 - 12:51 PM EST
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mrj
Party: N/A
Reply #3
Jun. 23, 2008 - 12:51 PM EST
How interesting that the religion that has precipitated America's new-found interest in faith since 2001, remains unmentioned.
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borntoraisehogs
Party: Libertarian
Reply #4
Jun. 23, 2008 - 12:53 PM EST
True conservatives know as the late great George Carlin said " Religion is Bull Shirt ".
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BillMNJ
Party: Liberal
Reply #5
Jun. 23, 2008 - 1:45 PM EST
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BillMNJ
Party: Liberal
Reply #6
Jun. 23, 2008 - 1:50 PM EST
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BillMNJ
Party: Liberal
Reply #7
Jun. 23, 2008 - 1:52 PM EST
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BigChief
Party: Independent
Reply #8
Jun. 23, 2008 - 2:33 PM EST
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Argente
Party: Independent
Reply #9
Jun. 23, 2008 - 2:51 PM EST
Every religion is a cult. Historically, more people have been executed/murdered in the name of some god than for any other single reason - and probably more killed in the name of Jesus than of any other single deity. Let he who is without sin among you kill the first heretic. And, as the god of the Hebrew bible was fond of demonstrating, "I may not always be right, but I'm never uncertain".
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opinioned1
Party: Independent
Reply #10
Jun. 23, 2008 - 3:17 PM EST
Until we cast off the shackles of organized religion and realize that it is the tool of the oppressor we will be doomed to continually repeat the mistakes or our pass. Educate yourselves and move on.
Bi·ble-thump·er (plural bi·ble-thump·ers)
noun
One who uses the bible to attack/defame others' characters instead of as a guide to proper living. These people tend to be depressingly ignorant of anything else except the bible, and behavior as expected by the religious organization the represent.
Brainwashed in other words. Drinkers of the Kool-Aid
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opinioned1
Party: Independent
Reply #11
Jun. 23, 2008 - 3:21 PM EST
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GiveMeLibertyOrDeath
Party: Conservative
Reply #12
Jun. 23, 2008 - 3:56 PM EST
Wake up America!
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opinioned1
Party: Independent
Reply #13
Jun. 23, 2008 - 4:06 PM EST
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thegreatknock
Party: NA
Reply #14
Jun. 23, 2008 - 4:18 PM EST
"Religion is the root of all evil in the world..." -- opinioned1 Strange, from all I've ever seen, I would have thought men were the root of all evil in the world. But I'm curious--have you ever done an evil act? What religion was it based upon? What tells you that your actions are or are not evil (what do you base your definition of evil on)? Not asking in anger, just wondered how you'd answer these...
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Ardie
Party: NA
Reply #15
Jun. 23, 2008 - 4:21 PM EST
Buddhists are liberal in the sense of compassion (karuna) understanding that all life (sattva) is sacred. Buddhist were the first to develop free hospitals and veterinarian hospitals for animals. Buddhism does not believe in a creator God for if there was such a God he would not let his creations suffer. Buddhism understands that the world, instead, is the creation of desire. It is only when desire ceases that we see the world the way it truly is which is pure spirit or, the same, heaven (svarga).
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ray h
Party: Republican
Reply #16
Jun. 23, 2008 - 4:27 PM EST
be carefull what you pray for it may be answered in a way you don't want this is especialy true of the obamaers messiah
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Ardie
Party: NA
Reply #17
Jun. 23, 2008 - 4:28 PM EST
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flavoter1963
Party: Democrat
Reply #18
Jun. 23, 2008 - 4:51 PM EST
Actually most so called believers are compromising there so called beliefs. People have to give up major beliefs just to support there candidate. How could anyone think McCain is for average working class and poor americans.Can he relate to being on assistance, barely making ends meet no way. I don't remember once seeing any photos or footage of him in any church services on a regular bases That is why the moral standard in this country is ( well actually there is very little morals left) you can't tell the believer from the non-believer anymore because they are all the same. This country is over it's all about the money, the love of money. "Put no God Before Me" some have forgotten this.
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American Tax Payer
Party: Independent
Reply #19
Jun. 23, 2008 - 5:04 PM EST
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Snortle
Party: N/A
Reply #20
Jun. 23, 2008 - 5:36 PM EST
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Read all 58 comments in our forumJehovah’s Witnesses and freedom of speech.
They will extol and preach *God's Kingdom* and this sounds attractive,what they hide from you is their Watchtower society version that Jesus has already had his second coming in 1914 and is working *invisibly* through them.
They have won 37 of their 46 Supreme court cases assuring us all of freedom of speech and assembly and equal protection under the law.
The sad irony is that the Watchtower Society *daily* abuses the human rights of thousands of its members. It denies current members the right of free speech by forbidding them to speak to former members, even close family members.
And it denies former members their right of freedom of worship by refusing to allow them to leave the religion with dignity, should they come to disagree with Watchtower's practices or doctrines.
The religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is an oppressive cult that controls every aspect of its members' lives.
Are they knocking on your door?----
Danny Haszard http://www.freeminds.org
There are multiple religions that desire "control" of members' lives. Living a religion tends to norrow one's perspective on reality from a singular point of view. Agreed it was a good thing some 3000 years ago but has no place today. That is unless one is a pseudo-christian without the ability to think!!!
I pray that the Republics and their agenda go away for at least 12 years. There I did my part for the day!!!
The last 7+ years gave me the identical belief with the Neo-Cons in power! My son is out of Iraq-mess so I guess hell for him is over for awhile.
I was badly injured as a child and spent long months in hospitals. Then for years, I was in and out of the Hospitals.
I have received countless blood transfusions..and I thank every donor who helped me.
..I have been near death several times...Once in a coma for three weeks....
And if you think that there is nothing beyond this earth...There are NOT things on a higher order than we are out there.
YOU are a FOOL.
And if you think it is not Good....and Evil...with punishment...or reward.......You may face a very nasty surprise one day.
Take it to the bank.....We have souls. They will leave our bodies at our death. We will all be judged.
Religion is the root of all evil in the world----
Every war, conflict, and atrocity in the world can be traced to religion in some shape or manner.
Definitions:
“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
In the vision, I saw just ahead of the man a cliff, which was very steep. The man was heading directly towards the cliff without realizing his blindness nor the danger ahead for him. I remember in the vision that I saw that the cliff was endless and bottomless. I was crying in my spirit and praying for this man that he could discern or feel the blindfold over his eyes, but he could not. He kept going ahead without hesitating...right towards the cliff. The cry in my spirit caused others around me to also cry out to God for that man to be awakened and to be kept from going off the cliff. The vision ended at this point without me knowing what happened to the man. I woke up fully and I asked the Lord to give me interpretation to the dream or vision. I heard the Lord clearly speak to me that this man in the vision is "America".
BULL Hockey. Any credibility you had up to this point was destroyed when you start claiming the mythical guy in the sky had a conversation with you. Any idea how this sounds? Kind of like you belong in the loony bin.
Oxygen deprivation can, and obviously has in some cases, caused brain damage.
"He who has eyes can see the sickening sight,
Why does not God set his creatures right?
If his wide power no limit can restrain,
Why is his hand so rarely spread to bless?
Why are his creatures all condemned to pain?
Why does he not to all give happiness?
Why do fraud, lies, and ignorance prevail?
Why triumphs falsehood -- truth and justice fail?
I count your God one among the unjust , who made a world in which to shelter wrong." — Bhuridatta Jataka No. 453
Yes they have and I used to do Bible Study with them and even went to their Church a couple of times.
My experience is this: They started coming to my house and I let them for awhile. I have five cats and two dogs. To me, they always showed contempt for my children. They would shoo them away when they came up to say Hello. I couldn't understand that since they were supposed to be people of God. God did create animals. I put up with it for awhile but no longer. I couldn't take the look of hurt and confusion in their eyes anymore.
THANK GOD FOLKS THINK THEIR RELIGION ISNT THE ONLY WAY.
Thus folks will be willing to accept a flip flopping empty suit too.
Of course, most folks will say that publicially, but privately dont believe rival religions .
But then again, Pew already knows that. But since the article FAVORS OBAMA , lets put out the findings.
GOD DAMN AMERICA FOLKS.
OBAMA 08
HYPE (WE ARE FORCED) TO BELIEVE IN !!!