Public Agenda Alert - Religious Americans Less Likely to Support Compromise

 

Survey Shows Religious Americans Less Likely to Support Compromise

 

http://www.publicagenda.org

 

* Religion and Public Life, 2000-2004:

This new survey, a follow-up to Public Agenda's "For Goodness'Sake,"

compares how Americans' views of religion in public

life have changed since 2000. The survey found a

smaller number of Americans who believe that deeply

religious elected officials sometimes have to

compromise in the political arena (although slim

majorities still do). There are major decreases

among those who say they attend religious services weekly.

 

In 2000, 84 percent of Americans overall

said "even elected officials who are deeply religious

sometimes have to make compromises and set their convictions

aside to get results while in government." In 2004,

that number had dropped to 74 percent, with even sharper

drops among those who attend services weekly

(82 percent in 2000 vs. 63 percent in 2004) and

evangelicals (79 percent in 2000 vs. 63 percent in 2004).

 

On abortion, gay rights and the death penalty, the majority

of Americans who attend services weekly now say that

deeply religious politicians should stick to their own

religious beliefs rather than be willing to compromise.

 

Remaining unchanged since 2000 is Americans' belief that

the U.S. political system can handle greater interaction

between religion and politics. The survey asked Americans

whether the system would be threatened if religious leaders

and groups got a lot more involved in politics. About six

in 10 (63 percent in 2000 and 61 percent in 2004) believed

that the political system could "easily handle" this. A

third of Americans, however, continue to believe the political

system would be threatened.

 

Not surprisingly, Americans who say they are non-religious and those

who never attend services are far more likely to say the

political system would be threatened by religious leaders

and groups getting a lot more involved. But from 2000 to 2004,

there was a significant six-point increase in the number of Americans

who think it is "negative" for religious leaders to take public

positions on legislation and to encourage congregations to

adopt certain points of view.

 

To find out more, download free copies of the press release and

survey questionnaire at:

http://www.publicagenda.org/research/research_reports_details.cfm?list=1

 

 

You can also take selected survey questions and compare your views

to the national sample in our "What Would You Say" feature.