POLL - RELIGIONS [Forum - Conversations] - Oneness

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Newsweek/Beliefnet Poll Results
A new poll points to growing importance of 'spirituality'; most believe people of other faiths can go to heaven.

In early August, 2005, Newsweek and Beliefnet asked 1,004 Americans what they believe and how they practice their faith. Read the complete results or choose a question from the index below:

WHO GOES TO HEAVEN/ATTAINS SALVATION?

ARE YOU SPIRITUAL OR RELIGIOUS?

HOW IMPORTANT IS SPIRITUALITY?

WHAT'S YOUR FAITH?

WHAT RELIGION WERE YOU RAISED IN?

HAS YOUR SIBLINGS' FAITH CHANGED?

IS YOUR SPOUSE'S FAITH THE SAME?

IS YOUR PRACTICE TRADITIONAL?

WHY DO YOU PRACTICE?

WHAT'S THE MAIN REASON YOU PRACTICE?

HOW OFTEN DO YOU PRACTICE?

WHEN DO YOU FEEL MOST CONNECTED TO GOD?

WAS THE UNIVERSE CREATED BY GOD?

WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE DIES

DO YOU EXPLORE OTHER FAITHS?

Can a good person who isn't of your religious faith go to heaven or attain salvation, or not?
Yes No Don't know
Evangelical Protestants 68% 22% 10%
Non-Evangelical Protestants 83% 10% 7%
Catholics 91% 3% 6%
Non-Christians 73% 3% 24%
Total 79% 12% 9%

Which best describes you?
Age
18-39 40-59 60+ Total
Spiritual but not religious 27% 28% 15% 24%
Religious but not spiritual 10% 8% 8% 9%
Religious &
spiritual 48% 56% 66% 55%
Not spiritual/
not religious 11% 5% 6% 8%
Don't know 4% 3% 5% 4%

How important is spirituality in your daily life?
Age
18-39 40-59 60+ Total
Very important 44% 63% 66% 57%
Somewhat important 32% 27% 20% 27%
Not too important 11% 4% 5% 7%
Not at all Important 11% 5% 5% 7%
Don't know 2% 1% 4% 2%

How would you categorize your faith?
Age
18-39 40-59 60+ Total
Total Christian 77% 90% 91% 85%
Evangelical Protestant 28% 36% 36% 33%
Non-Evangelical Protestant 23% 25% 28% 25%
Roman Catholic 22% 22% 22% 22%
Mormon 2% 1% 1% 1%
Orthodox Church <1% 1% <1% <1%
Other Christian 2% 5% 4% 4%
Total Non-Christian 7% 4% 4% 5%
Jewish 1% 2% 2% 1%
Muslim 2% 0% 0% 1%
Hindu 1% <1% 1% 1%
Buddhist 1% 1% <1% 1%
Other religion 2% 1% 1% 1%
Athiest/Agnostic/No Religion 9% 5% 3% 6%
Religion Undesignated 7% 1% 2% 4%

How would you compare your religion today to the religion in which you were raised?
Age
18-39 40-59 60+ Total
The same 37% 41% 35% 38%
Mostly the same 28% 31% 33% 30%
Mostly Different 9% 7% 13% 9%
Completely different 10% 14% 11% 11%
Not raised in any religion 5% 2% 1% 3%
Became an atheist/agnostic 4% 4% 3% 4%
Don't know 7% 1% 4% 5%

If you have brothers or sisters, is their religion today the same as that with which they were raised?
Religion is the same/mostly the same 62%
Changed religion or stopped practicing religion 23%
Don't have any (living) siblings 8%
Not raised in any religion 1%
Don't know 6%

Is your spouse's/partner's religion the same as your religion?
The same 70%
Mostly the same 14%
Mostly different 5%
Completely different 10%
Spouse/partner is atheist/agnostic/
has no religion 1%
Don't know <1%

In terms of the way you practice your religion today, how do you think of yourself?
Age
18-39 40-59 60+ Total
Very traditional 22% 25% 34% 27%
Somewhat traditional 40% 47% 43% 44%
Not traditional 29% 18% 9% 19%
On the cutting edge 6% 7% 6% 6%
Don't Know 3% 3% 8% 4%

Evang. Prot. Non-Evang. Prot. Cath. Other
Very traditional 38% 19% 21% 14%
Somewhat traditional 38% 48% 52% 36%
Not traditional 12% 23% 20% 37%
On the cutting edge 7% 5% 3% 12%
Don't Know 5% 5% 4% 1%

How important are the following reasons for practicing your religion today?

1. To connect with something larger than yourself
Very important 55%
Somewhat important 24%
Not too important 8%
Not at all important 6%
Don't know 7%

2. To find happiness and peace of mind
Very important 70%
Somewhat important 21%
Not too important 4%
Not at all important 3%
Don't know 2%

3. To forge a personal relationship with God
Very important 75%
Somewhat important 16%
Not too important 4%
Not at all important 4%
Don't know 1%

4. To give your life meaning and structure
Very important 63%
Somewhat important 24%
Not too important 6%
Not at all important 4%
Don't know 3%

5. To be a part of a community
Very important 39%
Somewhat important 33%
Not too important 13%
Not at all important 13%
Don't know 2%

6. To help you be a better person and live a moral life
Very important 75%
Somewhat important 19%
Not too important 2%
Not at all important 2%
Don't know 2%

When do people feel most connected with God or the divine?
Read more poll results >>

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Poll of 1,004 adults nationally, 18 and older, conducted for Newsweek/Beliefnet by Princeton Survey Research Associates on August 2-4, 2005. The margin of error is +/- 4 percentage points.

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