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SPECIAL REPORT:
Exploring Religious America
April 26, 2002    Episode no. 534
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Note: Due to rounding, figures in a column may not add to 100%.

6. Now I would like to ask you some questions about religion. Please tell me, how important would you say religion is in your life? Is it...

 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

very important

64

69

40

somewhat important

23

24

20

somewhat unimportant

6

4

13

very unimportant

7

3

26

DK/NA/refused

-

-

-



7. And since the terrorist attacks on September 11th, would you say that religion is ...

 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

more important in your life

18

18

14

less important in your life

1

-

3

same as it was before September 11th

81

81

81

DK/NA/refused

1

-

1



8. When you think about the terrorist attacks on September 11th, how important has your religious faith been in helping you to deal with what happened? Has it been...

 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

very important

54

58

32

somewhat important

24

26

15

somewhat unimportant

10

8

18

very unimportant

9

5

31

DK/NA/refused

3

3

4



9. Would you say the terrorist attacks on September 11th ...

 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

... have shaken your faith in God

3

3

2

... have strengthened your faith in God

27

29

14

... did not affect your faith in God

69

67

79

DK/NA/refused

2

1

5



10. In general, how often would you say you have experienced God’s presence or a spiritual force that felt very close to you?

 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

never

14

10

36

once or twice

16

17

13

several times

21

23

15

many times

46

49

34

DK/NA/refused

2

2

3




11. Please tell me, are you personally acquainted with someone who is ...

11.1 Christian
 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

yes

94

95

90

no

5

5

8

DK/NA/refused

1

-

2



11.2 Jewish
 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

yes

51

49

64

no

48

50

33

DK/NA/refused

2

1

3



11.3 Muslim
 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

yes

28

25

44

no

71

74

54

DK/NA/refused

2

2

2



11.4 Hindu
 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

yes

17

13

33

no

82

85

64

DK/NA/refused

2

1

3



11.5 Buddhist
 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

yes

17

14

35

no

81

85

62

DK/NA/refused

2

1

3


12. Now I am going to read a list of religions, and for each one, please tell me if you are VERY FAMILIAR, SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR, SOMEWHAT UNFAMILIAR, or VERY UNFAMILIAR with the basic teachings of that religion.

12.1 Christianity
 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

very familiar

76

79

60

somewhat familiar

19

17

32

somewhat unfamiliar

1

1

2

very unfamiliar

3

3

5

DK/NA/refused

1

-

2



12.2 Judaism
 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

very familiar

16

14

30

somewhat familiar

34

35

30

somewhat unfamiliar

10

11

10

very unfamiliar

38

40

28

DK/NA/refused

1

1

1



12.3 Islam
 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

very familiar

6

4

13

somewhat familiar

29

28

34

somewhat unfamiliar

15

15

17

very unfamiliar

49

52

35

DK/NA/refused

1

1

1



12.4 Hinduism
 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

very familiar

3

2

9

somewhat familiar

18

16

24

somewhat unfamiliar

16

16

19

very unfamiliar

63

66

48

DK/NA/refused

1

1

1



12.5 Buddhism
 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

very familiar

5

3

12

somewhat familiar

22

20

32

somewhat unfamiliar

17

17

17

very unfamiliar

56

60

38

DK/NA/refused

1

1

1


13. Have your own religious practices been modified by your contact with people of other religious faiths?

 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

yes

23

22

30

no

74

76

66

DK/NA/refused

3

3

5



14. In general, how tolerant do you think Christians in the United States are of people of other faiths? Would you say they are ...

 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

very tolerant

29

33

12

somewhat tolerant

47

48

42

somewhat not tolerant

11

10

19

not tolerant at all

5

3

15

DK/NA/refused

8

7

12



15. Does having many different religions in the United States make it harder to keep the country united, OR does it not make it harder?

 

Total

Christian

Non-Christian

makes it harder

29

30

24

does not make it harder

62

62

67

DK/NA/refused

9

9

10



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