How Americans Feel About Religious Groups

[theHandpuppet]

Since when are atheists a "religious group"?

July 16, 2014
How Americans Feel About Religious Groups
Jews, Catholics & Evangelicals Rated Warmly, Atheists and Muslims More Coldly

Jews, Catholics and evangelical Christians are viewed warmly by the American public. When asked to rate each group on a “feeling thermometer” ranging from 0 to 100 – where 0 reflects the coldest, most negative possible rating and 100 the warmest, most positive rating – all three groups receive an average rating of 60 or higher (63 for Jews, 62 for Catholics and 61 for evangelical Christians). And 44% of the public rates all three groups in the warmest part of the scale (67 or higher).

Buddhists, Hindus and Mormons receive neutral ratings on average, ranging from 48 for Mormons to 53 for Buddhists. The public views atheists and Muslims more coldly; atheists receive an average rating of 41, and Muslims an average rating of 40. Fully 41% of the public rates Muslims in the coldest part of the thermometer (33 or below), and 40% rate atheists in the coldest part.

These are some of the key findings from a Pew Research Center survey conducted May 30-June 30, 2014, among 3,217 adults who are part of Pew Research’s new American Trends Panel, a nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults.

MORE at http://www.pewforum.org/2014/07/16/how-americans-feel-about-religious-groups/

[Brainstormy]

1. In DU, the Atheists & Agnostics Group

is a subset of Religion & Spirituality. You won't find it otherwise. I expect we're the coldest on the "feeling thermometer" there, too.

But I hear you. It's weird.

[LostOne4Ever]

2. In mathematics every group has a null set

While I agree we are not a religious group, I do think we should be considered in these types of discussions.

This is because I consider atheism to be the nullset of the group of all religions. We are not a religion ourselves, but must be included to make the group a real group.

It's like choosing none when given a choice of pies. It is also why we must be included when considering religious rights & freedoms and why you can't have freedom of religion w/ out freedom from religion.

Just my 2 cents.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. What else is new?

I wonder how this "American Trends Panel" is chosen and if it really is nationally representative. Not that it matters, since I agree that we would be rated in the coldest part of the thermometer.

But hey, we aren't rated as badly as Muslims. (1% is 1%.)

My ratings would be a toss-up of evangelicals and Mormons in the coldest part. Buddhists and atheists would be in the warmest part. The other groups would not rate very high though....and I would have a problem rating the category "Jewish", since there is a huge difference between Orthodox Jews and non-Orthodox Jews. And it doesn't look as if they separated the two.

[Lordquinton]

5. don't forget about Jehova's Witnesses

In my opinion door to door groups get the ice box.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. Oh, I heartily agree!

That is why Mormons were are cold as ice to me. Had they mentioned the Jehovah's Witnesses, I would have put them in the ice box as well. Hmmmm, I haven't had anyone at my door in years. (Knock on wood.)

[defacto7]

4. I rate Pew Research

at about 20 (on their scale) compared to most other polls, I give them very little credence. A little lower than Gallup which is bad enough, Pew Research is highly pitched toward the Christian religion and their funding determines their approach. Not much about Pew resembles unbiased research.

[deucemagnet]

7. Woohoo!

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. And guess which group gives the highest rating to other minority groups?

Why, the unaffliated, of course. Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims get the highest ratings from 'unaffiliated' (ratings from members of those religions aren't given - not enough polled to be a meaningful result, I guess) (apart from Jewish people rating Hindus highly, and Buddhists somewhat highly, it should be noted).



All in all, the unaffiliated regard the various religions a lot more equally than the religious sects do. 'White mainline protestants' do a reasonable job at being equal (strangely, the poll didn't ask about how people feel about them - does it just assume everyone's OK with them? They probably would score well, but look at how the similarly accepting atheists get rejected - just because you're nice to people, it doesn't mean they'll be nice back).

Atheists don't like white evangelicals, however. And, given they're a significant driving force behind the far right anti-woman, anti-LGBT, anti-atheist policies the Republicans like, that's not surprising.

As someone pointed out elsewhere, there's a case of unrequited love - white evangelical protestants give Jews a score of 69, while Jews give evangelical Christians a score of 34.