69 percent of Americans agree that it is important for a president to have strong religious beliefs

[CatWoman]

In a Pew Forum survey released Thursday, presidential candidates viewed by voters as the least religious are the current frontrunners for the Democratic and Republican nominations, according to the report.

Only 16 percent and 14 percent of the American public views Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican Rudy Giuliani as "very religious," respectively. Other contenders in both parties were viewed as more religious than the leading presidential hopefuls.

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life notes that most Americans continue to say it is important for a president to have strong religious beliefs as in the past. However, the latest survey finds that "candidates for the White House need not be seen as very religious to be broadly acceptable to the voting public."

Moreover, Democrats John Edwards and Barack Obama are more likely to be viewed as very religious than any other leading Republican candidate, except Mitt Romney.

The survey finds that 24 percent view Obama as very religious and 28 percent say the same about Edwards. Meanwhile, fewer than one in five say Republicans Fred Thompson (16 percent), who just recently announced his candidacy for president, and John McCain (19 percent) are very religious. Most, however, see the Republican candidates as at least somewhat religious.

Romney is most likely to be seen as very religious compared to all the leading candidates, but his Mormon faith has many voters holding back support.

More people express reservations about voting for a Mormon (25 percent) than about supporting a candidate who is an evangelical Christian (16 percent), a Jew (11 percent) or a Catholic (7 percent).

Also, roughly six in ten Americans (61 percent) say they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who does not believe in God, while 45 percent say they would be reluctant to vote for a Muslim.

The survey further shows that views of a candidate's religiosity are linked with overall views.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070907/29216_Candidates_Viewed_as_Least_Religious_Lead_Presidential_Race.htm

[redqueen]

1. Bah.

So many of these surveys have horrendous margins of error... and this article doesn't even show that information.

Statistics... argh.

[TechBear_Seattle]

5. "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics"

We could use a Samuel Clemens right about now.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Margin of error is +/-3%

http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?PageID=1185

[wtmusic]

2. That's why we're doomed

For European candidates religiosity is a liability.

[bryant69]

3. I find myself wondering about this type of poll

People believe they are supposed to be religious and they also believe they are supposed to watch PBS - and when asked about it, will answer in the affirmative rather than admit that they don't care that much. Not all people, of course, just enough to skew it a bit.

I could be wrong though.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[YOY]

4. Although the 61% percent is somewhat decent, it's stil discouraging

It's "somewhat" nicer to see that a Jewish candidate would be less discriminated than an evangelist. Still a bias, but I'm a bit biased agaist the latter in the first place. Of course, Carter is an evangelist and quite a humanitarian...just not a fundie. I suppose I would never really vote for a "fundie" really.

Then again, consider the source...Christian Post. CatWoman, I'm not too familiar with then. Who are they?

[CatWoman]

9. don't know, YOY

I heard about this report on the car radio when I went to pick up lunch.

So I googled "presidential hopefuls+religious+poll"

[YOY]

12. Wikipedia to the Rescue

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Post

Evangelital paper eh...would that be Jimmy-Carter-kindess-evangelitical or Jesus-camp-psycho evangelitical? Not too sure, but it seems to be slightly in favor of the latter on initial inspection. Still mixing religion with Politics...not good

[SoCalDem]

6. 69 per cent of Americans probably also think that

a pink magic marker makes an acceptable lipstick substitute :rofl:

edit:

the "other" 39 per cent could not be reached for comment.. wrestling was on the TEEVEE..(math is not very imporDant in the USA USA USA)

[The Vinyl Ripper]

7. We're #1, we're #1

Atheists I mean, we're by far the most hated group in America..

[Marrah_G]

21. I don't know about that

People might just feel "oh that poor man just needs to find God" with my group, well, we are both hated and feared!

Quick story: At a Pagan gathering in VA maybe 8-10 years ago the county Christians were in an uproar because the heathens were invading. We had people watching the gates and at one point a man came in wielding a pistol thinking he was going to pray us all away.

The scary part is that this man didn't have the gun with him to shoot us.... he brought it because we were so terrifying to him that he felt he needed a GUN to protect himself from us.

[I_Will]

8. This is the first time I'm proud to be a "31 percenter"

[SidDithers]

10. 69% of Americans are ignorant morons...nt

Sid

[Bitwit1234]

13. A president who REALLY believes in God not one who

uses a trumped up one, to gain votes of the right wing nuts.

[Bill McBlueState]

14. well, how can you tell?

All the leading candidates will say they believe in a god if asked. Which ones do you think really believe in a god, and which ones do you think are secretly atheists?

[ozone_man]

15. And 54% don't believe in evolution.

"A majority of U.S. adults (54%) do not think human beings developed from earlier species, up from 46 percent in 1994."

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=581

It's timely that Lucy is going on a tour of the U.S.

[asjr]

16. Using religion as a tool to get elected

president is not very becoming to any candidate. A president should represent ALL the people, not just those of his or her religion. Bias in religion has caused many many wars throughout the ages.

[OHdem10]

17. I question these studies and especially Pew. I get the

feeling their focus groups and people polled lean heavily
Republican.

There are surveys which indicate the GOP has lost Independents
because of their heavy emphasis on Religion. The GOP started
losing support starting with Terry Schiavo case.

It is all in the questions and where they are placed on Survery.

[kegler14]

18. Reagan and Clinton both

claimed a belief in God but I don't think of either as particularly "religious." Yet both were elected twice.

[aquart]

19. No. It's important to have strong ethical beliefs.

Religion not so much.

[NNN0LHI]

20. And they must believe in Santa Claus too n/t

[LeftHander]

22. 69% og RELIGIOUS Americans surveyed....nt

[driver8]

23. 31% of Americans believe that other 69% have their heads stuck up their asses.

We've got a "religious president" now, don't we? He talks to God on an almost daily basis. I guess they haven't gotten around to the ten commandments yet.

I would love to have a president who didn't have to pander to the religious organizations of this country.

Keep your religion to yourself. I want a president who knows the difference between "Austria" and "Australia".

[valerief]

24. They probably went to some mega-church and asked for a show

of hands. That's why the percent is so high.