How Americans Feel About Religious Groups (Pew Research Poll)

Pew Forum ^ | July 16, 2014

[NYer]

1. The American Trends Panel is a new endeavor for the Pew Research Center. Its members were recruited from a nationally representative telephone survey conducted earlier in 2014 among more than 10,000 respondents. The American Trends Panel has many benefits, including the ability to follow individual panelists over time and see how their current views might predict future behavior and whether their views change. The survey methodology and the American Trends Panel are described in further detail at the end of this report. ↩
2. To double-check the analyses included in this report, alternative analyses were conducted in which the mean rating given across all eight religious groups was calculated for each respondent. Then each respondent’s average rating was subtracted from the rating he or she gave to each of the individual religious groups, resulting in a positive score (reflecting a warmer-than-average rating), a negative score (reflecting a colder-than-average rating), or a score of zero (indicating that the rating given to a group was equal to that respondent’s average rating for all eight groups). This alternative approach helps to control, analytically, for the fact that some respondents may tend to give warmer thermometer ratings, in general, while other respondents tend to give colder ratings, regardless of the group being rated. These alternative analyses showed the same overall patterns as the results presented in this report. ↩
3. When data collection for the 2014 Political Polarization and Typology Survey began, non-internet users were subsampled at a rate of 25%, but a decision was made shortly thereafter to invite all non-internet users to join. In total, 83% of non-internet users were invited to join the panel. ↩

[NYer]

Something for everyone, ping!

[SayNoToDems]

Save for later...interesting.

[boycott]

So agnostics and atheists feel better about muslims than they do Christians? This just confirms their stupidity. Maybe they should try to go live among muslims?

[BitWielder1]

That tells me what group journalists are from. No surprise there.

[MrB]

It’s not about being pro-Muslim, it’s about being in rebellion to Christ, being anti-Christian.

So, it makes sense that they would feel that way.

I wonder, though, if some of the “positive” feelings towards Muslims IS out of fear.

[wideawake]

So, according to this study, Jews have almost the lowest regard for Evangelical Christians of any group surveyed - only atheists have a lower opinion of Evangelicals.

On the other hand, white Evangelicals hold Jews in the highest regard.

I don't think there is a stronger mutual differential between any two groups in the survey.

[NYer]

I wonder, though, if some of the “positive” feelings towards Muslims IS out of fear.

More likely, it is how they feel about themselves.

[The_Reader_David]

Well, we at least have some idea how the Pew Center feels about Orthodox Christians: they didn’t even ask about us, even though we outnumber Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims among the U.S. population and Jews world-wide.

[wideawake]

Not that the study does not seem to give numbers regarding Muslims' opinions of other groups - only other groups opinions of Muslims.

Also interesting that Black Protestants have the lowest opinion of Catholics, along with people who say that they don't hold any strong beliefs.

[NYer]

Well, we at least have some idea how the Pew Center feels about Orthodox Christians: they didn’t even ask about us, ...

Hey, this could be a good thing! You can worship in peace, out of the limelight. No laser beam shining on the Orthodox by the mainstream media, calling them out for not supporting a woman's "right to choose" or a gay couple's "right to marry". No scrutiny of your priests and religious; no finger pointing at your patriarchs. Enjoy the peace!

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I think the ratings for Hindus and Buddhists are low mostly because they are exceptionally quiet communities. And though Sikhs are a decided minority in India, they are on a far more level playing field in the US, but they are also very discreet, if possible.

Oddly enough, (very far) behind Christians, Hindus are now the second largest religion in Arizona, announced a few days ago. Their first splash in the state was in 2000, when they built their first dedicated temple, though many had been there a lot longer.

And the Buddhist community is generally quite wealthy, Chinese, going back to the building of the Transcontinental railroad. Both they and the Catholic church got a boost with the arrival of upper class Vietnamese, with the fall of Vietnam. Tens of thousands, but an invisible community.

And none of them are known for making a mess or a fuss.

So whether you like or dislike their religion, they are good neighbors.

[NYer]

Also interesting that Black Protestants have the lowest opinion of Catholics, along with people who say that they don't hold any strong beliefs.

Perhaps they were not impressed by the ascendency of ...

Peter Cardinal Turkson
Preisdent of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace

BTW, he will be in our area tonight at St. Joan of Arc RC Church, the Black Catholic Apostolate. He will be leading a Vigil Service with an address, followed by refreshments.

[rusty schucklefurd]

The word , “orthodox”, may confuse some people. It can refer to “Eastern Orthodox” Christians, or it may refer to adhering to historical Christian doctrine.

I take it that you mean the Eastern Orthodox believers were not considered in the poll, but Christians who believe that they are adhering to historical Christian doctrines, which would include both Catholics and Evangelical Christians, would also describe themselves as “orthodox”.

I’m not arguing with you, just clarifying what I think you mean when you say that The Orthodox Church was not included in the poll.

[OrangeHoof]

Where is the pool of Muslims to rate other religions?

Everyone is asked about everyone except the Muslims. Maybe if they gave themselves an 80% like the other groups do of themselves, their thermometer gauge might be a bit higher and several other groups a bit lower.

[Salvation]

Great Post.

[ansel12]

They didn’t breakout such a small denomination as the Orthodox, the only single denomination they use is the Catholic one.

[chuckles]

I've never understood why Jews do this. Evangelicals will plainly tell you they support Israel and Atheists will be the ones spitting on Jews for defending themselves against Hamas. They CONSISTENTLY vote for Dems that HATE JEWS. The Dems are the ones on TV saying we need to cut ties with Israel. Any evangelical will tell you God blesses those that bless Israel and we have been adopted into the family of God. If you are a Christian and hate Jews, you hate God's family and your own brothers.

I've heard of self hating Jews all my life, but I keep praying for them. They are almost all against the Second Amendment, for abortion, and gay marriage. For me, being Jewish is more of a racial term than a religious one. Only Orthodox Jews remotely follow God's teaching. I can't imagine a Jew rejecting a concealed carry permit. A 10 year old Hamas child has an AK 47.

[NKP_Vet]

American Jews are not orthodox. If you want to find a orthodox Jew, someone that actually lives the faith, go to
Israel. American Jews could care less about abortion, who marries who, or anything else. The only thing they’re concerned about is making money, and they do that real good.

[defconw]

Oh no! This article used the word non-Catholic. ;)