Public Agenda Online: For Goodness' Sake

Public Agenda Online

For Goodness' Sake: Why So Many Americans Want Religion to Play a Greater Role in Public Life

Chapter 6: Evangelical Christians

As a group, evangelicals take a distinctive view on many issues. Their religious faith is an especially vital and uplifting part of their lives, and most feel obligated to share their beliefs with others. Despite their commitment to sharing, most say they strive to negotiate social interactions with tact. What's more, many evangelicals themselves say they often feel discriminated against or marginalized. In social interactions, many strive to negotiate religiously diverse settings in an appropriate manner. On certain issues, like religion in the public schools, their views are in step with the rest of the public—they favor a moment of silence over an explicitly Christian prayer. But evangelicals are less likely to countenance compromise on hot-button political issues.

There's a lot of prejudice in this country toward Evangelical Christians. Does this come very close, somewhat close, not too close, or not close at all to your own view?

	Evangelical Christians
Very close	33%
Somewhat close	35%
Not too close	18%
Not close at all	11%
Don't know	3%

How should the public schools deal with the issue of prayer in the classroom? In your view, would it be best for the public schools to:

	Evangelical Christians
Have a moment of silence	53%
Say a Christian prayer which refers to Jesus	12%
Say a prayer that refers to God but no specific religion	26%
Should public schools avoid all of these	7%
Don't know	2%

When elected officials who are deeply religious have to vote on issues related to abortion / gay rights / the death penalty / poverty and welfare, do you think that they should base their vote on their own religious views or should they be willing to compromise with other elected officals whose views are different (Percent saying "vote on their own religious views")?

	General Public	Evangelical Christians
Abortion	35%	55%
Gay rights	31%	50%
The death penalty	31%	46%
Poverty and welfare	24%	38%

If many more of our elected officials were deeply religious, do you think that the laws and policy decisions they make would probably be better, would probably be worse, or would be neither better nor worse?

	General Public	Evangelical Christians
Better	47%	73%
Worse	11%	2%
Neither better nor worse	39%	22%
Don't know	4%	3%

Which of the following comes closest to your view about deeply religious people?

	General Public	Evangelical Christians
They should spread the word of God whenever they can	35%	61%
They should be very careful about doing this so that they do not offend people	46%	33%
They should keep their faith a private matter altogether	18%	6%
Don't know	1%	-

How close does this statement come to your own view: Too many journalists have a built-in bias against religion and religious people. Is that very close, somewhat close, not too close, or not close at all to your own view?

	General Public	Evangelical Christians
Very close	28%	46%
Somewhat close	28%	29%