American Catholic Laity Poll, 2011

Association of Religion Data Archives ^ | 12-14 | Association of Religion Data Archives

[daniel1212]

American Catholic Laity Poll, 2011

Data Archive > U.S. Surveys > Religious Groups > Members or Leaders > Catholic > Summary

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The American Catholic Laity Poll contains many questions on pressing issues in the Catholic Church--views of the hierarchy, political positions of the church, women's roles in the church, what it takes to be a "good Catholic," how churches can respond to the current shortage of priests, and the effects of sex abuse in the church. Other questions also concern Mass attendance, prayer, Communion, and demographic characteristics. This poll contains respondents from many different generations of Catholics, and it also includes an oversample of Hispanic Catholics.

[daniel1212]

ping

[Salvation]

And for your religion, what are the comparable stats?

[Salvation]

And for your religion, what are the comparable stats?

[Jeff Chandler]

These two question illuminate the rest:

84) Q16 Aside from weddings and funerals, about how often do you attend Mass? [note that the ones getting the poll were likely ones attending mass]

1) At least once a week 31.8
2) Two or three times a month 13.5
3) About once a month 8.7
4) A few times a year 24.1
5) Seldom or never 21.1

85) Q17 How regularly do you pray, apart from Mass?

1) More than once a day 14.6
2) Daily 37.2
3) Occasionally or sometimes 38.3
4) Seldom or never 8.9

[daniel1212]

And for your religion, what are the comparable stats?

You mean you never saw these before?

[daniel1212]

The above did not appears as i formatted it. Below should be more readable

Click on the http://www.thearda.com/Archive/Files/Codebooks/CATH2011_CB.asp Codebook for results, and see under Downlands for Complete codebook with frequencies and percentages. Below are some of the results from that text file To be concise, I did not include the number of Refused, or the numbers of respondents, leaving the percentages, and after the first question in each section I kept redundancy down by providing the question without repeating the prior description. . 23) Q2K As a Catholic, how important is each of the following to you? Would you say the following is or are very important, somewhat important, or not important at all? The Catholic Church’s teachings that oppose same sex marriage 1) Very important 34.5 2) Somewhat important 26.4 3) Not important at all 38.3 24) Q2L As a Catholic, how important is each of the following to you? Would you say the following is or are very important, somewhat important, or not important at all? The Catholic Church’s teachings that oppose abortion 1) Very important 40.3 2) Somewhat important 30.0 3) Not important at all 28.6 25) Q3A How a person lives is more important than whether he or she is Catholic. 1) Strongly agree 55.2 4) Strongly disagree 4.0 32) Q4B Next, we are interested in your opinions on several issues that involve the moral authority in the Catholic Church. In each case we would like to know who you think should have the final say about what is right or wrong... A Catholic practicing contraceptive birth control 1) Church leaders 10.4 2) Individuals 65.5 3) Both 23.0 33) Q4C... A Catholic advocating free choice regarding abortion 1) Church leaders 18.1 2) Individuals 52.0 3) Both 28.6 34) Q4D.. A Catholic who engages in homosexual activity 1) Church leaders 16.4 2) Individuals 55.5 3) Both 26.6 35) Q4E.. Sexual relations outside of marriage 1) Church leaders 15.3 2) Individuals 54.6 3) Both 28.8 43) Q8 Catholic bishops often speak out about politics and elections, as well as about policy issues like health care, abortion, immigration, and foreign affairs. Which one of the following best describes how you typically respond to bishops’ statements in these areas? 1) The bishops’ views are irrelevant to my thinking about politics and public policy 31.5 2) I consider what the bishops have to say about politics and public policy, but ultimately I make up my own mind 59.1 3) I try to follow the bishops’ guidance and instructions on political and public policy matters 8.2 46) Q9C... agree/disagree with the American bishops on each of the following issues. Opposition to same-sex marriage 1) Strongly agree 30.2 2) Somewhat agree 20.0 3) Somewhat disagree 24.7 4) Strongly disagree 23.9 47) Q10A Do you support or oppose women in the following roles in the Church? Altar server 1) Support 90.7 2) Oppose 8.0 48) Q10B Do you support or oppose women in the following roles in the Church? Reader at Mass (Lector) 1) Support 95.1 2) Oppose 3.7 49) Q10C women...Eucharistic minister 1) Support 89.0 2) Oppose 10.0 50) Q10D.. women..Director of Religious Education 1) Support 94.7 2) Oppose 4.0 51) Q10E women...Youth minister 1) Support 91.8 2) Oppose 6.7 52) Q10F women...Deacon 1) Support 75.2 2) Oppose 23.0 53) Q10G women...Parish administrator. 1) Support 92.4 2) Oppose 6.4 54) Q10H women...Priest1) Support 59.8 2) Oppose 38.1 55) Q11A.. Please indicate whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with each of the following. More government funds to provide health care for poor children 1) Strongly agree 44.1 2) Somewhat agree 37.4 3) Somewhat disagree 14.4 4) Strongly disagree 3.0 58) Q11D.. Reduced spending on nuclear weapons 1) Strongly agree 41.1 2) Somewhat agree 40.9 3) Somewhat disagree 12.1 4) Strongly disagree 4.6 60) Q12A The following statements deal with what you think it takes to be a good Catholic. Please indicate if you think a person can be a good Catholic without performing these actions or affirming these beliefs. Can a person be a good Catholic: Without going to church every Sunday? 1) Yes, can be a good Catholic 76.1 2) No, cannot be a good Catholic 22.2 61) Q12B... Without obeying the Church hierarchy's teaching on birth control? 1) Yes, can be a good Catholic 77.4 2) No, cannot be a good Catholic 21.2 62) Q12C... Without obeying the Church hierarchy's teaching on divorce and remarriage? 1) Yes, can be a good Catholic 69.4 2) No, cannot be a good Catholic 28.8 63) Q12D.. Without obeying the Church hierarchy's teaching regarding abortion? 64) Q12E.. Without believing that in the Mass, the bread and wine really become the body and blood of Jesus? 1) Yes, can be a good Catholic 37.0 2) No, cannot be a good Catholic 61.5

65) Q12F. Without their marriage being approved by the Catholic Church? 1) Yes, can be a good Catholic 70.5 2) No, cannot be a good Catholic 28.2 66) Q12G.. Without donating time or money to help the poor? 1) Yes, can be a good Catholic 59.4 2) No, cannot be a good Catholic 39.0 68) Q12I.. Without believing that Jesus physically rose from the dead? 1) Yes, can be a good Catholic 29.8 2) No, cannot be a good Catholic 68.9 69) Q13A.. the Catholic laity should have the right to participate in deciding how parish income should be spent. 1) Should 78.4 2) Should not 19.9 71) Q13C.. the Catholic laity should have the right to participate in selecting the priests for their parish. 1) Should 69.6 2) Should not 28.4 72) Q13D... the Catholic laity should have the right to participate in deciding about parish closings. 1) Should 1058 73.4 2) Should not 357 24.8 73) Q13E.. the Catholic laity should have the right to participate in deciding whether women should be ordained to the priesthood. 1) Should 58.5 2) Should not 39.5 74) Q14 How important is the Catholic Church to you personally? 1) The most important part of my life 9.4 2) Among the most important parts of my life 28.1 3) Quite important to me, but so are many other areas of my life 39.7 4) Not terribly important to me 17.3 5) Not very important to me at all 4.6 76) Q15B How meaningful is each of these aspects of Catholicism to you personally? The fact that the Church today is part of an unbroken tradition going back to the apostles 1) Very meaningful 46.7 2) Somewhat meaningful 32.8 3) Only a little meaningful 13.3 4) Not at all meaningful 5.5 81) Q15FG How meaningful is each of these aspects of Catholicism to you personally? The papacy 1) Very meaningful 35.4 2) Somewhat meaningful 35.1 3) Only a little meaningful 19.9 4) Not at all meaningful 7.0 82) Q15H How meaningful is each of these aspects of Catholicism to you personally? The fact that Catholics can disagree with aspects of church teaching and still remain loyal to the Church 1) Very meaningful 49.5 2) Somewhat meaningful 35.1 3) Only a little meaningful 9.3 4) Not at all meaningful 4.2 84) Q16 Aside from weddings and funerals, about how often do you attend Mass? [note that the ones getting the poll were likely ones attending mass] 1) At least once a week 31.8 2) Two or three times a month 13.5 3) About once a month 8.7 4) A few times a year 24.1 5) Seldom or never 21.1 85) Q17 How regularly do you pray, apart from Mass? 1) More than once a day 14.6 2) Daily 37.2 3) Occasionally or sometimes 38.3 4) Seldom or never 8.9 86) Q18 Which of the following statements best describes the Catholic teaching about the bread and wine used for communion? [compare with question117, Q25D] 1) The bread and wine really become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. 49.9 2) The bread and wine are only symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. 48.5 92) Q19F People go to church for different reasons. Please indicate whether or not each of the following is an important reason you go to church. I feel a need to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion 1) Yes, important reason 81.6 2) Not an important reason 17.5 100) Q20H Please indicate whether or not each of the following is an important reason you don't attend church more often. Just not a religious person 1) Yes, important reason 41.3 2) Not an important reason 57.5 Missing 790 115) Q25B Which, if any, of the following do you believe in? Do you believe in spiritual energy located in physical things, such as mountains, trees or crystals? 1) Yes, believe 40.7 2) No, don’t believe 57.5 116) Q25C Which, if any, of the following do you believe in? Do you believe in yoga, not just as exercise, but as a spiritual practice? 1) Yes, believe 31.7 2) No, don’t believe 66.7 117) Q25D Which, if any, of the following do you believe in? Do you believe that at the Consecration during a Catholic Mass, the bread and wine really become the body and blood of Jesus Christ? 1) Yes, believe 61.0 2) No, don’t believe 37.4 128) Q27A Now here are four statements about the priesthood. After each, please indicate whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree. It would be a good thing if priests who have married were allowed to return to active ministry. 1) Strongly agree 37.5 2) Somewhat agree 33.4 3) Somewhat disagree 12.8 4) Strongly disagree 14.4 129) Q27B.. It would be a good thing if married men were allowed to be ordained as priests. 1) Strongly agree 36.1 2) Somewhat agree 31.5 3) Somewhat disagree 13.7 4) Strongly disagree 16.9 133) Q29 Do you personally know anyone who was abused by a priest? 1) Yes 6.4 2) No 92.4 138) Q34 How would you rate the job your local bishop has done in handling accusations of sexual abuse by priests? 1) Excellent 8.6 2) Good 32.8 3) Fair 38.7 4) Poor 17.5 139) Q35 Was your current marriage approved by the Catholic Church as a valid marriage? 1) Yes 68.9 2) No 29.6 Missing 648 171) DERIVED: Political party affiliation (7 categories) (PARTYID7) TOTAL % 1) Strong Republican 167 11.7 2) Not strong Republican 146 10.2 3) Leans Republican 261 18.3 4) Undecided/Independent/Other 36 2.5 5) Leans Democrat 300 21.1 6) Not strong Democrat 263 18.5 7) Strong Democrat 252 17.7 176) Aside from weddings and funerals, about how often do you attend Mass? (Recoded for use with online analysis) (I-ATTEND) TOTAL % 1) At least once a week 30.8 2) One to three times a month 21.9 3) A few times a year 24.4 4) Seldom or never 23

[Alex Murphy]

Click on the http://www.thearda.com/Archive/Files/Codebooks/CATH2011_CB.asp Codebook for results, and see under Downlands for Complete codebook with frequencies and percentages. Below are some of the results....

Political party affiliation (7 categories)

• Strong Republican 11.7%
• Not strong Republican 10.2%
• Leans Republican 18.3%

IOW, 40.2% consider themselves Republican.

• Leans Democrat 21.1%
• Not strong Democrat 18.5%
• Strong Democrat 17.7%

IOW, 57.3% consider themselves Democrat.

• Undecided/Independent/Other 36 2.5

[Iscool]

Appears pope Francis has got his thumb on the pulse of the Catholic religion...Apparently those on FR are not representative of the current Catholic religion...

[daniel1212]

Appears pope Francis has got his thumb on the pulse of the Catholic religion...Apparently those on FR are not representative of the current Catholic religion...

No, these are the "true RCs (TRC) versus those they label "CINOS," which is based upon their interpretation of their supreme authority (which they censure evangs. for doing in re. to theirs), and which would be a valid assessment if their church manifestly concurred with this, but instead she treats such as members in life and in death, and actions show what one really believer.

[daniel1212]

And for your religion, what are the comparable stats?

You started it. Sources are in small italics , and the up arrow ^ refers to the last referenced source above. More at source .

THEOLOGICAL VIEWS, PRACTICES and COMMITMENT

• 73% (highest) of Pentecostal/Foursquare believers strongly affirm that Christ was sinless on earth, with Catholics, Lutherans and Methodists being tied at 33%, and the lowest being among Episcopalians with just 28% http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/53

• 94.4% of Evangelical Protestants and 84.9% of Catholics believe that Jesus is the son of God. 42.1% of the former and 46.1% of the latter say they pray once a day or more. http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/33304.pdf

• 47.8% of the Evangelicals and 11.8% of Catholics affirm the Bible is Literally true. 6.5% of the former and 19.8% of the latter see it as an ancient book of history and legends. ^

• 42.1% of Evangelical Protestants and 7.1% of Catholics Read Scripture weekly or more. ^

• 64% of those in Assemblies of God churches (versus only 9% of Catholics) strongly DISAGREE that if a person is generally good, or does enough good things for others they will earn a place in Heaven [salvation on the basis of merit]. ^

• 56% of Assemblies of God (versus 17% Catholics) Christians strongly DISAGREE that Satan is just a symbol of evil [rather than a real being]. ^

• About 56 percent of Evangelicals currently say they're strongly affiliated with their religion, while only 35 percent of Catholics say the same, and 4% lower than mainline Protestants (devoutness of Mainline Protestants [distinct from evangelicals] fell to roughly 30 percent in the late 1970s to late 1980s before gradually climbing to 39 percent in 2010) http://www.science20.com/print/972444

• Bible Reading: the highest was 75%, by those going to a Pentecostal/Foursquare church who reported they had read the Bible during the past week (besides at church), while the lowest was among Catholics at 23% ^

• Volunteer church work (during past 7 days): Assemblies of God were highest at 30%, with the lowest going to Catholics at 12%. ^

• Donating Money (during the last month): Church of Christ churches were the highest at 29%, with Catholics being the lowest at 12% ^

• American evangelicals gave four times as much money, per person, to churches as did all other church donors in 2001. 88 percent of evangelicals and 73 percent of all Protestants donated to churches. John Ronsvalle and Sylvia Ronsvalle, The State of Church Giving through 2004: Will We Will? 16th ed. (Champaign, Ill.: Empty Tomb, 2006),12. http://www.generousgiving.org/stats#

• Data from a variety of researchers indicates that Catholics give one-third to one-half the portion of income that Protestants give. http://www.emptytomb.org/cathgiv.html

• A Catholic survey reports that 4 percent of US Catholics described themselves as “very” involved in parish or religious activities other than attending Mass, and 11% as “somewhat involved, and 64% as “not involved at all.” Among weekly (or more) attendees (approx 22% of adult Catholics), 13% were very” involved, 29% “somewhat involved and 25% not involved at all.” http://cara.georgetown.edu/CARAServices/FRStats/devotionpractice.pdf

• By denomination, 61% of the those associated with an Assemblies of God church said they had shared their faith at least once during the past year, as did 61% of those who attend a Pentecostal/Foursquare church, and ending 14% among Episcopalians and just 10% among Roman Catholics. http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/54

• 25% of Evangelical Christians and 20% of other Protestants and 7% of Catholics said the read the Bible on a daily basis. 44% of Catholics said they rarely or never read the Bible, along with only 7% of Evangelical Christians and 13% of other Protestants. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/december_2008/catholics_protestants_practice_faith_in_different_ways

• 91% of Evangelical Christians and 63% of other Protestants and 25% of Catholics consider themselves to be born again; ^

• 44% of Evangelical Christians reflect at least daily on the meaning of Scripture in their lives. 36% of other Protestants and 22% of Catholics do the same; ^

• Church attendance [2002-2005]: Evangelicals at approx. 60 percent showed the highest percentage of those who reported they attended services weekly or almost weekly, with 30% going more than once a week. Catholics were at 45 percent (9% more than once a week), and Jews 15 percent. Gallup poll. between 2002 and 2005. http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060418/weekly-attendance-highest-among-Evangelical-churches.htm

• A Catholic study reported that the percentage of U.S. adult Catholics who say they attended Mass once a week or more (i.e., those attending every week) was 24% in 2012. http://cara.georgetown.edu/caraservices/requestedchurchstats.html

• 54 percent of Catholics who came of age before Vatican Two (10 percent of Catholics today) attend Mass weekly, compared to 23 percent of millennial Catholics, those born from 1979 to 1987. http://blogs.thearda.com/trend/featured/counting-catholics-church-of-immigrants-poised-for-growth/

• Catholics [2012] report the lowest proportion of strongly affiliated followers among major American religious traditions, with a considerable divergence between evangelical Protestants on the one hand and Catholics and mainline Protestants on the other. There was an abrupt decline in strength of affiliation among Catholics starting in 1984 and ending in 1989. Thus may be due to the growing number of Latino Catholics responding to the survey. Previous research has shown Latino Catholics were less likely to report a strong religious affiliation compared with other Catholics. Also, the percentage of Americans who say they adhere to no religion climbed from about 6 percent in the 1970s and 1980s to 16 percent in 2010. http://www.science20.com/news_articles/religion_america_evangelicals_surge_catholics_wane-97244

• The typical Catholic person was 38% less likely than the average American to read the Bible; 67% less likely to attend a Sunday school class; 20% less likely to share their faith in Christ with someone who had different beliefs, donated about 17% less money to churches, and were 36% less likely to have an "active faith," defined as reading the Bible, praying and attending a church service during the prior week. Catholics were also significantly less likely to believe that the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches. 44% of Catholics claimed to be "absolutely committed" to their faith, compared to 54% of the entire adult population. However, Catholics were 16% more likely to attend a church service and 8% more likely to have prayed to God during the prior week than the average American. Barna Reaearch, 2007, “Catholics Have Become Mainstream America” http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/100

• 82% of Mainline Churches, 77% of Catholics and 53% of Evangelical Churches affirmed, "There is MORE than one true way to interpret the teachings of my religion." U.S. Religious landscape survey; Copyright © 2008 The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. http://religions.pewforum.org/comparisons#

• Orthodox (29%), Mainline Churches (28%), and Catholics (27%) led Christian Churches in affirming that the Scriptures were written by men and were not the word of God, versus just and 7% of Evangelical Churches, who instead rightly affirm its full inspiration of God.^

• Catholics broke with their Church's teachings more than most other groups, with just six out of 10 Catholics affirming that God is "a person with whom people can have a relationship", and three in 10 describing God as an "impersonal force." 2008 The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. http://religions.pewforum.org/comparisons#

• Almost a third of Catholics surveyed, including 15 percent of highly committed church members, said one could be a good Catholic without believing Jesus rose from the dead. http://blogs.thearda.com/trend/featured/counting-catholics-church-of-immigrants-poised-for-growth/

• 66% of Catholics supported women's ordination to the priesthood, and 73% approved of the way John Paul II leads the church. Surveying the Religious Landscape: Trends in U.S. Beliefs by George Gallup, Jr. and D. Michael Lindsay (Morehouse Publishing, 1999). Copyright © 2004 -- The Gallup Organization www.gallup.com

• 80% of Catholics believe it is possible to disagree with the pope on official positions on morality and still be a good Catholic. Time/CNN nationwide poll of 1,000 adults, conducted by Yankelovich Partners, Sept. 27-28, 1995; subsample of 500 Catholics, MOE ± 4.5%

• 77% of Catholics polled "believe a person can be a good Catholic without going to Mass every Sunday, 65 percent believe good Catholics can divorce and remarry, and 53 percent believe Catholics can have abortions and remain in good standing. 1999 poll by the National Catholic Reporter. http://www.catholictradition.org/v2-bombs14b.htm

• Comparing Catholics and other Americans, 44% of Catholics claimed to be "absolutely committed" to their faith versus 54% of the entire adult population, and donated about 17% less money to churches; was 38% less likely than the average American to read the Bible; 67% less likely to attend a Sunday school class; 20% less likely to share their faith in Christ with someone who had different beliefs; 24% less likely to say their religious faith has greatly transformed their life; and were 36% less likely to have an "active faith," (defined as reading the Bible, praying and attending a church service during the prior week.) Yet Catholics were 16% more likely than the norm to attend a church service and 8% more likely to have prayed to God during the prior week. Catholics Have Become Mainstream America, Barna research, July 9, 2007 https://www.barna.org/barna-update/faith-spirituality/100-catholics-have-become-mainstream-america#.VDZOGDRxnGg

• MORAL VIEWS AND BEHAVIORS

• 40% Roman Catholics vs. 41% Non-R.C. see abortion as "morally acceptable"; Sex between unmarried couples: 67% vs. 57%; Baby out of wedlock: 61% vs. 52%; Homosexual relations: 54% vs. 45%; Gambling: 72% vs. 59% http://www.gallup.com/poll/117154/Catholics-Similar-Mainstream-Abortion-Stem-Cells.aspx

• Committed Roman Catholics (church attendance weekly or almost) versus Non-R.C. faithful church goers (see the below as as morally acceptable): Abortion: 24% R.C. vs. 19% Non-R.C.; Sex between unmarried couples: 53% vs. 30%; Baby out of wedlock: 48% vs. 29%; Homosexual relations: 44% vs. 21%; Gambling: 67% vs. 40%; Divorce: 63 vs. 46% ^

• Comparing 16 moral behaviors, Catholics were less likely to say mean things about people behind their back, and tending to engage in recycling more. However, they were also twice as likely to view pornographic content on the Internet, and were more prone to use profanity, to gamble, and to buy lottery tickets. ^

• In a survey asking whether one approves or rejects or overall sees little consequence (skeptical) to society regarding seven trends on the family (More: unmarried couples raising children; gay and lesbian couples raising children; single women having children without a male partner to help raise them; people living together without getting married; mothers of young children working outside the home; people of different races marrying each other; and more women not ever having children), 42% of all Protestants were “Rejecters” of the modern trend, 35% were Skeptics, and 23% were “Approvers.” Among Catholics, 27% were Rejecters, 34% were Approvers, and 39% were Skeptics. (Among non religious, 10% were Rejecters, 48% were Approvers, and 42% were Skeptics.) Pew forum, The Public Renders a Split Verdict On Changes in Family Structure, February 16, 2011 http://pewsocialtrends.org/2011/02/16/the-public-renders-a-split-verdict-on-changes-in-family-structure/#prc_jump

• 50 percent of Protestants affirmed gambling was a sin, versus 15 percent of Catholics; that getting drunk was a sin: 63 percent of Protestants, 28 percent of Catholics; gossip: 70 percent to 45 percent: homosexual activity or sex: 72 percent to 42 percent. Ellison Research, March 11, 2008 http://ellisonresearch.com/releases/20080311.htm http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080312/study-behaviors-americans-consider-sinful.htm

• Combined aggregate results from 9 surveys conducted from 2001 through 2004 show 71% of Protestants (68% of regular church goers) and 66% of Catholics (59% of regular Catholic church-goers) support capital punishment. http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/gallup-poll-who-supports-death-penalty

• 73 percent of Catholics rejected Catholic teaching artificial methods of birth control. Catholic World Report; 1997 survey of 1,000 Catholic Americans by Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at the University of Connecticut

• Only 20 percent strongly agreed with the Church teaching that only men may be ordained. ^

• Of never-married adult females, 25% of Evangelicals, 11% of Catholics and 14% of Mainline Protestants professed never to be have had sexual relations. Countering Conventional Wisdom: New Evidence on Religion and Contraceptive Use, Guttmacher Institute, April. 2011

• 74% of Evangelicals, 73% of Mainline Protestants, and 68% of sexually active Catholics women use birth control. 3% of the Catholics rely on natural family planning. Attendance at religious services and importance of religion to daily life are largely unrelated to use of highly effective contraceptive methods. ^

• 88% of Catholics believe that they can practice artificial means of birth control and still be considered good Catholics. New York Times/CBS News poll, Apr. 21-23, 1994, subsample of 446 Catholics, MOE ± 5%

• 31% of faithful Catholics (those who attend church weekly, 2004) say abortion should be legal either in "many" or in "all" cases. 2004, The Gallup Organization Gallup Survey for Catholics Speak Out: 802 Catholics, May 1992, MOE ± 4%

• When ask to choose, three-fourths of all Protestant pastors surveyed said [2009] they are pro-life, and 13 percent said they were pro-choice. LifeWay Research; http://www.lifeway.com/ArticleView?storeId=10054&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&article=LifeWay-Research-protestant-pastors-share-views-on-gay-marriage-abortion

• In a 2010 LifeWay Research survey 77 percent of American Protestant pastors (57% of mainline versus 87% evangelical) strongly disagree with same-sex marriage, with 6% percent somewhat disagreeing, and 5% being somewhat in agreement and 10 percent strongly agreeing. (5% of evangelical).

• Only 3% of evangelical pastors (versus 11% mainline) somewhat agree that there is nothing wrong with homosexual marriage.

• 11% of evangelical pastors (versus 30% mainline) somewhat agree that homosexual civil unions are acceptable, with 67% of the former and 38% of the latter strongly disagreeing with homosexual civil unions. October 2010 LifeWay Research survey of 1,000 randomly selected Protestant pastors. http://www.lifeway.com/ArticleView?storeId=10054&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&article=LifeWay-Research-protestant-pastors-oppose-homosexual-marriage

• A 2002 nationwide poll of 1,854 priests in the United States and Puerto Rico reported that 30% of Roman Catholic priests described themselves as Liberal, 28% as Conservative, and 37% as Moderate in their Religious ideology. 53 percent responded that they thought it always was a sin for unmarried people to have sexual relations; 32 percent that is often was, and 9 percent seldom/never. However, nearly four in 10 younger priests in 2002 described themselves as conservative, and were more likely to regard as "always a sin" such acts as premarital sex, abortion, artificial birth control, homosexual relations, etc., and three-fourths said they were more religiously orthodox than their older counterparts. Los Angeles Times (extensive) nationwide survey (2002). http://www.bishop-accountability.org/resources/resource-files/reports/LAT-Priest-Survey.pdf http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1141/is_2_39/ai_94129129/pg_2

• The survey also found that 80% of Roman Catholic priests referred to themselves as “mostly” heterosexual in orientation, with 67% being exclusively heterosexual, 8% leaning toward heterosexual, 5% completely in the middle, and 6% leaning toward homosexual and 9% saying they are homosexual, for a combined figure of 15% on the homosexual class. Among younger priests (those ordained for 20 years or less) the figure was 23%. ^

• 71 percent of priests responded that it always was wrong for a woman to get an abortion, 19 percent that it often was, and 4 percent seldom/never. ^

• 28 percent judged that is always was sin for married couples to use artificial birth control, 25 percent often, 40 percent never. ^

• 49 percent affirmed that it was always a sin to engage in homosexual behavior, often, 25 percent; and never, 19 percent. ^

• To take one's own life if suffering from a debilitating disease: always, 59 percent; often, 18 percent; never, 17 percent. ^

• A combined 15 percent of the clergy polled identified themselves as "gay (9%) > or more (6%) on the homosexual side." Among younger priests 23 percent did so. Los Angeles Times (extensive) nationwide survey (2002). http://www.bishop-accountability.org/resources/resource-files/reports/LAT-Priest-Survey.pdf

• 17 percent of the priests said "definitely" , and 27% said "probably," a homosexual subculture'--defined as a `definite group of persons that has its own friendships, social gatherings and vocabulary'--exists in their diocese or religious order. ^

• After examining the official web sites of 244 Catholic universities and colleges in America, the TFP Student Action found that 107 – or 43% have pro-homosexual clubs. TFP Student Action Dec. 6. 2011; studentaction.org/get-involved/online-petitions/pro-homosexual-clubs-at-107-catholic-colleges/print.html

• 39 percent of Roman Catholics and 79 percent of born-again, evangelical or fundamentalist American Christians affirm that homosexual behavior is sinful. LifeWay (SBC) Research study, released Wednesday. 2008 LifeWay Research study. http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080606/survey-americans-divided-on-homosexuality-as-sin.htm

• 79 percent of American Jews, 58 percent of Catholics and 56 percent of mainline Protestants favor acceptance of homosexuality, versus 39 percent of members of historically black churches, 27 percent of Muslims and 26 percent of the evangelical Protestants. U.S. U.S. Religious landscape survey; Copyright © 2008 The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. http://religions.pewforum.org/comparisons#

• 56% of Catholics overall (and 46% of the general public) believe that sexual relations between two adults of the same gender is not a sin, while 39%. of Catholics say homosexual behavior is morally wrong, (versus 76% of white evangelicals and 66% of black Protestants, and 40% of Mainline Protestants). 41% of Catholics do not consider homosexual behavior to be a moral issue. (Pew Research Center, Religion & Politics Survey, 2009; PRRI/RNS Religion News Survey, October 2010; http://publicreligion.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Catholics-and-LGBT-Issues-Survey-Report.pdf)

• Catholics testify [2010] to showing more support (in numbers) for legal recognitions of same-sex relationships than members of any other Christian tradition, and Americans overall. Almost three-quarters of Catholics favor either allowing gay and lesbian people to marry or allowing them to form civil unions (43% and 31% respectively). Only 22% of Catholics said there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple’s relationship. (PRRI, Pre-­-election American Values Survey, 9/2010; http://publicreligion.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Catholics-and-LGBT-Issues-Survey-Report.pdf.)

• This 2010 survey of more than 3,000 adults found that 41% of White American Catholics, 45% of Latino Catholics (versus 16 percent of White evangelical Christians, and 23% of Black Protestants) supported the rights of same-sex couples to marry, and 36% (22% of Latino Catholics) supported civil unions (versus 24% of White evangelicals, and 25% of Black Protestants). Among the general public the rates were 37 and 27 percent^.

• 19% of White Catholics, 30% of Latino Catholics, 58% of White evangelicals, 52% of Black Protestants and 29% of White Mainline Protestants oppose any legal recognition of homosexual marriage. ^

• 60% of Catholics overall, and 53% of the general public favor allowing homosexual couples to adopt children. ^

• 73% of Catholics favor laws that would protect gay and lesbian people against discrimination in the workplace, and 63% favor allowing homosexuals to serve openly in the military. For the general public the figures are 68% and 58% respectively. ^

• 49% of Catholics and 45% of the general public agree that homosexuals should be eligible for ordination with no special requirements. ^

• Among Catholics who attend services regularly (weekly or more), 31% say there should be no legal recognition for homosexual relationships (marriage or civil unions), with 26% favoring allowing gay and lesbian people to marry, versus 43% of Catholics who attend once or twice a month, and 59% of Catholics who attend a few times a year or less favoring allowance of homosexual marriage. ^

• 27% of Catholics who attend church services regularly say their clergy speak about the issue of homosexuality, with 63% of this group saying the messages they hear are negative. ^

• 48% of white evangelical Protestants oppose letting homosexuals serve openly in the military, with 34% supporting this proposal, versus 63% of Catholics (66% of white) supporting and 23% opposing. Pew forum, November 29, 2010, http://pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Issues/Gay_Marriage_and_Homosexuality/gays%20in%20military%20full%20report.pdf POLITICAL-MORAL VIEWS AND AFFILIATION

• 82% of White evangelicals (blacks make up 6% of evangelicals, and 15% of all blacks), along with 84% of Orthodox Jews overall, versus 38% of Catholics and 16% of no-religion Jews, affirmed that God gave the land of Israel to the Jews. 50% of White evangelicals disagree that Israel and an independent Palestinian state can coexist peacefully. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/10/03/more-white-evangelicals-than-american-jews-say-god-gave-israel-to-the-jewish-people/

• 46% of white evangelical Protestants, versus 20% of Catholics, say that the U.S. is not providing enough support for Israel. 22% of Catholics think the level of support for Israel is to high, versus just 12% of White evangelicals . http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/02/27/strong-support-for-israel-in-u-s-cuts-across-religious-lines/

• A study which broke down Mainline Protestants, Evangelical Protestants, and non-Hispanic Catholics into the three subgroups of traditionalists, centrists, and modernists, found that 5.3 percent of the population qualified as traditionalist Catholic, 5.4 percent as centrist Catholics, and 4.9 percent of were modernist Catholics. The Henry Institute, A Pre-Election Analysis http://www.calvin.edu/henry/civic/CivicRespGrant/rel&08election.doc

• 21 percent, centrist Catholics agreed 54 to 40 percent, and modernist Catholics agreed 80-16 percent. ^

• 99% of Protestant pastors who hold to very conservative theology strongly disagree that homosexual marriage should be legal, with 98% also describing themselves as pro-life, and of such 98 percent strongly agree with the statement "Our church considers Scripture to be the authority for our church and our lives." Among pastors who do not strongly disagree that gay marriage should be legal, 71 percent said they agreed with the above affirmation, as well as 65% of pro-choice pastors (three-fourths of all Protestant pastors surveyed said they are pro-life). LifeWay Research; http://www.lifeway.com/ArticleView?storeId=10054&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&article=LifeWay-Research-protestant-pastors-share-views-on-gay-marriage-abortion

• Evangelical Protestants are the most politically conservative Christian tradition. Within each tradition, those with literal views of the Bible are more politically conservative than is their tradition overall. Catholics that are Biblical literalists (11.8%) hold more conservative political views than the Catholic population in general does. The Biblical literalist Catholic is as politically conservative as the Biblical literalist who is Evangelical (47.8%) or Mainline Protestant. (11.2%) American Piety in the 21st Century, Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/33304.pdf

• 72% of Catholics said that the will of the American people should have more influence than the Bible on US law, as compared to 63% of the general public. Pew Research Center, "Pragmatic Americans Liberal and Conservative on Social Issues," August 3, 2006, http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/283.pdf (accessed June 24, 2008).

• In 2011, 70% of [white?] evangelicals considered themselves Republican or leaned toward that party, versus 24% Democrat. http://www.pewforum.org/Politics-and-Elections/Trends-in-Party-Identification-of-Religious-Groups.aspx

• 48% of Catholics considered themselves Democrats or leaned toward that party, 43% Republican or leaned thereto. ^

• 91% of faculty and administrators from America’s top 23 Catholic universities who contributed to presidential campaigns in 2012 gave to President Obama. 89.6% of all 928 donors contributed to Obama, versus 10.3% who gave to Romney. Employees of the Catholic schools contributed $449,229 to President Obama while giving just $70,304 to Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Of the 826 individuals who donated over $200 to the two major candidates, 748 gave to President Obama’s campaign while 78 contributed to Romney. Based on official Federal Election Commission data made available by OpenSecrets.org; http://www.campusreform.org/blog/?ID=4529

• Based upon exit polling, 74 percent of Evangelicals voted for McCain in 2008, with 25 percent for Obama. (Another measure which put the percentage of US evangelicals at 23 percent, with 73 percent voting for McCain, 26 percent for Obama.) http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=367

• Catholics overall supported Obama over McCain by a nine-point margin (54% vs. 45%) ^

• Exit polls in 2008 reported that weekly churchgoing Catholics voted for John McCain over Barack Obama, by just 50 percent to 49 percent. Weekly Protestant church attendees voted for McCain over Barack Obama 66 to 32 percent. http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/churchgoing_catholics_chose_mccain_over_obama/

[daniel1212]

Could you delete post #1 as i posted a reformatted form in #7 ? Thanks

[redleghunter]

32) Q4B Next, we are interested in your opinions on several issues that involve the moral authority in the Catholic Church. In each case we would like to know who you think should have the final say about what is right or wrong... A Catholic practicing contraceptive birth control 1) Church leaders 10.4 2) Individuals 65.5 3) Both 23.0

33) Q4C... A Catholic advocating free choice regarding abortion 1) Church leaders 18.1 2) Individuals 52.0 3) Both 28.6

35) Q4E.. Sexual relations outside of marriage 1) Church leaders 15.3 2) Individuals 54.6 3) Both 28.8

43) Q8 Catholic bishops often speak out about politics and elections, as well as about policy issues like health care, abortion, immigration, and foreign affairs. Which one of the following best describes how you typically respond to bishops’ statements in these areas? 1) The bishops’ views are irrelevant to my thinking about politics and public policy 31.5 2) I consider what the bishops have to say about politics and public policy, but ultimately I make up my own mind 59.1 3) I try to follow the bishops’ guidance and instructions on political and public policy matters 8.2

Wow what rebellion!!!

[redleghunter]

86) Q18 Which of the following statements best describes the Catholic teaching about the bread and wine used for communion? [compare with question117, Q25D] 1) The bread and wine really become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. 49.9 2) The bread and wine are only symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. 48.5

Within the poll margin of error for being equal. Now I see why the RC eucharist propaganda is large here on FR. It is not to convince Protestants and Evangelicals but to reign in their own 'wayward' unbelieving stock.

[redleghunter]

Data from a variety of researchers indicates that Catholics give one-third to one-half the portion of income that Protestants give. http://www.emptytomb.org/cathgiv.html

To be fair did the stats include money raised by church Bingo:)

[NKP_Vet]

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/protestants-worse-than-catholics-billy-graham-grandson-abuse/

http://www.christianpost.com/news/suicide-more-likely-with-protestants-than-catholics-72128/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/06/19/presbyterians-allow-gay-marriage-ceremonies/10922053/

[metmom]

That was not very subtle.

Anyone could see that as a blatant attempt to find out someone’s denomination.

[BlueDragon]

Thanks for the ping.

68) Q12I..

Without believing that Jesus physically rose from the dead?

1) Yes, can be a good Catholic 29.8

2) No, cannot be a good Catholic 68.9

I wonder how many who answered yes where just being too kind...or thinking of little children or something?

Hey, I'm trying to be generous here. But I guess the good news is that nearly 70% of those surveyed understood the question and the subject matter to indicate the Resurrection be an essential element of Christian faith?

Now...if somehow that same percentage could be persuaded to not continue supporting the Democrat Party.

I'm going to guess that among the 68% who disagreed with the question are the 40% or so who self-identify as Republican.

[Alex Murphy]

Appears pope Francis has got his thumb on the pulse of the Catholic religion...Apparently those on FR are not representative of the current Catholic religion...

I believe you are correct on both counts!

[Elsie]

And for your religion, what are the comparable stats?

Who cares; it's wrong.