Posted on 08/27/2006 8:21:55 PM PDT by Rawlings
Not surprisingly, the Bible Belt region lives up to its name with states like Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginia containing the highest percentage of those who believe the Bible is literally true. Alabama and Arkansas came out on top as 75% say they believe the Bible is literally true. West Virginia (70%) and Tennessee (68%) are close behind.
The northeast region of our map represents the other extreme. In Vermont and Massachusetts, only 22% of those respondents believe the Bible is literally true—the lowest percentages in all states surveyed.
Earlier this summer, a national survey found that 54% of American adults believe the Bible is literally true.
In Arkansas, the question proves to be one of the rare ones that doesn’t cause divisions along party lines; 83% of Republicans and 75% of Democrats say the believe in the Bible’s literal truth. Seventy-nine percent (79%) of women and 69% of men identify themselves as true believers.
In Alabama, Democrats and Republicans both share high levels of belief on the authenticity and literal truth of the Bible. Women again outnumber men, though by a smaller percentage, 79% to 72%. The states differ, though, when the question is dissected by respondents’ ages. Percentages of those agreeing with the Bible’s authenticity are in the high 70’s across all age demographics for Alabama. In Arkansas, however, percentages are actually higher for younger voters. Eighty-one percent (81%) of those 18-29 and 83% of those 30-39 believe the Bible’s literal truth and then the numbers drop off, hitting a low of 66% for voters ages 50-64.
In Vermont, 37% of GOP voters and only 14% of Democrats say they are believers. Along age lines, the highest percentage of believers are those ages 65 and older (36%.)
In Massachusetts, Republican believers again outnumber Democrats (39% to 17%) Surprisingly, among conservatives in the state, the percentage of those who believe the Bible is true (41%) is outweighed by the percentage who do not (44%.)
As expected, strong connections exist in most of the states surveyed between the percentage of those who answered affirmatively on the Bible question and their positions on abortion and same-sex marriage. See Daily Snapshot to go to tables with a state-by-state breakdown of responses on all three subjects for Premium Members.
The national survey was of all adults. The state surveys consisted of Likely Voter samples. The results may not be directly comparable.
Based on how folks live their lives, I SERIOUSLY doubt anywhere near 50% of americans believe the Bible is literally true.
Dennis Prager needs to get out more.
Interesting. I wonder what the national figures (for men/women) are?
I know that women beat men by about 10 percentage points on overall church attendance. There is actually a book written about this. Apparently, church services are catered to women so men just don't show up. That doesn't make much sense to me.
I'm a statistic!! Yay!! I believe in the Bible (literally) and live in Arkansas.
You think Ann wrote that book for nothing?
No....not the Bible!!!
Her book!
"Godless"
Well, Vermont does have the best CCW laws in the country.
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
To a progressive socialist(liberal doesn't do them justice), ALL pages of the Bible are BLANK.
I don't think you have to go to church to believe the Bible is the word of God.
If you beleive 100% of the Bible is literally true you are unchurched.
Me Too!!!!!!!!! Maybe if they had target practice after church more men would show up.
Your right. I'm talking about believing that the Bible is God's word. Not literal word, necessariy, but His word nonetheless. I think the good people of the South are fine folks and have a great moral code, but theologically I could never roll like that.
No one I know believe the Bible is literally true like the libs like to cry about. I think any evil fundamentalist knows what a parable is.
No one I know believe the Bible is literally true like the libs like to cry about. I think any evil fundamentalist knows what a parable is.
You are too nice to them. To them, all pages of the Bible are poison, as they give false consciousness and perpetuate the oppressions of women, minorities, and non-believers.
Maybe YOU just need to change pastors or churches.
So call me "unchurched"... nothing here or elsewhere has shown me untruths about the word yet.
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