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.
Right on!
I testified for the veracity of the Bible before I testified against it.
The churches here in MA can be very leftist.
I'd much prefer to be friendly with New England atheists or bible belt Christians, but neither the reverse if you switched those states around.
Because those reverses probably consider themselves vunerable, maligned minorities in their states (not connected to people group (racial) minorities). A Christian in the Northeast could be derided by atheists, and atheists in the South could be derided by Christians (though the Christians should pray for them, not deride them).
Bad news for the dems - now AND in the future. Wait. . . isn't Clintoon from Arkansas?
I agree with you. Catholics, who make up over 20% of the population do not believe in literal translation of the bible. I don't know alot about protestant churches, but there are at least a few denominations that don't believe the Bible to be literally true. Possibly this is bad reporting. At one point the article says literally true and another point refers to believing the Bible is true. There is a big difference between truth and literal truth.
Yeah. And while Arkansas is a red state it is not exactly smokin' hot conservative. I don't get that at all.
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Catholics, who make up over 20% of the population do not believe in literal translation of the bible
Like you said "BAD REPORTING" ... and even worse ... repeating bad reporting.
Dr Laura's biggest pet-peeve was, if I remmber correctly - gossip. The "bad reporting" is nothing but ignorant malicious gossip.
Because the Democrats PRETEND to be conservatives and the Republicans aren't much better. It's called being POLITICIANS who are basically a bunch of LIARS.
"However, more paradoxical are those Christians who are liberal"
Communism is taken from commune or community - most of the communist manifesto was plagerized from the Church's Dogma.
A true Christian who believes wholeheartedly and LITERALLY is by definition, a communist.
NOT what passes for communism today - such as from the Soviet Union or China and other states. There is a difference bwtween "The Sacred & the Profane" - the Church's "commune" is sacred ... whereas the state's communism is profane.
Before the flames - think about it. What the Bible says, What Jesus said, What the Church teaches.
There is only one problem with "secular communism" and that is people. People are flawed - they are greedy, they are cruel, they are sinful.
That is why we wait for Christ's Return.
You beleive there was a good samaritan?
Ah, I do love titles that make their points well.
bump for later
In Vermont and Massachusetts, only 22% of those respondents believe the Bible is literally true—the lowest percentages in all states surveyed.
And that's where all the homo's live.
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