The study divides Americans' beliefs about God into four categories (five if you count the 5% or so dogmatic atheists or convinced agnostics). According to the Baylor survey, the four "Gods" Americans believe in are: the Authoritarian God, the Benevolent God, the Critical God and the Distant God. Yes, "authoritarian" is a word that most often gets taken to mean bad, but in this case, it may be hard to come up with an alternative. Maybe "authoritative" or "paternal" or "stern" would fit.
It's an interesting thesis. On some political issues, "which God" one believes in doesn't have much of an effect, at least in so far as the big "the environment should be protected, yes or no" questions. On other issues it looks as though the believers in the Critical or Distant God (where I've sort of found myself lately) tend to be more liberal than believers in the "Authoritarian God" or even the Benevolent God. That troubles me a little.
As for Derbyshire, I think he tells us way too much about himself. It's hard not to lose some respect him at this point.
Thanks, x, for the links. I think the two fundamental questions that drive politics are Who am I? and Who is God? (Hat tip: Leo Strauss). Surveys that count the spirits are, I think, evidence of a strange duel between God and Man.
I am interested as to why you have that sensibility. I found his essay thoughtful and candid, warts and all. I am not quite on his page (particularly about religion in the public square and his ignoring the tremendous changes that have occurred in Catholicism, and among Catholics, with and since Vatican II - yes the Church really did comes to terms with democracy, liberty and individual conscience IMO), but not far from it.