NewsweekBeliefnet Poll Results

In early August, 2005, Newsweek and Beliefnet asked 1,004 Americans what they believe and how they practice their faith. Read the complete results or choose a question from the index below:

Can a good person who isn't of your religious faith go to heaven or attain salvation, or not?
	Yes	No	Don't know
Evangelical Protestants	68%	22%	10%
Non-Evangelical Protestants	83%	10%	7%
Catholics	91%	3%	6%
Non-Christians	73%	3%	24%
Total	79%	12%	9%

Which best describes you?
	Age
	18-39	40-59	60+	Total
Spiritual but not religious	27%	28%	15%	24%
Religious but not spiritual	10%	8%	8%	9%
Religious & spiritual	48%	56%	66%	55%
Not spiritual/ not religious	11%	5%	6%	8%
Don't know	4%	3%	5%	4%

How important is spirituality in your daily life?
	Age
	18-39	40-59	60+	Total
Very important	44%	63%	66%	57%
Somewhat important	32%	27%	20%	27%
Not too important	11%	4%	5%	7%
Not at all Important	11%	5%	5%	7%
Don't know	2%	1%	4%	2%

How would you categorize your faith?
	Age
	18-39	40-59	60+	Total
Total Christian	77%	90%	91%	85%
Evangelical Protestant	28%	36%	36%	33%
Non-Evangelical Protestant	23%	25%	28%	25%
Roman Catholic	22%	22%	22%	22%
Mormon	2%	1%	1%	1%
Orthodox Church	<1%>	1%	<1%>	<1%>
Other Christian	2%	5%	4%	4%
Total Non-Christian	7%	4%	4%	5%
Jewish	1%	2%	2%	1%
Muslim	2%	0%	0%	1%
Hindu	1%	<1%>	1%	1%
Buddhist	1%	1%	<1%>	1%
Other religion	2%	1%	1%	1%
Athiest/Agnostic/No Religion	9%	5%	3%	6%
Religion Undesignated	7%	1%	2%	4%

How would you compare your religion today to the religion in which you were raised?
	Age
	18-39	40-59	60+	Total
The same	37%	41%	35%	38%
Mostly the same	28%	31%	33%	30%
Mostly Different	9%	7%	13%	9%
Completely different	10%	14%	11%	11%
Not raised in any religion	5%	2%	1%	3%
Became an atheist/agnostic	4%	4%	3%	4%
Don't know	7%	1%	4%	5%

If you have brothers or sisters, is their religion today the same as that with which they were raised?
Religion is the same/mostly the same	62%
Changed religion or stopped practicing religion	23%
Don't have any (living) siblings	8%
Not raised in any religion	1%
Don't know	6%

Is your spouse's/partner's religion the same as your religion?
The same	70%
Mostly the same	14%
Mostly different	5%
Completely different	10%
Spouse/partner is atheist/agnostic/ has no religion	1%
Don't know	<1%>

In terms of the way you practice your religion today, how do you think of yourself?
	Age
	18-39	40-59	60+	Total
Very traditional	22%	25%	34%	27%
Somewhat traditional	40%	47%	43%	44%
Not traditional	29%	18%	9%	19%
On the cutting edge	6%	7%	6%	6%
Don't Know	3%	3%	8%	4%

	Evang. Prot.	Non-Evang. Prot.	Cath.	Other
Very traditional	38%	19%	21%	14%
Somewhat traditional	38%	48%	52%	36%
Not traditional	12%	23%	20%	37%
On the cutting edge	7%	5%	3%	12%
Don't Know	5%	5%	4%	1%

How important are the following reasons for practicing your religion today?
1. To connect with something larger than yourself
Very important	55%
Somewhat important	24%
Not too important	8%
Not at all important	6%
Don't know	7%

2. To find happiness and peace of mind
Very important	70%
Somewhat important	21%
Not too important	4%
Not at all important	3%
Don't know	2%

3. To forge a personal relationship with God
Very important	75%
Somewhat important	16%
Not too important	4%
Not at all important	4%
Don't know	1%

4. To give your life meaning and structure
Very important	63%
Somewhat important	24%
Not too important	6%
Not at all important	4%
Don't know	3%

5. To be a part of a community
Very important	39%
Somewhat important	33%
Not too important	13%
Not at all important	13%
Don't know	2%

6. To help you be a better person and live a moral life
Very important	75%
Somewhat important	19%
Not too important	2%
Not at all important	2%
Don't know	2%

When do people feel most connected with God or the divine?
Read more poll results >>

Which of the following would you say is the main reason you practice your religion? (among traditional and non-traditional practitioners)
	Trad.	Non-Trad.	Total
To forge a personal relationship with God	44%	28%	39%
To help you be a better person and live a moral life	31%	27%	30%
To find happiness and peace of mind	17%	17%	17%
To connect with something larger than yourself	10%	9%	10%
To give your life meaning and structure	8%	11%	8%
To be part of a community	3%	3%	3%
Other reason	1%	0%	1%
No main reason	5%	19%	10%
Don't know	2%	1%	2%

How often do you do each of the following religious and spiritual activities?
1. Attend church or worship services
Every day	2%
Several times a week	13%
Once a week	30%
Once or twice a month	15%
A few times a year	13%
Seldom	14%
Never	12%
Don't know	1%

2. Participate in a spiritual activity not connected with a traditional church or house of worship
Every day	21%
Several times a week	11%
Once a week	11%
Once or twice a month	14%
A few times a year	9%
Seldom	12%
Never	19%
Don't know	3%

3. Read the Bible, Koran, or other sacred text
Every day	20%
Several times a week	13%
Once a week	12%
Once or twice a month	11%
A few times a year	9%
Seldom	16%
Never	17%
Don't know	2%

4. Pray
Every day	64%
Several times a week	10%
Once a week	5%
Once or twice a month	4%
A few times a year	2%
Seldom	6%
Never	8%
Don't know	1%

5. Meditate
Every day	29%
Several times a week	10%
Once a week	6%
Once or twice a month	4%
A few times a year	2%
Seldom	10%
Never	36%
Don't know	3%

In which instance do you feel most connected with God or the divine?
When praying or meditating	40%
When in nature	21%
When in a house of worship	21%
When praying with others	6%
When reading a sacred text	2%
None of these	6%
Don't know	4%

Do you believe the universe was created by God, or not created by God?
Created by God	80%
Not created by God	10%
Don't believe in God	1%
Don't know	9%

What do you think is the most important purpose of prayer?
To seek God's guidance	27%
To thank God	23%
To be close to God or the divine	19%
To help others	13%
To improve a person's life	9%
Other	4%
Don't know	5%

Which best describes your views about what happens when someone dies? (among traditional and non-traditional practitioners)
	Trad.	Non-Trad.	Total
It'a all over, there is no soul	3%	6%	6%
The soul goes to heaven or hell	79%	59%	67%
There is no heaven or hell, but the soul lives on in a spiritual realm	9%	17%	13%
The soul is reincarnated into another being	2%	8%	5%
Don't know	7%	10%	9%

How often do you explore spiritual ideas or practices of other religious faiths in addition to your own?
	Evang. Prot.	Non-Evang. Prot.	Cath.	Other	All
Often	7%	6%	8%	17%	8%
Some- times	23%	25%	27%	31%	24%
Hardly ever	33%	31%	28%	32%	31%
Never	35%	37%	36%	12%	35%
Don't know	2%	1%	1%	8%	2%