An interesting poll result

[dsteele]

This appeared in our local paper today. I thought the questions were well thought out because they seem to give everyone a choice they can live with.

 

Some of the percentages surprised me. I some were smaller than I thought and others were larger.

 

The source of the poll is AP Ipsos-Pubic Affiars pol of 1006 U.S. adults, 1002 Canadian adults, 1000 Mexican; 1014 French, 963 Italian, and 1001 British. Interviews were done in May.

 

To save time, I'm only going to list the US and Italian results. I chose Italian because of the Vatican being there.

 

"Q: Which of the following statements comes closest to expressing what you believe about God?

U.S. Italy

I don't believe in God 2% 6%

 

I don't know whether there

is a God, and I don't believe

there is any way to find out 4% 5%

 

I don't believe in a personal

God, but I do believe in a

Higher Power of some kind 11% 8%

 

I find myself believing in God

some of the time, but not others 2% 10%

 

While I have doubts, I feel that

I do believe in God 10% 18%

 

I know God really exists, and

I have no doubts about it 70% 51%

 

Not sure 1% 2%"

[Eamonn]

Hey Unc,

The Vatican wouldn't be part of Italy.

It is a Country by itself and in its own right.

Kind of like Canada is.

Eamonn.

[dsteele]

Eamonn -- I knew that.

 

However, your comparison doesn't stand. Unlike Canada . . . The Italians have the Vaticans completely surrounded!

 

Unc.

[Eamonn]

The Americans are working on that.

Eamonn

[dsteele]

Eamonn:

 

Quiet! You're going to wake our friendly neighbors to the North. Besides, we can't surround Canada -- you fall off the edge of the earth if you go too far north.

 

Unc.

[evmori]

Yeah but ask the Vatican about the pope & I bet you see the answers reversed!

 

And who want Canada any way? All they got there us snow & beer! OK maybe for the beer!

[scoutldr]

I know how to get to Eamonn...tax his tea!

[acco40]

Vatican City or not, Europe is not as religious as the USA, in a traditional sense. Heck the "holy rollers" left Europe because of religious persecution to come to the US. That is a fairly well known fact. Some countries, like Poland, it is difficult to separate religion and nationality.

[dsteele]

I never should have posted the Italian results and simply stuck to the U.S. responses.

 

I was surprised at those results.

 

Thanks to Acco for letting us know that Europe is less religious than the USA. I hadn't thought of it from that perspective. It's these different perspectives that interest me.

 

As to Canada . . . I agree with Ed.

 

Unc.

[Eamonn]

Hey Ed, what about the other adult beverages? And the pea-meal bacon?

Still now they no longer sing God Save The Queen, they might as well sing about the Star Spangled Banner!!

The Brits know that there is a God, they ask him to look after their Queen. Look what a great job he did with the Queen Mom!!

Eamonn.

[Prairie_Scouter]

Well, I'm not so sure that Europe is less religious than the U.S. They're certainly more liberal in their views on some things, but that doesn't necessarily make them less religious. Maybe the U.S. appears more religious because the conservative element of religion in the U.S. is more vocal? I don't know, really, I'm just not sure what measure you'd use to quantify the U.S. being "more religious".

 

Canada? There's a country up there? I thought that that was all just "Upper Wisconsin"! Darn!