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SALT LAKE CITY -- A majority of Americans do not want guns allowed in churches, according to a new poll taken after shootings in a theater in Aurora, Colo., and at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisc.
When it comes to gun control in general, Americans are divided.
Seventy-six percent of survey respondents said concealed weapons should not be allowed in churches; 20 percent disagreed, according to Religion News Services.
The poll was released by the Public Religion Research Institute and conducted in partnership with Religion News Service.
"Although the issue of gun control tends to divide Americans by party, gender, region and race, there is broad agreement among the public that there are some places where concealed weapons should be off limits," said Daniel Cox, PRRI's research director.
The poll also shows 52 percent of Americans favors passing stricter gun laws, while 44 percent are opposed. Just 35 percent of white evangelicals support stricter gun control, compared to 62 percent of Catholics and 60 percent of the religiously unaffiliated.
When it comes to preventing mass shootings, such as those in Colorado and Wisconsin, 20 percent of respondents felt a greater emphasis on God and morality in school and society would help best.
The poll of 1,006 Americans was conducted Aug. 8-12 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
