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SALT LAKE CITY — Most Americans believe religion is losing influence in the U.S., according to a recent Gallup poll. However, 75 percent of those surveyed said society would be better off if more Americans were religious.
Researchers asked two questions: "Do you think religion as a whole is increasing its influence on American life or losing its influence?" and "If more Americans were religious, would that be positive or negative for American society?"
The poll shows 77 percent of respondents said religion is losing its influence on American life, while 20 percent said religion's influence is increasing.
Researchers said that's the most negative evaluation of the impact of religion since 1970, although it's not much different from views measured in recent years.
Also:
- Poll results on whether religion is losing its influence on society do not reflect changes in participants' personal religiosity (as measured by church attendance or self-reported importance of religion in their lives).
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"In general, highly religious Americans are neither more nor less likely to say religion is losing its influence than those who are not religious," Gallup said.
- Liberals and Democrats are more likely than conservatives and Republicans to say religion's influence is increasing in American society.
- Those who attend church regularly and feel religion is important in their own lives are much more likely to say society would improve with more religious Americans.
- However, more than half of those who seldom or never attend church, and almost one in three who said religion is not important to them personally, still say society would be better off if more Americans were religious. The poll was based on telephone interviews conducted May 2-7, with a random sample of 1,535 adults in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
