Saturday, December 30, 2006

Religion Important for Americans, Italians says Angus Poll

The ANNOTICO Report

 

It is important to note that this Poll covered ONLY the US, and the 5 major European Nations, (Western Civilization?:), and Excluded Canada, and the rest of the Western Hemisphere, plus Eastern  and South west Europe, the Mid East, Africa, Asia, etc.

 

Religion Important for Americans, Italians

Angus Reid Global Monitor

December 30, 2006

 

The United States and Italy are the two countries where a majority of people express faith in a supreme being, according to a six-country poll by Harris Interactive published in the Financial Times. 73 per cent of Americans and 62 per cent of Italians describe themselves as believers.

Spain is next on the list with 48 per cent, followed by Germany with 41 per cent, Britain with 35 per cent and France with 27 per cent. Britain had the largest number of agnostics at 35 per cent, while France topped the list of atheists with 32 per cent. In Germany, 10 per cent of respondents declined to answer the question.

When asked whether a national government should actively legislate against religious blasphemy, Italy holds the top position with 58 per cent, followed by Spain with 46 per cent, France with 42 per cent, Germany with 41 per cent, Britain with 37 per cent, and the U.S. with 31 per cent.

In the question of inter-religious marriage, 21 per cent of respondents in Italy say they would stop their children from marrying persons of a different faith. Rejection is lower in all of the other nations surveyed.

While 88 per cent of all Italians are Roman Catholics, only 37 per cent identify themselves as active members.

Polling Data

Thinking now about religion, would you say that you are a?

 

BRI

FRA

ITA

ESP

GER

USA

Believer in any form of God or
any type of supreme being

35%

27%

62%

48%

41%

73%

Agnostic (one who is sceptical
about the existence of God but
not an atheist)

35%

32%

20%

30%

25%

14%

Atheist (one who denies
the existence of God)

17%

32%

7%

11%

20%

4%

Would prefer not to say

6%

6%

8%

8%

10%

6%

Not sure

7%

4%

3%

3%

4%

3%

Do you feel that governments should legislate against religious blasphemy, such as depriving something of its sacred character (for example, burning a bible or the Koran)?"

 

BRI

FRA

ITA

ESP

GER

USA

Yes

37%

42%

58%

46%

41%

31%

No

41%

41%

28%

42%

40%

52%

Not sure

22%

17%

15%

12%

19%

17%

Would you object to your son or daughter marrying someone of a different religious faith?

 

BRI

FRA

ITA

ESP

GER

USA

Yes

10%

7%

21%

7%

13%

14%

No

73%

74%

54%

74%

69%

70%

Would prefer not to say

3%

4%

6%

6%

6%

3%

Not sure

14%

14%

19%

13%

12%

12%

Source: Harris Interactive / Financial Times
Methodology: Online interviews with 12,507 adults in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United States, conducted from Nov. 30 to Dec. 15, 2006. Margin of error for individual countries is 3 per cent.

 

The ANNOTICO Reports

Can be Viewed, and are Archived at:

Italia USA: http://www.ItaliaUSA.com (Formerly Italy at St Louis)

Italia Mia: http://www.ItaliaMia.com

Annotico Email: annotico@earthlink.net