Polls show that Americans are devoted to their religion than Europeans.

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Religious devotion sets the United States apart from some of its closest allies. Americans profess unquestioning belief in God and are far more willing to mix faith and politics than people in other countries, AP-Ipsos polling found.

In Western Europe, where Pope Benedict XVI complains that growing secularism has left churches unfilled on Sundays, people are the least devout among the 10 countries surveyed for The Associated Press by Ipsos.

Only Mexicans come close to Americans in embracing faith, the poll found. But unlike Americans, Mexicans strongly object to clergy lobbying lawmakers, in line with the nation's historical opposition to church influence.

"In the United States, you have an abundance of religions trying to motivate Americans to greater involvement," said Roger Finke, a sociologist at Penn State University. "It's one thing that makes a tremendous difference here."

The polling was conducted in May in the United States, Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, South Korea and Spain.

Nearly all U.S. respondents said faith is important to them and only 2 percent said they do not believe in God. Almost 40 percent said religious leaders should try to sway policymakers, notably higher than in other countries.

"Our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian policies and religious leaders have an obligation to speak out on public policy, otherwise they're wimps," said David Black, a retiree from Osborne, Pa., who agreed to be interviewed after he was polled.

In contrast, 85 percent of French object to clergy activism — the strongest opposition of any nation surveyed. France has strict curbs on public religious expression and, according to the poll, 19 percent are atheists. South Korea is the only other nation with that high a percentage of nonbelievers.

History also could be a factor.

Many countries other than the United States have been through bloody religious conflict that contributes to their suspicion of giving clergy any say in policy.

A variety of factors contribute to the sentiment about separating religion and politics.

in anicase, it shows that we are more devoted to our faith, and we should not be ashamed to reveal our faith in this modern world where others believe it is abdomination to show yer faith.

Originally posted by deltaboy
in anicase, it shows that we are more devoted to our faith, and we should not be ashamed to reveal our faith in this modern world where others believe it is abdomination to show yer faith.

Our brothers and sisters from across the pond I would say are more liberal-minded, in general.

I'm sure there are many who are just as devoted to their faith as some of us here are. Just look at the Irish (Catholics & Protostants) how they have clashed through the years. That's pretty passionate.

We'd be wise to think about something.. just b/c people tell everyone they're the faithful, doesn't necessarily make them so. Many people who believe they will get a first class ticket to the kingdom of heaven are going to be quite shocked when it doesn't happen.

If you look at our older generations here in the USA, you will find that there were two things they expressly avoided discussing: God and who they voted for. My grandma (who's in her 80's) is as tightlipped as a butter clam right outta the water.

I would not judge the strength of someones faith by whether they mix it with politics or not. I do think American's are more willing to keep some basic foundations started in this country and those happen to include the name God in them. There is a time and place for religion in everything we do and the key is not to go to such an extreme as to end up defeating the who intention of the religion.

I think if most people just look at the basics of religion and humanity, being considerate and kind to each other is the key. I also think that our country was partly built with religion as its base and to just try and toss it out of parts of our lifes is not necessary. Balance and moderation.

This country sure is a strange thing. Over half of Americans claim they believe in God - at least. Believing in God and actually living FOR God are two different things, tho, sometimes. So many people pay lip service to it.

Maybe folks in Western Europe have the same level of faith and they just don't talk about it so much.

I will have to agree on the lip service thing. Nothing is worse than walking out of church with fellow members then hearing a member use a racial slur. I had that happen once and couldn't believe it. Maybe if we learned to practice what we preach in most aspects of our lives we might see some improvement.

Very interesting to know that Americans have more devotion to Christianity than Europe, perhaps one of the reasons it of this is how the US including our president seems to make a point of how Christian the US is.

Also whenever US gets involve in the world it also make sure that other nations are aware of the fact of the Christianity of our nation.

Originally posted by Memorialday1999
I will have to agree on the lip service thing. Nothing is worse than walking out of church with fellow members then hearing a member use a racial slur. I had that happen once and couldn't believe it. Maybe if we learned to practice what we preach in most aspects of our lives we might see some improvement.

Perzactly!

My grandpa left church one day, heard some guys talkin smack about a nuther member and it made him so mad he never went back. If Grandpa couldn't stand one thing, it was a hypocrit. Amen brotha.

Originally posted by marg6043
Very interesting to know that Americans have more devotion to Christianity than Europe, perhaps one of the reasons it of this is how the US including our president seems to make a point of how Christian the US is.

I hate to say this, but our behavior in foreign policy the last several years had been ANYTHING BUT Christian. It's pathetic.

He, he, ECK my post was mean to be a littler bit on the satire, you know and I guess you got my point.

Originally posted by marg6043
He, he, ECK my post was mean to be a littler bit on the satire, you know and I guess you got my point.

Alwayz, Marg.

You know, if you look at Europe's stand on the war (pre-invasion), on the whole, as opposed to our view, you'd have to say it was Europe who took the more Christian stand.

EastCoast kneels, raises shield for incoming flames.

[edit on 6/20/05 by EastCoastKid]

To be honest i think America has used religion just as much as the Islamic extremists have to further their cause. God must be thinking thats not my way but cant interfere. If you want to kill each other , don't do it in the name of God as it sucks.

Originally posted by Bulldog 52
To be honest i think America has used religion just as much as the Islamic extremists have to further their cause. God must be thinking thats not my way but cant interfere. If you want to kill each other , don't do it in the name of God as it sucks.

As my friend Rauoul likes to say, "Jesus, save me from your followers."

Im not a Christian, yet Im very devoted to my own faith, and one thing I dont believe in is mixing my religous beliefs with politics. I sure as hell do not approve of pagan groups lobbying the government for pagan agendas, unless they are non religous common sense ones. I would absolutely oppose any attempt at pagan religous groups trying to influence politics.

If Americans are so eager to push their religous beliefs on everyone else through the government, then we are really no better than the fundie government in the middle east. They are just as "devoted" to their religous beliefs mixing with politics. Just ask the afghanis and Saudis.

Funny, they didn't poll me.


polls are so selective.

Originally posted by deltaboy
"Our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian policies .

Does anybody know what the judeo christian policies were before America was created?

ps: I thought the majority of the founder's were mason's, and a few were christian but didnt want to bring their religion into the newly created establishment?

You can't be a mason and belive in jesus/god.

i think its true actaully!!

ive noticed christian americans are far more up on religion that christian brits (for example).

i mean ive been christaned (so i guess that makes me a christian) but i don't really go to church or anything, and most people i know/talk to don't!!

yet A LOT of americans seem quite religious, (always talk about god) etc!!

i suppose that comes from your european ancestors, because defaintly SOME european countrys are quite religious, spain/italy (as an example).

but the MAJORITY of brits, (i feel) don't really go 'ALL THE WAY' with their religion as other countrys do.


[edit on 30-3-2006 by st3ve_o]

You needed a poll to tell you this? The problem isn`t the average person having faith it`s when the president brigs religion and politics together, a hue mistake.

Intresting thing.

was it not so that quite much of early immigrants to North America were much members of different kind of religious sects and fleeing religious discrimination in Europe? If so...

Could it be possible that early immigrants were more selected group of more genetic inclination to religion?

Genes contribute to religious inclination.

So if there were statistically more religious people moving to america than in population staying in Europe, americans are genetically more religious than europeans.
Also religious people tend to breed faster than seculars IMO