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24 Jun 2008 02:19 pm

Open-Minded Americans

A recent PEW study found that "one of every five people who identified themselves as atheist and more than half of those who identified as agnostic" said they believe in God. Jason Zengerle adds:

This Pew study comes on the heels of some interesting (but less thorough) survey research by a psychologist named Julie Exline, who has found that some people's anger at God can cause them to stop believing in God; in other words, their disbelief is a coping mechanism for their belief...

Believing Americans are also more tolerant than their leaders sometimes let on:

Pew scholars said the most politically relevant finding is the fact that, as the 294-page report says, "Americans have a non-dogmatic approach to faith" — that is, a large majority of nearly every religious group believes there are other paths to salvation. According to the study, "Seventy percent of Americans with a religious affiliation say that many religions — not just their own — can lead to eternal life. Most also think there is more than one correct way to interpret the teachings of their own faith."

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