Democrats diss atheists, but still count on our votes

[jamese777]

125. The Gallup Poll

SOCIAL ISSUES
JUNE 29, 2016

Most Americans Still Believe in God

Most Americans Still Believe in God
by Frank Newport

89% of Americans say they believe in God
In a separate poll, 79% say "believe in God" and 10% "not sure"
All measures of belief in God show declines from previous decades

About nine in 10 Americans say they believe in God, and one in 10 say they do not. However, when presented with more than a "yes or no" option, about eight in 10 say they believe and one in 10 say they aren't sure. Belief in God, regardless of how the question is phrased to Americans, is down from levels in past decades.

These results are based on several different questions that Gallup has used over the years to ask Americans about their belief in God. The latest results come from surveys conducted May 4-8 and June 14-23.

When Gallup first asked Americans, "Do you, personally, believe in a God?" in 1944, 96% said they did. Between 94% and 98% of Americans said they believed in God in other surveys conducted through 1967. In 1976, Gallup modified the wording and asked Americans about their belief in "God or a universal spirit," with 94% to 96% responding in the affirmative through 1994.

Since 2011, Gallup has asked both questions of random half-samples of Americans. The results on both questions have been similar, indicating that adding "universal spirit" into the mix doesn't significantly affect how Americans respond to the question. Since 2013, the percentage believing in God or a universal spirit has been consistently in the upper 80% range. In the most recent June survey, both versions of the question netted 89% affirmative responses.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/193271/americans-believe-god.aspx?g_source=RELIGION&g_medium=topic&g_campaign=tiles