Half of Americans unsure..

[firecoins]

God exists.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/10/31/061031235233.s0l4o4wy.html

[Dunstan]

I was just about to post this myself with the title "One Nation Under a Deist God?"

As to whether God controls events on Earth, 29 percent believe that to be the case while 44 percent said God "observes but does not control what happens on Earth".

One area where I part company with Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, as well as many posters here, is that I don't think America is really in any danger of slipping into theocracy. Not only do most Americans not buy the lunacy of a Pat Robertson, who thinks God sends hurricanes to punish cities, but they don't even buy the idea of a God who intervenes at all.

[Region Rat]

Among the various religious groups, 76 percent of Protestants, 64 percent of Catholics and 30 percent of Jews said they are "absolutely certain" there is a God while 93 percent of Christians who describe themselves as "Born Again" feel certain God exists.I think I live in the middle of the 93%. Around where I live, there is no doubt that god exists and he has a hand in everything.

I don't know about a true theocracy, but when most candidates in the upcoming election (in my area), both R and D, state that "I am a christian first, and pledge to serve under the guidance of our lord god jesus christ", you really have to wonder. I have nowhere to turn.

[Dunstan]

I don't know about a true theocracy, but when most candidates in the upcoming election (in my area), both R and D, state that "I am a christian first, and pledge to serve under the guidance of our lord god jesus christ", you really have to wonder. I have nowhere to turn.

But that could well be just lip service. Politicians have to say they're religious just like they have to say they're against pork barrell spending, in favor of helping families, supportive of the troops, etc. It doesn't (necessarily) mean anything.

The reason they do it with religion is that the "very religious" voters will turn it into a make-or-break issue. Most "moderately religious" voters probably (this is my own guess, not anything from the referenced study) find all these public professions of piety rather tiresome and irrelevant, but it doesn't actually turn them off voting for a candidate unless he gets into Jerry Falwell territory.