Text 16388, 118 rader
Skriven 2005-12-01 21:03:00 av Jeff Binkley (1:226/600)
Ärende: POll
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More evidence that the fringe liberal left is out of touch with America...

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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,177355,00.html

12/01/05 FOX Poll: Courts Driving Religion Out of Public Life; Christianity
Under Attack
Thursday, December 01, 2005
By Dana Blanton

NEW YORK   Most Americans think the nation's courts have gone too far in taking
religion out of public life, and large majorities favor allowing voluntary
school prayer, keeping "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, and allowing
nativity scenes on government property, according to the latest FOX News poll.
And while many Americans think Christianity is under attack in the United
States today, more disagree than agree there is a "war on Christmas."

The new poll finds that almost eight in 10 Americans (77 percent) believe the
courts have overreached in driving religion out of public life, and a 59
percent majority feels Christianity is under attack.

Majorities of Republicans (89 percent), Democrats (73 percent) and independents
(69 percent) think the courts have gone too far in taking religion out of
public life.

Overall, most Americans disagree with several Supreme Court rulings on the
separation of church and state. For example, an overwhelming 87 percent favor
allowing public schools to set aside time for a moment of silence, and 82
percent favor allowing voluntary prayer. Another 82 percent favor allowing
public schools to have a prayer at graduation ceremonies, and 83 percent think
nativity scenes should be allowed on public property.

Not only do three-quarters of Americans (76 percent) think posting the Ten
Commandments on government property should be legal, but also two-thirds (66
percent) say it is a good idea to post the commandments in public schools.

Opinion Dynamics Corporation conducted the national telephone poll of 900
registered voters for FOX News on November 29-30.

Last month, a suit was filed in federal court to remove the motto "In God We
Trust" from U.S. currency and coins: 93 percent of Americans think the motto
should stay put.

Similarly, 90 percent think the phrase "under God" should remain in the Pledge
of Allegiance.

These views may be driven, at least in part, by the fact that a large majority
of Americans (81 percent) disagree with those that think all religion should be
excluded from public life, and more than two-thirds of Americans (68 percent)
believe religion plays too small a role in most peoples lives today.

In addition, nearly half (49 percent) think religion is under attack in America
today  almost three times as many as think religion has too much influence (17
percent). One in five (22 percent) think the current standing of religion is
"about right."

"Religion has traditionally played a large role in public life in the United
States," comments Opinion Dynamics Chairman John Gorman. "At a time when so
many public leaders from the president on down are so overtly religious, it is
somewhat odd to see half the public thinking religion is under attack. If it's
'under attack,' it certainly can't be losing."

The portion that thinks religion is under attack increases to 61 percent among
people who attend religious services weekly and 72 percent among
self-identified Evangelical Christians. In addition, Republicans are 25
percentage points more likely than Democrats to believe religion is under
attack.

Religious Attendance

A large minority of Americans (42 percent) say they attend religious services
at least once a week, while a majority attends less frequently: 12 percent
attend almost every week, 12 percent once a month and about a third attend
seldom (18 percent) or never (11 percent).

The main reasons people say they attend services are to feel the power of God
(39 percent), to participate in a family tradition (14 percent) and to enjoy
the sense of community (8 percent).

Almost seven in 10 Americans (67 percent) say they pray every day; among those
attending religious services weekly 85 percent pray every day and among
Evangelical Christians 80 percent do. Overall, few Americans (6 percent) say
they never pray.

The Days Between Now and New Year's

In some schools and other public establishment across the country Christmas
Trees have been renamed Holiday Trees or Friendship Trees. There have been news
reports about stores that have stopped using "Merry Christmas" in advertising
and have told employees specifically not to welcome customers with that
greeting. Is that offensive?

A slim 52 percent majority says no, they are not offended if a Christmas tree
is called a holiday tree, while just over four in 10 (44 percent) are offended
by the name change. The split is closer on stores that make policies against
using "Merry Christmas," as 45 percent say it does offend them and 49 percent
say it doesn't.

Many Americans (58 percent) say it seems that public displays of the Christian
symbols of Christmas are more under attack this year than in the past, up from
51 percent who felt that way last year. Even so, by 48 percent to 42 percent,
people disagree there is a "war on Christmas" in the United States today.

Virtually all Americans  95 percent  say they celebrate Christmas, 4 percent
celebrate Hanukkah and 3 percent Kwanzaa.

A 57 percent majority considers Christmas a religious holiday, 14 percent see
it as a cultural holiday and 27 percent see it as both. Americans consider a
Christmas tree a cultural symbol (69 percent) rather than a religious one (14
percent).

What about Santa? Most people see Santa Claus as a cultural symbol (87
percent), while 4 percent say hes a religious symbol.

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