DESPITE SEPTEMBER 11 CONFIDENCE IN RELIGION EBBS

Worse Ratings Than During Televangelist Scandal, Reports Gallup

Confidence in organized religion has hit a 30-year low, despite the efforts of clergy and political leaders to the rally the nation to belief in a deity.

According to the annual Gallup survey, 45% of respondents expressed confidence in sectarian institutions. That represented a precipitous
14% decline from last year, and according to Gallup "is the lowest" in the history of the survey of attitudes toward churches and organized
religion. The figure is even worse that the previous low point, which occurred in 1989 in the midst of "televangelist scandals" enveloping
perfidious preachers like Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Baaker. Then, 52% of Americans -- 7% more than the total today -- expressed confidence in
religious movements.

From 1973 to the period of the mid-1980s, organized religion enjoyed wide respectability and approval, often scoring in the 60%-plus range.

"There is little question that the sex abuse scandal rocking the Catholic Church is the main cause of the drop-off in confidence this
year," noted the annual Gallup study. About 42% of Roman Catholics and 59% of their Protestant counterparts have "a great deal/quite a
lot of confidence in the church/organized religion." In 1990, Gallup polling reflecting "essentially no difference" in the ratings of
confidence Catholics and Protestants displayed toward religious institutions.

James Guth, professor of political science at Furman University told the Washington Times newspaper that the figures could affect a number
of social issues. "This may have an impact on the success of pro-life groups verses the pro-choice groups," Guth theorized. "The
televangelist scandals hurt Pat Robertson's 1988 presidential candidacy and the fortunes of the religious conservatives."

Religion Losing Ground, Even In Post-911 Climate

The figures are all the more remarkable, considering the efforts of President Bush and assorted politicians and clergy to the rally the nation under the banner of religious faith following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. Despite the
Islamic religious affiliation of the terrorists who executed the mass murders, Bush and others have continually emphasized the need for
belief in God and the rituals of ecumenical faith as a sort of cultural armament against "evil-doers." He has also tried to leverage that sympathetic climate to pass legislation such as his faith-based initiative, and denounce a recent Ninth Circuit federal court decision striking down the Pledge of Allegiance as unconstitutional due to the inclusion of the words "under God."

Still, organized religion has now lost its pre-eminent position of trust among over a dozen different institutions in American society, notes the Gallup survey. The current poll measured confidence in 16 assorted groups, first being the U.S. military which enjoyed the support of 79% of respondents.

The ever-widening scandal involving pedophile priests and the Catholic Church may play a crucial role in the erosion of trust in religion,
said Mary L. Gautier of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.

"There's been an awful lot of media attention on the bishops," she told the Times, referring to the sex-abuse revelations. "They will tell us, 'I have no confidence in the church as a whole, but my bishop is OK,' " she added.

Gallup revealed that for organized faith, 26% of the 1,020 randomly selected respondents (adult, 18 years or older) reported that they had
a "great deal" of confidence with 19% expressing "quite a lot." One-third expressed "some" confidence, with 18% reporting "very little" trust in religious institutions. Three percent had "none," and 2% expressed no opinion.

Other groups as well ranked ahead of organized religion in terms of popular confidence.The military, for instance, enjoyed popular support
from 59% of those surveyed, with President Bush at 58%, the U.S. Supreme Court at 50% and financial institutions at 47%.

Trailing religious institutions were the U.S. medical system (38%), newspapers at 35% and the Congress which gained positive support and
confidence from only 29%.

For further information:

http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/atheist4.htm
("Survey indicates more Americans 'without faith,' " 11/22/01)

http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/islam9.htm
("Atheism in the New Holy War," by Josh Karpf, 9/28/01)

	DESPITE SEPTEMBER 11, CONFIDENCE IN RELIGION EBBS	Home
	AANews, 7/18/02
	Worse Ratings Than During Televangelist Scandal, Reports Gallup Confidence in organized religion has hit a 30-year low, despite the efforts of clergy and political leaders to the rally the nation to belief in a deity. According to the annual Gallup survey, 45% of respondents expressed confidence in sectarian institutions. That represented a precipitous 14% decline from last year, and according to Gallup "is the lowest" in the history of the survey of attitudes toward churches and organized religion. The figure is even worse that the previous low point, which occurred in 1989 in the midst of "televangelist scandals" enveloping perfidious preachers like Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Baaker. Then, 52% of Americans -- 7% more than the total today -- expressed confidence in religious movements. From 1973 to the period of the mid-1980s, organized religion enjoyed wide respectability and approval, often scoring in the 60%-plus range. "There is little question that the sex abuse scandal rocking the Catholic Church is the main cause of the drop-off in confidence this year," noted the annual Gallup study. About 42% of Roman Catholics and 59% of their Protestant counterparts have "a great deal/quite a lot of confidence in the church/organized religion." In 1990, Gallup polling reflecting "essentially no difference" in the ratings of confidence Catholics and Protestants displayed toward religious institutions. James Guth, professor of political science at Furman University told the Washington Times newspaper that the figures could affect a number of social issues. "This may have an impact on the success of pro-life groups verses the pro-choice groups," Guth theorized. "The televangelist scandals hurt Pat Robertson's 1988 presidential candidacy and the fortunes of the religious conservatives." Religion Losing Ground, Even In Post-911 Climate The figures are all the more remarkable, considering the efforts of President Bush and assorted politicians and clergy to the rally the nation under the banner of religious faith following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. Despite the Islamic religious affiliation of the terrorists who executed the mass murders, Bush and others have continually emphasized the need for belief in God and the rituals of ecumenical faith as a sort of cultural armament against "evil-doers." He has also tried to leverage that sympathetic climate to pass legislation such as his faith-based initiative, and denounce a recent Ninth Circuit federal court decision striking down the Pledge of Allegiance as unconstitutional due to the inclusion of the words "under God." Still, organized religion has now lost its pre-eminent position of trust among over a dozen different institutions in American society, notes the Gallup survey. The current poll measured confidence in 16 assorted groups, first being the U.S. military which enjoyed the support of 79% of respondents. The ever-widening scandal involving pedophile priests and the Catholic Church may play a crucial role in the erosion of trust in religion, said Mary L. Gautier of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University. "There's been an awful lot of media attention on the bishops," she told the Times, referring to the sex-abuse revelations. "They will tell us, 'I have no confidence in the church as a whole, but my bishop is OK,' " she added. Gallup revealed that for organized faith, 26% of the 1,020 randomly selected respondents (adult, 18 years or older) reported that they had a "great deal" of confidence with 19% expressing "quite a lot." One-third expressed "some" confidence, with 18% reporting "very little" trust in religious institutions. Three percent had "none," and 2% expressed no opinion. Other groups as well ranked ahead of organized religion in terms of popular confidence.The military, for instance, enjoyed popular support from 59% of those surveyed, with President Bush at 58%, the U.S. Supreme Court at 50% and financial institutions at 47%. Trailing religious institutions were the U.S. medical system (38%), newspapers at 35% and the Congress which gained positive support and confidence from only 29%. For further information: http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/atheist4.htm ("Survey indicates more Americans 'without faith,' " 11/22/01) http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/islam9.htm ("Atheism in the New Holy War," by Josh Karpf, 9/28/01)