Selected Charts from THE VALUES AND BELIEFS OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC Wave III Baylor Religion Survey September 2011 College of Arts and Sciences Department of Sociology Media inquiries: Office of Media Communications One Bear Place #97024 Waco, TX 76798-7024 (254) 710-1961 mediacomm@baylor.edu www.baylor.edu/news
Figure 6 How God Sustains The American Dream Percent Who Strongly Agree That Anything Is Possible For Those Who Work Hard 100% Strong disagreers Disagreers 22 % 26 % Agreers 34 % 54 % Strong Agreers God has a plan for me Page 4: The Values and Beliefs of the American Public Wave III Baylor Religion Survey
Figure 9 Liberals Are Idealists? Conservatives Are Realists? Think Again. Politics And Idealism 100% Conservatives Moderates Liberals 84 % 80 % 81 % 81 % 72 % 70 % 70 % 66 % 66 % 52 % 49 % 47 % There is an ultimate meaning to life There is ultimate Truth One should have a philosophy of life I seek eternal wisdom Page 6: The Values and Beliefs of the American Public Wave III Baylor Religion Survey
Figure 18 Mental Health And Spirituality Percentages Of Fewer Reported Mental Health Issues For Those Who Strongly Believe That: 0% I have a warm relationship with God God knows when I need support God is responsive to me God s love never fails -5% -10% -15% -20% -25% 19 % 19 % 17 % -30% -35% -40% 31 % -45% -50% Page 13: The Values and Beliefs of the American Public Wave III Baylor Religion Survey
Figure 19 Image Of God And Mental Health Percent Increase Or Decrease In Anxiety Disorders For Those Who Believe In A Very Judgmental Or A Very Engaged God Very Engaged God Very Judgmental God -50% 0% 50% -34 % -21 % Social Anxiety -25 % 18 % -18 % Generalized Anxiety Paranoia Obsession -17 % 33 % Compulsion 45 % Page 14: The Values and Beliefs of the American Public Wave III Baylor Religion Survey
Figure 21 God s Worriers: Religion, Anxiety And Melancholy Religious Behaviors For Non-worriers And Worriers Non-worriers Worriers 50 0 50 37 % 17 % 29 % 39 % 25 % 33 % Never attend religious services Attend religious services every week Read Bible weekly 13 % 19 % Consider themselves very religious Page 16: The Values and Beliefs of the American Public Wave III Baylor Religion Survey
Figure 27 The Social And Religious Characteristics Of Contemporary American Entrepreneurs Percentage Of Prayer And Meditation Of American Entrepreneurs And Non-entrepreneurs Non-entrepreneur Entrepreneur 50 0 50 23 % 22 % 15 % 15 % Never pray Pray several times a day Meditate 34 % 32 % Page 25: The Values and Beliefs of the American Public Wave III Baylor Religion Survey
Figure 30 Beliefs About Heaven And Hell Could Make A Helluva Difference Percentage Of Those With Absolute Beliefs Who Pursue Excellence In Work Because Of Faith Hell Heaven 50 0 50 33 % 27 % 18 % 12 % Always Often Sometimes 8 % Seldom Never 32 % 25 % 20 % 12 % 13 % Page 28: The Values and Beliefs of the American Public Wave III Baylor Religion Survey
Figure 35 Attitudes Toward Homosexuality In The United States: Restricted Equality Support Same-sex Marriage 100% Unaffiliated 88 % Catholics Black Protestants Mainline Protestants 45 % 43 % 40 % Evangelical Protestants 37 % Page 31: The Values and Beliefs of the American Public Wave III Baylor Religion Survey
Figure 36 Attitudes Toward Homosexuality In The United States: Restricted Equality Support Same-sex Civil Unions 100% Unaffiliated 92 % Catholics Black Protestants Mainline Protestants 52 % 64 % 61 % Evangelical Protestants 59 % Page 32: The Values and Beliefs of the American Public Wave III Baylor Religion Survey
Figure 44 Attitudes Toward Homosexuality In The United States: The Power Of A Perceived Cause Religious Affiliation And Attitudes Toward Cause Of Homosexuality Unaffiliated Affiliated 100 0 100 75 % Sexuality is Genetic 15 % Sexuality is a Choice 45 % 55 % Page 37: The Values and Beliefs of the American Public Wave III Baylor Religion Survey