% of Liberals that believe in God? Polling data... For oped

[usregimechange]

For a response to this BS:

"True liberals are against God, and for the loss of the rights of Americans, even though, of course, they deny it. But all you have to do is look at their record and you will know it's true."

http://www.joplinglobe.com/story.php?story_id=199435&c=96

[booley]

1. I beleive in the Gods

Hell I beleive almost all of them.

except for that one guy...what's his name...

[Octafish]

2. Of course.

Why not?

[lazarus]

3. which god?

Just curious. Any god at all? Or the Christian god? Or what?

[usregimechange]

7. Any at all, monotheists.

[davidinalameda]

4. there are plenty of us who believe in a higher power

or god or gods or any combination there of

what we don't believe in is the forcing of those beliefs down the throat of the public

we believe in the right of everyone to worship as they see fit and we also believe that government should do everything in its power to stay neutral on the question of religion

[Maat]

6. Well-put, dwickham.

I agree.

[Maat]

5. I believe in God.

God is a Spirit both within and without.

Not the Conservative Christian version of God, however.

[usregimechange]

8. I too believe in God...

[iconoclastic cat]

9. People: You *must* read the LTTE from that link above!

Do those sorts of people really exist? Wow!

[booley]

10. Ok, I posted a reply

which will probably never be published but decided to post it here as well. At any rate, it gives me a chance to spell check it ;-)

Liberals don't believe in God?

Oooookkaaaayyy. lets take that at face value and run with it., comparing Liberals to God compared to conservatives.

Liberals think we as a society have an obligation to care for the poor and needy.

God, whether Through Jesus or Mohamed or Buddha said that we as a society are obligated ot care for the poor.

Conservatives seem to think that not only should we not help the poor but that doing so is itself immoral. They would mush rather help those who already have plenty then those who don't have enough.

Liberals think Religion is a personal matter.

Jesus said to not be like the hypocrite, who stands on a corner yelling "yes Lord" but that when you pray, to go into a room by yourself.

Conservatives think that unless prayer is broadcast through a PA system and rock is set on public property bearing ten commandments (of which these same conservatives may or may not be following depending on the political winds of the day) then their Faith is THREATENED.

Liberals by and large are anti-war or at least understand it's horrors enough to know that if war happens, it's a failure of our civilization.

Jesus said, blessed are the peacemakers.

Conservatives not only have no problem with war but justify the murder of civilians, including children, as "collateral damage" what a nice euphemism.

Liberals value compassion, empathy, generosity as their core values.

Every religion places value on compassion, empathy and being generous to your fellow man.

Conservatives view compassion, empathy and generosity as weaknesses. They make you a "bleeding heart" liberal.

Liberals think we should treat each other how we want to be treated.

Every religion has a golden rule where in it says we should treat each other as wish to be treated.

Conservative candidates can't seem to go an election without finding some new minority to scapegoat for all the problems of the world. And if you happen to be one of those minorities, then you're just SOL on the whole equality thing.

I could go on but I think I made my point. Of course, not all liberals are so idealistic. Being Liberal doesn't make you a good person any more then being a conservative make you bad. Indeed, I have known many Conservatives who actually beleive in the same Liberal values I just cited (maybe they are Liberals and don't know it?)

But at the same time, all of my examples were pulled from the actions of those said to represent each group. I know what Liberals believe because I am one and know many others. I can make an educated guess about what God says based on religious teachings through out history. AND I can see what conservatives truly believe not in their words (which has made Orwellian a household word) but in the policies of Conservative law makers who they support and vote for time and time again.

Funny how the "anti-God" Liberals, who btw include Catholic nuns protesting the war, Quakers, martin Luther King... are better at following what God's message probably is then the "party of God" is.

Hypocrisy. Yep, Liberals and God are in agreement about that as well.

[usregimechange]

11. Excellent response, thank you, I still want polling data though

[illflem]

12. It's ridiculous that so many people

are automatically assumed to be Republican just because they're Christian.
It's only assumed because the right wing Christens are loud mouths. There very well may be more liberal Christens, they just keep their opinions to themselves.
I've always considered religion to be a personal thing, if a person feels need to broadcast and push it on others it must be due to a lack of faith.
If your religion makes you a better person I'm all for it, just keep it to yourself.
I want to know about your religion about as much as I want to know how hard your dump was this morning.

[usregimechange]

13. Yes, we have work to do in this department.

[Bill McBlueState]

14. some possibilities

www.religioustolerance.org may have some numbers. Also, Barna is a polling organization that focuses on religious topics. It's a Christian operation, but their methodology is widely considered to be sound. I think they have a presence on the web.

[converted_democrat]

15. I believe in God..........

I believe in God. I just don't believe in the Bush brand of "christianity" where you hurt people and screw them over.

[Bill McBlueState]

16. one possibility for a response

This probably isn't what you're going for, but it's what I'd say...

The God of the Christian bible is reported to have killed every person in the entire world in a great flood, both the innocent and the guilty, save a single family. The God of the Christian bible is reported to have killed forty-two children for the simple crime of mocking an old man. The God of the Christian bible required his son to be murdered in the most inhumane way imaginable before seeing fit to reward some humans with heaven. The rest get condemned to a lake of fire forever. (These are all grounded in biblical passages!)

If this God is what stands in the way of a fair, equal society where women are treated fairly, where gays and lesbians have equal rights, and where poverty is no more, then anyone who has the best interests of humankind in mind will seek to rid the world of this type of harmful mythology.

[Modem Butterfly]

17. How can one simultaeously not believe in a god and be against that god?

That doesn't make any sense. If you don't believe in Santa Claus, how can you also be against Santa Claus? There's nothing to be against.

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. I believe in "God" or whatever you want to call it/him/her/them

[kahleefornia]

19. Jehovah

Now look..no one is to stone anyone until I blow this whistle!

(but i did say Jehovah..)

[Mr_Spock]

20. Who gives a fuck - we're a country of men, not God's.

I could really give a flying fuck what people's personal beliefs are - good people come in all shapes, sizes and belief systems. Don't get me started about these lying murdering "Christians" again!

[dsc]

21. If you can't find a direct number you can find a lower bound

Liberals make up a certain percentage of the population, atheists make up a lesser percentage of the population. Say it is 20% liberal and 2% atheist. That would mean that at least 90% of liberals believe in God (if one assumes that every single atheist is a liberal). For the purposes of an editorial that should do.

[patcox2]

22. Check the cross-tabs of this poll of voters in 2004 election.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/P/00/epolls.0.html

Shows that fundamentalists voted for Bush by 80% to 20%, while atheists voted for Kerry by 70% to 30%.

Catholics were very evenly divided.

Jews went Kerry by 75% to 25% Bush.


It is a true statement to say that non-believers and non-churchgoers are more likely to vote democratic. But you can't really say much more than that.