U.S. Religious Tolerance on the Rise

[Quintessence]

In spite of it all (or perhaps because of it all), Americans generally express more positive feelings towards religious groups today than they did three years ago, according to a new survey by PEW Research. I'd interpret that as a sign of increasing religious tolerance, wouldn't you?

​

The full study (linked to above) has a more detailed breakdown by demographic groups if you are interested. It's nice to see the writing on the wall that hearkens an eventual end to routine coldness towards a couple of the groups asked about in particular: Muslims and atheists. But there's a more important lesson that emerges from this study, albeit one that has been known for a very long time. People who know someone of a particular group are more likely to view them favorably than those who do not. An excellent way to combat prejudice is to get to know those people and put a face to them - to recognize that they too, are human beings worthy of basic respectfulness.

Discuss anything about the article you'd like here! If you were to rate these groups on your own warmness thermometer, what would you rate? This is mostly for the thought experiment, not to debate other people's responses, but I guess if you all want to go in that direction, feel free!

Atheists -
Buddhists -
Catholics -
Evangelical Christians -
Hindus -
Jews -
Mainline Protestants -
Muslims - ​

 

[Revoltingest]

Woo hoo!
We're up to 50%!

 

[sun rise]

I tend to reserve my ire for individuals not for members of groups - that is for members of specific religions. Political groups, on the other hand, are different (and I'll leave it at that).

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

I wonder how people feel about Pagans. Too bad it isn't covered.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I estimate 55% of respondents were Democrats using the assumption that respondents were either one or the other. Therefore the report is half wrong!

 

[Quintessence]

I wonder how people feel about Pagans. Too bad it isn't covered.

Yeah, that's something I've never understood about PEW. I'm tempted to compose a letter backed with some research citations demonstrating that it makes no darned sense for them not to list that demographic. There are more of us in America than there are Hindus, by most estimates I've seen. I suspect it is because Paganism is (erroneously) not considered a "world religion."

 

[sayak83]

In spite of it all (or perhaps because of it all), Americans generally express more positive feelings towards religious groups today than they did three years ago, according to a new survey by PEW Research. I'd interpret that as a sign of increasing religious tolerance, wouldn't you?

​

The full study (linked to above) has a more detailed breakdown by demographic groups if you are interested. It's nice to see the writing on the wall that hearkens an eventual end to routine coldness towards a couple of the groups asked about in particular: Muslims and atheists. But there's a more important lesson that emerges from this study, albeit one that has been known for a very long time. People who know someone of a particular group are more likely to view them favorably than those who do not. An excellent way to combat prejudice is to get to know those people and put a face to them - to recognize that they too, are human beings worthy of basic respectfulness.

Discuss anything about the article you'd like here! If you were to rate these groups on your own warmness thermometer, what would you rate? This is mostly for the thought experiment, not to debate other people's responses, but I guess if you all want to go in that direction, feel free!

Atheists -
Buddhists -
Catholics -
Evangelical Christians -
Hindus -
Jews -
Mainline Protestants -
Muslims - ​

Telling this:-
Evangelical Christians, rated relatively warmly at 61 degrees, are the only group for which the mean rating did not change since the question was last asked in 2014.

US people like Catholics, Jews and Mainline Protestants better than evangelicals. Buddhists and Hindus are also catching up. The increasing positivity for atheists is also most gratifying.

Most young people rate religions (and atheism) positively. But:-
Among younger people, atheists rate equal to evangelical christians. Buddhists get the highest billing followed by Catholics and Hindus.

Clearly Catholics are seen to be trying hard to turn a corner and their efforts have been appreciated.

The right wing shift in Israel policy and associated advocacy groups have impacted perception of the Jews and hence their plunging ratings with increasing youth.

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

If you were to rate these groups on your own warmness thermometer, what would you rate?

72° is my optimal zone of comfort.

Atheists - 65°
Buddhists - 65°
Catholics - 32°
Evangelical Christians - 0°
Hindus - 62°
Jews - 40°
Mainline Protestants - 20°
Muslims - 32°

As a personal aside, I must say that I am disheartened seeing no representation for Pagan groups in the US, especially after the political strides that we've made.

 

[Quintessence]

Telling this:-
Evangelical Christians, rated relatively warmly at 61 degrees, are the only group for which the mean rating did not change since the question was last asked in 2014.

I thought that part was interesting too. We can only speculate about the meaning or cause behind that, but there might be some clues when we look at the more detailed report. The number of people who know an Evangelical Christian dropped by 9 percentage points (wider than the margin of error) between the two years surveyed. And we can surmise from the rest of the data that knowing someone from the group helps increase positive affect.

 

[LuisDantas]

Atheists - 55%
Bahais - 60%
Buddhists - 60%
Catholics - 50%
Daime users - 20%
Evangelical Christians - 40%
Hindus - 70%
Jews - 70%
Kardecist Spiritists - 20%
Mainline Protestants - 40%
Muslims - 30%
"Osho" Rajneesh "Sanyasins" - 15%
Pagans - 65%
Sikhs - 70%
Thelemites - 10%​

 

[Revoltingest]

I tend to reserve my ire for individuals not for members of groups - that is for members of specific religions. Political groups, on the other hand, are different (and I'll leave it at that).

Bigotry based upon religion is wrong.....but based upon politics it's OK?

 

[sayak83]

In spite of it all (or perhaps because of it all), Americans generally express more positive feelings towards religious groups today than they did three years ago, according to a new survey by PEW Research. I'd interpret that as a sign of increasing religious tolerance, wouldn't you?

​

The full study (linked to above) has a more detailed breakdown by demographic groups if you are interested. It's nice to see the writing on the wall that hearkens an eventual end to routine coldness towards a couple of the groups asked about in particular: Muslims and atheists. But there's a more important lesson that emerges from this study, albeit one that has been known for a very long time. People who know someone of a particular group are more likely to view them favorably than those who do not. An excellent way to combat prejudice is to get to know those people and put a face to them - to recognize that they too, are human beings worthy of basic respectfulness.

Discuss anything about the article you'd like here! If you were to rate these groups on your own warmness thermometer, what would you rate? This is mostly for the thought experiment, not to debate other people's responses, but I guess if you all want to go in that direction, feel free!

Atheists -
Buddhists -
Catholics -
Evangelical Christians -
Hindus -
Jews -
Mainline Protestants -
Muslims - ​

Atheists and White Evangelicals abhor each other.
Religious groups tend to rate themselves most positively

Both atheists and white evangelicals rate each other at 33 degrees and 29 degrees respectively, the most negative ratings of all.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I thought that part was interesting too. We can only speculate about the meaning or cause behind that, but there might be some clues when we look at the more detailed report. The number of people who know an Evangelical Christian dropped by 9 percentage points (wider than the margin of error) between the two years surveyed. And we can surmise from the rest of the data that knowing someone from the group helps increase positive affect.

suggests perhaps that evangelicals are either becoming or are being perceived as more isolated--if fewer know them...

 

[Quintessence]

suggests perhaps that evangelicals are either becoming or are being perceived as more isolated--if fewer know them...

That's a possibility too. Not sure if I know an Evangelical right now. I did in the past - and he was quite the interesting fellow. Very respectable, but that may have been symptomatic of the inter-religious dialogue group I met him at. He would say to your face that he believed us Pagans were going to hell, but that he still respected us as persons. It was rather refreshing at the time.

 

[LuisDantas]

Bigotry based upon religion is wrong.....but based upon politics it's OK?

To call it bigotry, you would have to present a case for unfair treatment.

Unless you mean to base it on some form of claim that people are not attaining a fair understanding of the political stances, their causes and likely consequences are, then that may be a challenge.

People can legitimally disagree on politics.

 

[Revoltingest]

To call it bigotry, you would have to present a case for unfair treatment.

We need only a definition.....
To judge someone harshly not based upon their individual traits, but
instead upon a general view of a group into which they're pigeon holed.

It fits where it fits, eg, the "basket of deplorables" scenario.

Unless you mean to base it on some form of claim that people are not attaining a fair understanding of the political stances, their causes and likely consequences are, then that may be a challenge.
People can legitimally disagree on politics.

People can legitimately disagree on not just politics, but also religion, economics, culture, etc.

Fair understanding is a thing in short supply.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

In spite of it all (or perhaps because of it all), Americans generally express more positive feelings towards religious groups today than they did three years ago, according to a new survey by PEW Research. I'd interpret that as a sign of increasing religious tolerance, wouldn't you?

​

The full study (linked to above) has a more detailed breakdown by demographic groups if you are interested. It's nice to see the writing on the wall that hearkens an eventual end to routine coldness towards a couple of the groups asked about in particular: Muslims and atheists. But there's a more important lesson that emerges from this study, albeit one that has been known for a very long time. People who know someone of a particular group are more likely to view them favorably than those who do not. An excellent way to combat prejudice is to get to know those people and put a face to them - to recognize that they too, are human beings worthy of basic respectfulness.

Discuss anything about the article you'd like here! If you were to rate these groups on your own warmness thermometer, what would you rate? This is mostly for the thought experiment, not to debate other people's responses, but I guess if you all want to go in that direction, feel free!

Atheists -
Buddhists -
Catholics -
Evangelical Christians -
Hindus -
Jews -
Mainline Protestants -
Muslims - ​

I wonder how much of the result is because of people rating their own religion warmly. That's probably a big part of the ratings for Catholics, mainline Protestants, and Evangelicals and a negligible part for the Jews, Hindus, and atheists.

 

[Quintessence]

I wonder how much of the result is because of people rating their own religion warmly. That's probably a big part of the ratings for Catholics, mainline Protestants, and Evangelicals and a negligible part for the Jews, Hindus, and atheists.

That is discussed a bit in the full article, if you want to take a look.

 

[suncowiam]

Woo hoo!
We're up to 50%!

We're ahead of the Muslims by 2%!

 

[suncowiam]

Outside of Hindus and Buddhists, all the religions mentioned in this polls believe other Gods are false and belief in no Gods is wrong. And, of course, atheists can be anti-religious.

Uhm, there's much bias here and it really depends who you ask. Even the article suggests this so sorry, I can't agree to how accurate this poll is without a breakdown of who and what was being asked.