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Separation of Church and State | ||||||||||||||
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Survey of 1,000 Adults July 7, 2005
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July 21, 2005--When applying the separation of Church and State principle, 52% of Americans say that it is more important to protect the Church from the government. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that 35% take the opposite view and believe it is more important to protect the government from the Church. Perspectives on this question divide along ideological lines. Seventy-one percent (71%) of conservatives say the Church should be protected. Sixty-one percent (61%) of liberals take the opposite view. By a 48% to 36% margin, moderates say that it is more important to protect the Church from the government. From a partisan perspective, 67% of Republicans say the Church needs protection, 22% say the government should be protected from the Church. Democrats are evenly divided--44% say the Church should be protected while 43% say the government. An earlier survey found that 46% of Americans believe the Supreme Court is too hostile towards religion. Twenty-three percent (23%) believe it is too friendly. [More Below] Seventy-one percent (71%) of Evangelical Christians believe that the Church needs to be protected. That view is shared by 54% of other Protestants and 56% of Catholic voters. Separation of Church and State issues are regularly before the Supreme Court and may play a role in the confirmation process for President Bush's nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge John G. Roberts. A related survey found that 58% of Likely Voters say that Senate Democrats should vote to confirm a qualified conservative nominee for the Supreme Court. Earlier survey data showed that 42% of Americans have a favorable opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court. Nearly as many, 41%, have an unfavorable opinion. Retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is viewed favorably by 55% of American voters. Just 17% believe she is politically conservative. During the battle over Judicial nominations earlier this year, just 22% of Americans had a favorable opinion of the filibuster compromise reached by fourteen Senators. A March, 2005 survey found that 28% believe the Court is too liberal and 24% say it is too conservative. A separate survey found that 31% believe most judges are too liberal and 19% believe they are too conservative. Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information. Our publications provide real-time information on consumer confidence, investor confidence, employment data, the political situation, and other topics of value and interest. We provide daily updates on the economic confidence of Consumers and Investors. Our consumer data generally identifies trends two to six weeks ahead of traditional consumer confidence measures. To keep up with our latest releases, be sure to visit the Rasmussen Reports Home Page.
This survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted by Rasmussen Reports July 7, 2005. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. |
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