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Views about Jews and Muslims are unfavorable in Europe, according to a recent survey from the Pew Research Center’s Pew Global Attitudes Project.

 The results showed that:

-46% of the Spanish rate Jews unfavorably, and 52% viewed Muslims unfavorably.

-34% of Russians rate Jews unfavorably.

-36% of Poles rate Jews unfavorably, and 46% rate Muslims unfavorably.

-25% of Germans rate Jews unfavorably, and 50% rate Muslims unfavorably.

-20% of French rate Jews unfavorably, and 38% rate Muslims unfavorably.

-9% of the British rate Jews unfavorably (Great Britain had the least anti-Semitic views), and 25% view Muslims unfavorably.

Researchers thus concluded there is some kind of relationship between anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim attitudes.

What about Christians?

Anti-Christian views are on the rise in Spain, but otherwise sentiments remain the same with little negativity toward Christians.

The survey also displays differences in religiosity among age groups as well as feelings toward terrorist activities. See the full survey results on the Pew Forum site. 

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The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life has released the results of two of its recent surveys.

Do you believe in hell?

According to this survey, only 59% of 35,000 respondents said they believe in the type of hell “where people who have led bad lives, and die without being sorry, are eternally punished.”

That number is down, says Religion News Service.  In a 2001 Gallup survey, 71% said they believe in hell as a physical place.

Do you think churches should be involved in politics?

According to the Pew Forum’s (based on their recent survey):

A slim majority of the public (52%) says that churches and other houses of worship should keep out of politics, an eight point increase compared with 2004. Fewer (45%) take the view that churches should express their views on day-to-day social and political questions. This marks the first time since the Pew Research Center began asking the question in 1996 that those who say churches should keep out of politics outnumber those who say churches should express their political views.

Perhaps more surprising, 50% of conservatives say churches should stay out of politics — up from 30% in 2004.

Find more survey data about churches and politics on the Pew Forum Web site. 

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Cancer patients are using complementary methods like prayer and massage to supplement traditional treatments, say researchers from the American Cancer Society.

Which methods are they using?

Among the methods used most often, the following spiritual methods were reported:

-Prayer/spiritual practice (61.4%)

-Relaxation (44.3%)

-Faith/spiritual healing (42.4%)

-Meditation (15%)

-Religious counseling (11.3%)

Apparently, nearly half of cancer survivors are using several complementary methods.

Who are these survivors?

Results confirmed that methods are most often used by women, whites, young survivors, those with higher income and more education, and breast and ovarian cancer survivors. The complementary methods are also used more often when cancer is advanced or has spread.

How did they get these results?

Researchers used data from 4,000 participants in the American Cancer Society’s Study of Cancer Survivors-I.  Participants were surveyed 10-24 months after they were diagnosed with cancer. Results of the study will be published in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal from the American Cancer Society.

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Every so often, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life conducts surveys to gather data about the religious practices and beliefs of Americans. Recently, they released part II of their 2008 survey, which included a sampling of 35,000 Americans.

Part II found that both politics and religion are important to most Americans: About 75% of Americans associate themselves with Christian churches, with evangelical Protestant churches representing over 26% of Americans. Only 16% of Americans do not affiliate with a religious tradition. The survey also revealed that political beliefs are often linked to religious beliefs and practices.

Other interesting facts:

·         It seems our religious traditions are divided as to whether the United States should involve itself in the affairs of other countries.

·         A majority of people responded that “many religions can lead to eternal life,” not just the one they follow. (Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses were the only faith groups to respond that their religion is the only religion to lead to eternal life.)

·         A majority of people from all faiths (with the exception of Jews and Buddhists) claimed to pray daily. Even 22% of non-affiliated Americans claimed to pray daily.

·         Religion seems to play a greater role in the lives of Christians and Muslims than Jews and Buddhists.

·         95% of Americans are at least somewhat certain there is a God.

To draw more conclusions and see more data, visit the survey page on the Pew Forum’s Web site. The page offers visuals in the form of maps and charts and a stunning array of data collected from survey participants.

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Religion book sales are down, according to a Christian Retailing report of Association of American Publishers (AAP) figures. AAP saw religion book sales decline by 25.5% in March – that’s a $47.6 million decrease. That’s just one month, but the year-long prospect isn’t so sunny either: so far religion book sales are down 12.1% for the year.

An initial reaction may be to attribute the decline to a general decrease in the purchasing of entertainment, as a result of a groaning economy. But don’t be so quick to judge. AAP reports a 23.1% sales increase for the year in adult paperback sales and a 58.9% increase for the month in e-book sales.

Perhaps religion book publishers just need to start putting their books online? After all, you’re getting your religion news here.

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Should you stay or should you go?

When it comes to growing up in a religious tradition, it seems more and more people are choosing to leave that tradition when they grow up.

According to the Religious Landscape Survey, conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life with 35,000 respondents, 28 percent of Americans leave religion behind, and another 44 percent change their religious affiliation in adulthood, switching to a different religious tradition. Who leaves the most? It seems Catholicism sees the most turnover in the United States, with many Catholics switching to Protestantism. (For those of you confused by those terms, if you identify yourself as a Christian, you may further identify yourself as either part of the Catholic Church or part of a number of Protestant churches, the umbrella term for all other Christian denominations like Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, and so on.) Some sociologists suggest that Catholics are more likely to admit they haven’t been practicing their faith than Protestants (consider the widely used term “practicing Catholic” and the lack of the use of “practicing Protestant”), so it’s possible the results are skewed by respondents’ perceptions of what makes one part of a tradition.

I must admit, I’m surprised by that statistic. Just a few years ago, I interviewed a professor at Indiana University who said 80 percent of people remain in the religion they were born into (see “Finding Faith” in my sampling of published articles). It seemed like it made sense at the time — after all, isn’t it easier to just do what your parents do than to study up on a new religion or try out a tradition that’s unfamiliar? The idea of more and more people leaving the faith they grew up with is surprising and should be a call to action to the nation’s faith traditions to figure out why they aren’t retaining their youth. Is your doctrine sound? Are you both welcoming new members and making old adherants feel accepted and loved? Are you ensuring your youth know your mission and your beliefs? Are you challenging them to dig deep and find out what they believe?

I could blog all day about the many issues brought up in this survey — of course, I won’t put you through that. To see some great graphs the Washington Post made out of the results, go here. The graphs also show how many people are practicing various religions in the United States (did you know 1 in 4 American adults reports not being a part of any particular religion?). Also, if you have some time on your hands and you’d like to read all of the survey results (which include information on interfaith marriage, religious competition, and age and gender stats), go here.

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Time Out Chicago surveyed the beliefs of Chicagoans, interviewing people across the city and its suburbs. Their answers are indicative of the tremendous diversity that can be found in America’s cities and shatter some of the stereotypes that surround certain ethnicities. In addition, they provide a glimpse into the many reasons people choose or leave various religious groups.

Check out the interviews here. For related stories (and even a quiz to help you determine which religion fits your beliefs), visit the main page for the story here.

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