democrats and religion

jenna2891 · September 9th, 2005, 08:34 AM

from a pew poll released 8/30/05:

Quote:

Public impressions of the Democratic Party's attitude toward religion have changed notably in the past year. Just 29% see the party as being generally friendly toward religion, down from 40% a year ago, and 42% in 2003. Meanwhile, the percentage saying the Democratic Party is generally unfriendly toward religion has ticked up to 20% from 13% last summer. By comparison, a 55% majority continues to see the Republican Party as friendly toward religion, with little change over the past two years.

krepitch · September 9th, 2005, 08:38 AM

Do you have a link to that survey? I am curious if they asked anything about the separation of church and state.

jenna2891 · September 9th, 2005, 08:39 AM

to more flesh out the short poll question:

in a country that defines itself as "religious" (i belive about 80% of people do), can the democrats win elections in '06 and '08 if they are continued to be perceived by religious people as not just apathetic to religion, but unfriendly?

jenna2891 · September 9th, 2005, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krepitch

Do you have a link to that survey? I am curious if they asked anything about the separation of church and state.

http://people-press.org/reports/disp...3?ReportID=254

jenna2891 · September 9th, 2005, 11:02 AM

nobody has any thoughts on whether this will be a factor in elections?

Pariah · September 9th, 2005, 11:07 AM

I voted "yes." I think they can win an election in spite of these numbers. There are too many other factors that go into the decision to vote.

Anyway, don't you think some Catholics voted for Kerry based on the fact he was Catholic?

swd1974 · September 9th, 2005, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenna2891

nobody has any thoughts on whether this will be a factor in elections?

This country isnt religious just a few knuckleheads in office are.

I would bet there are as many non religious people as there are religious. We just arent organised (no reason too) or not the type that votes.

jenna2891 · September 9th, 2005, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pariah

I voted "yes." I think they can win an election in spite of these numbers. There are too many other factors that go into the decision to vote.

yes, i would agree to a point. it won't be the biggest factor. but the poll says that 20% feel that democrats are unfriendly towards religion. i think there is a feeling among people who feel religious (and i'm not talking about crazy, waco, right-wingers, a la pat robertson) actually feel that the dems are quickly becoming condescending towards religion.

Quote:

Anyway, don't you think some Catholics voted for Kerry based on the fact he was Catholic?

yes, some. but i bet a lot of the catholics who voted for him would have anyway. also, look at how quickly the dems numbers dropped, down 11% in one year.

krepitch · September 9th, 2005, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenna2891

yes, i would agree to a point. it won't be the biggest factor. but the poll says that 20% feel that democrats are unfriendly towards religion. i think there is a feeling among people who feel religious (and i'm not talking about crazy, waco, right-wingers, a la pat robertson) actually feel that the dems are quickly becoming condescending towards religion.

yes, some. but i bet a lot of the catholics who voted for him would have anyway. also, look at how quickly the dems numbers dropped, down 11% in one year.

Am I correct in thinking that 20% of the general population thinks that Democrats are unfriendly toward religion? I would guess that more than 20% of the general population is unfriendly toward religion themselves.

jenna2891 · September 9th, 2005, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krepitch

Am I correct in thinking that 20% of the general population thinks that Democrats are unfriendly toward religion? I would guess that more than 20% of the general population is unfriendly toward religion themselves.

what is your point, exactly?

krepitch · September 9th, 2005, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenna2891

what is your point, exactly?

That there are people who would like the fact that Democrats are unfriendly to religion.

Pariah · September 9th, 2005, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krepitch

That there are people who would like the fact that Democrats are unfriendly to religion.

Not when the same poll shows that 80% of the people consider themselves religious. Yeah, there's 20% that doesn't, but I doubt that all of them want the government to be "unfriendly" towards religious organizations/people/lifestyles.

jenna2891 · September 9th, 2005, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krepitch

That there are people who would like the fact that Democrats are unfriendly to religion.

i don't think that many people are unfriendly towards religion. i guess we would need to know how they defined unfriendly in this case. i read it to be the democrats do not have the interests of religious people in mind, that they view religion as contemptable, or not worthy of consideration.

krepitch · September 9th, 2005, 12:01 PM

Man, am I going to have to read that whole thing to find out how they defined "unfriendly"?

I think people could interpret that as either "not friendly, but indifferent" or "not friendly and hostile".

krepitch · September 9th, 2005, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pariah

Not when the same poll shows that 80% of the people consider themselves religious. Yeah, there's 20% that doesn't, but I doubt that all of them want the government to be "unfriendly" towards religious organizations/people/lifestyles.

Sounds like we need a follow-up survey.

I'm sure there are also quite a few people who are religious, but want their government to be completely separate (unfriendly, maybe?) from their religion.