Americans: My Religion Isn't The Only Way

Survey Finds 70 Percent In U.S. Believe Other Faiths Can Lead To Eternal Life

(CBS/ AP)  America remains a nation of believers, but a new survey finds most Americans don't feel their religion is the only way to eternal life - even if their faith tradition teaches otherwise.

The findings, revealed Monday in a survey of 35,000 adults, can either be taken as a positive sign of growing religious tolerance, or disturbing evidence that Americans dismiss or don't know fundamental teachings of their own faiths.

Among the more startling numbers in the survey, conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: 57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching.

In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.

"The survey shows religion in America is, indeed, 3,000 miles wide and only three inches deep," said D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion.

"There's a growing pluralistic impulse toward tolerance and that is having theological consequences," he said.

But, there could be a flip-size to the results, suggests Father Thomas Williams, a professor of theology and a CBS News Analyst.

"I think that organized religion could find this also a little bit threatening in the sense when dogma and doctrine become less and less important, it doesn't matter belonging to one church or another," Williams said on the CBS Evening News.

Earlier data from the Pew Forum's U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, released in February, highlighted how often Americans switch religious affiliation. The newly released material looks at religious belief and practice as well as the impact of religion on society, including how faith shapes political views.

The report argues that while relatively few people - 14 percent - cite religious beliefs as the main influence on their political thinking, religion still plays a powerful indirect role.

The study confirmed some well-known political dynamics, including stark divisions over abortion and gay marriage, with the more religiously committed taking conservative views on the issues.

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Full Report On Religion Poll -- 276 pages
Key Findings Of Religion Poll -- 18 pages

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But it also showed support across religious lines for greater governmental aid for the poor, even if it means more debt and stricter environmental laws and regulations.

By many measures, Americans are strongly religious: 92 percent believe in God, 74 percent believe in life after death and 63 percent say their respective scriptures are the word of God.

But deeper investigation found that more than one in four Roman Catholics, mainline Protestants and Orthodox Christians expressed some doubts about God's existence, as did six in ten Jews.

Another finding almost defies explanation: 21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with 8 percent "absolutely certain" of it.

"Many people who identify as atheists may not be telling us they don't believe in God, they may be telling us they don’t like organized religion," Pew senior fellow John Green told CBS Radio News.

"Look, this shows the limits of a survey approach to religion," said Peter Berger, a theology and sociology professor at Boston University. "What do people really mean when they say that many religions lead to eternal life? It might mean they don't believe their particular truth at all. Others might be saying, 'We believe a truth but respect other people, and they are not necessarily going to hell."'

At Saint Alban's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., members of a weekly bible study class agree - their path to heaven is not the only path.

"It is impossible for me to believe that Christ is the only window for salvation," member Claudia Upper told CBS News correspondent Chip Reid.

Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum, said that more research is planned to answer those kinds of questions, but that earlier, smaller surveys found similar results.

Nearly across the board, the majority of religious Americans believe many religions can lead to eternal life: mainline Protestants (83 percent), members of historic black Protestant churches (59 percent), Roman Catholics (79 percent), Jews (82 percent) and Muslims (56 percent).

By similar margins, people in those faith groups believe in multiple interpretations of their own traditions' teachings. Yet 44 percent of the religiously affiliated also said their religion should preserve its traditional beliefs and practices.

"What most people are saying is, 'Hey, we don't have a hammer-lock on God or salvation, and God's bigger than us and we should respect that and respect other people,"' said the Rev. Tom Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.

"Some people are like butterflies that go from flower to flower, going from religion to religion - and frankly they don't get that deep into any of them," he said.

Beliefs about eternal life vary greatly, even within a religious tradition.

Some Christians hold strongly to Jesus' words as described in John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Others emphasize the wideness of God's grace.

The Catholic church teaches that the "one church of Christ ... subsists in the Catholic Church" alone and that Protestant churches, while defective, can be "instruments of salvation."

Roger Oldham, a vice president with the executive committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, bristled at using the word "tolerance" in the analysis.

"If by tolerance we mean we're willing to engage or embrace a multitude of ways to salvation, that's no longer evangelical belief," he said. "The word 'evangelical' has been stretched so broadly, it's almost an elastic term."

Others welcomed the findings.

"It shows increased religious security. People are comfortable with other traditions even if they're different," said the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance. "It indicates a level of humility about religion that would be of great benefit to everyone."

More than most groups, Catholics break with their church, and not just on issues like abortion and homosexuality. Only six in 10 Catholics described God as "a person with whom people can have a relationship" - which the church teaches - while three in 10 described God as an "impersonal force."

"The statistics show, more than anything else, that many who describe themselves as Catholics do not know or understand the teachings of their church," said Denver Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput. "Being Catholic means believing what the Catholic church teaches. It is a communion of faith, not simply of ancestry and family tradition. It also means that the church ought to work harder at evangelizing its own members."

[midland666]

Ouch....
Some bible thumpers are going to reach for them thar
loaded scriptures so showw us the error of them thar wayz...

[steeepe]

Eternal life? How? Where? Is there any evidence whatsoever that there is life after death? How could you know?

[rushman71]

midland666: It''s bible haters like you that better get used to the fire and brimstone. Besides, that number at the end of your screen name really shows who you truly support.

[naucoming4u]

Look out for "singinrick", (or whatever his current name is), and his minions to come here and bore us to death with carefully picked excerpts from the Bible, (excerpts that only advance their opinions however).

Coming, very soon, to a message board near you!

[genesis15-2009]

Ouch....
Some bible thumpers are going to reach for them thar
loaded scriptures so showw us the error of them thar wayz...

Posted by midland666

Welll, dat is da way it bees. Dat will neva change. It is wat it is. Da bible thumpers are goin'' nowhar. So get ova it!!!

[ubrew12]

Dog is my copilot

[ramos937]

I know I will misspell but what the heck.

I am Roman Catholic and proud of it. But, I also believe God can be whorshipped in many different ways. The Hindus call Him Budda; the Muslims call Him Allah. Many Jews call him Yehowah. It is all the same entity. So where is the big difference?

[zwooten727]

actually it looks like everyone is either "mixed up" about thier own beliefs..... or there needs to be an awful lot of different heavens to accommodate all the folks that figure they have the "inside track" on "true salvation".

[rushman71]

neoconism: And your part of the remaining 15% ********, right?

[naucoming4u]

Spirituality truly brings you closer to God.

Religion only divides you among your brothers and sisters, your fellow children of God. Causing war, death, torture, pain, sickness, and suffering, for the sake of control from a select few.

[displeased]

Yippee! Finally a legitimate board for the religious fanatics to show their stuff. Maybe we''ll get a break on the other boards.

Isn''t it funny that people who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

[naucoming4u]

Yippee! Finally a legitimate board for the religious fanatics to show their stuff. Maybe we''''ll get a break on the other boards.

Isn''''t it funny that people who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

Posted by Displeased at 01:41 PM : Jun 23, 2008
..........

LOL!

So true. And how convenient... a story/article just made for them to spout off... right here!

I can''t wait.

[lib_crusher]

neoconism: And your part of the remaining 15% ********, right?

Posted by rushman71 at 01:37 PM : Jun 23, 2008


Wierd statement. Neocons are usually not ********, but they are ALL democrats. LOL! Dumb azz lib!

[ianlou]

"Please accept my resignation. I don''t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member."
Groucho Marx

[lib_crusher]

I was brought up Catholic... That question alone was enough to get you excommunicated.

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 01:45 PM : Jun 23, 2008

So you s*ucked at religion. Nothing to be proud.

It''s actually a fairly easy belief system, compared to say atheism.

[notblue]

"70% of Americans believe other religions will also get you in heaven". What percentage of Muslims beleive that???? What percentage of Muslim extremists believe that?

[faith_in_w]

Oh look, the liberals are tying to justify their tree worshipping days beck in the 1960''s. They would get high and go hug trees. God isnt going to forget that you liberals!

[rowdywicca]

Survey Finds 70 Percent In U.S. Believe Other Faiths Can Lead To Eternal Life"

Yup, the Baptists believe that Methodists can get to Heaven too, as can the Lutherans. Maybe Catholics. All of them believe that if you''''re a Mulsim you''''re doomed and that the Jews aren''''t saved and well, the Mormons are kindling for the Hindus.

Yeah they believe oother faiths are okay, if they are Christian.


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Posted by Nancy_Naive at 01:51 PM : Jun 23, 2008

Oh hogwarsh! I don''t care if someone wants to go out and worship a rock! It''s their personal choice!

I choose my religion and my faith and it doesn''t have a damned thing to do with anybody else!

What, are you one that has to keep up with Jones'' or something? Or do you have any self security at all in who you are?

[naucoming4u]

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 01:51 PM : Jun 23, 2008
...........

And then you have this divide, within Christianity, between the "holy trinity" and the "Jesus is the living God" krappola. So that forces various sects within "Christianity" to openly accuse the other "Christian" sects as being a cult! Now that is pathetic, (or comical, depending on your point of view).

[omaar-101]

The findings, revealed Monday in a survey of 35,000 adults, can either be taken as a positive sign of growing religious tolerance, or disturbing evidence that Americans dismiss or don''t know fundamental teachings of their own faiths.

Among the more startling numbers in the survey, conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: 57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching.

In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.

"The survey shows religion in America is, indeed, 3,000 miles wide and only three inches deep," said D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion.
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I Hope You Christians, Judaism & Islam Only Nuts can Finally See, that Others don`t share your Extreme Views and that You are Nuts Isolated, Seperated & Warped in your Beliefs of The One and Only Way Mentality.

Most of Your Presidents were (Deist-Masonic) an believed as long as You Believed in a Supreme Being, you are Accepted.

[mudrose-2009]

"70% of Americans believe other religions will also get you in heaven". What percentage of Muslims beleive that???? What percentage of Muslim extremists believe that?
Posted by notblue

All they''re looking for is a little nookie when they get to the other side. Apparently they don''t get enough here so to assume that God fits in the Muslim equation is moot.

[faith_in_w]

Im Christian, Im right, and Im in your face!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[genesis15-2009]

Well, well, well

Instantly when the word "religion" is mentioned, the Christian haters start to have PANIC ATTACKS and have to be taken to the doctor. The desire to rid the world of the largest faith in the world is constant. But, hohum, what''s new, it has been going on for over 2000 years. We Christians are still here. If any other religion faced what we have faced, we would be extinct by now. The Romans can verify that. The existence of Christianity and the Bible in this day and age is a miracle in itself. My, there is a God.

[jsklinemn]

You have to admit that there are a lot of religious scholars on here. I get a kick out of reading some of them as it really shows where things have gone when you give folks so much freedom.

We''re warned about this scenario where people will be following all these false gods, and even some of them will purport themselves to be "the god"... This story isn''t really any different in what it''s trying to "color".

We''re supposed to be wise to the point of being able to recognize all the phonies, from the real deal that will one day show up and all will fall down... believer or not. At that point when he arrives, is where the cream is separated from the milk.

I sure hope you are ready when it does happen.

[mudrose-2009]

Heaven my rear....religion or anything else certainly will get you into the ground....history....and real quietness and peace......try it.
Posted by shazam95

You first. come back and let us know.

[acolton1]

FYI

Everybody the only way you get into Heaven is by the Grace of God.

[mcv57]

"Religion" has never been the way. Only Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Not religion.

Posted by NoPacifism

Well, at least we agree on somethings!

[texanforlogi]

Jesus was a liberal.

[faith_in_w]

There can only be one correct God and one correct way. You liberals should be ashamed of yourselves trying to dupe people into thinking otherwise.

[ktorrent]

Regarding some of these comments 1) I don''t care if I am accepted or not. I am interested in the poor and the fatherless and doing whatever I can for my country, and I am a born again Christian. 2) I would have to doubt the source of the poll, and it is interesting that this is brought up at this time. Repeatedly we have to be represented by the press who doesn''t really know people''s hearts. I won''t be talked out of what I believe.

[hoseobama]

"According to the survey, one in four Roman Catholics, mainline Protestants and Orthodox Christians expressed some doubts about God''s existence, as did six in ten Jews."

I find this AMAZING! What is their purpose for being religious then ? Or, is the poll faulty.

[displeased]

I figure the atheists will be all over this board foaming at the mouth to attack Christianity. They usually are.
Posted by NoPacifism

Singinrick, is that you? You love the attacks. Being you instigate them.

[toolmangler-2009]

Well, at least we agree on somethings!
Posted by mcv57 at 02:04 PM : Jun 23, 2008



Hear, hear.

[genesis15-2009]

Well we got gods eyes.. why not gods brains too?


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Posted by sidvicious99

In some ways we did before Adam sinned (remember God gave him a choice), and then all hell broke loose. Many of you are proof of that.

[cathaleen]

We''re modernizing our reglious beliefs. Catholics are no longer told that our religion is the only true religion, Protestants no longer look at catholics with suspicion and Jews no long mistrust everyone that isn''t Jewish. We''ve come a long way.

[minminmin-2009]

The desire to rid the world of the largest faith in the world is constant. But, hohum, what''''s new, it has been going on for over 2000 years.
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Posted by genesis15 at 02:01 PM : Jun 23, 2008

Maybe another poster can help me out here, but I thought Christianity was not the largest religion in the world....anyone got some stats on that?

[mcv57]

Jesus was a liberal.

Posted by texanforlogi

On the contrary, Jesus slam-dung the Jews on many laws. For example, the Jews allowed divorce; Jesus NOPE!

[underdogus10]

JESUS CHRIST said im the only way!! HELLO COWARDS!!

[mandylou4u]

This is a tough one. Everyone has a right to believe what they want. I call myself a Christian, yet I don''t go to church every sunday and I don''t walk around saying "you need God in your life" That is everyone''s God given right. To choose what you want to believe in. Acceptance I think, is what people are looking for. Some Christians force you to believe what they do. Those Christians don''t realize they just broke their own rules. They are no longer acting like a true christian when they start forcing. You cannot force someone to believe as you do. We all have to live in this world and it would just make it a whole lot easier if folks would stop pushing their views on others.

[displeased]

anyone got some stats on that?
Posted by MinMinMin

I always thought muslims were the largest population. But I have no stats since I have more important things to worry about.

[genesis15-2009]

The desire to rid the world of the largest faith in the world is constant. But, hohum, what''''''''s new, it has been going on for over 2000 years.
--------------------------------------
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Posted by genesis15 at 02:01 PM : Jun 23, 2008

Maybe another poster can help me out here, but I thought Christianity was not the largest religion in the world....anyone got some stats on that?



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Posted by MinMinMin

Christianity is the world''s largest faith. Islam is second. The Bible is still the top-selling book of all-time. Put it together and figure it out. There is a God.

[acolton1]

faith_in_w

There can only be one correct God and one correct way.

That sounds like something Hitler and the Nazi Party Preached.

[underdogus10]

shazam95 JESUS IS THE KING OF KINGS LORD OF LORDS!!

[midland666]

Sounds like ricky has his loaded cross out today, and swinging it

[brianp55]

"a new survey finds most Americans don''t believe their tradition is the only way to eternal life "

Eternal life.....Give me a break!

[mcv57]

You can worship whatever you''''d like... JUST DO NOT HANG YOUR 10 COMMANDMENTS ON MY GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS!

Thank you.

Posted by Nancy_Naive

Without the law of Moses, mankind would not have any guidelines of morality.

[displeased]

The only thing we can ever really do is watch the weather..
Posted by sidvicious99

At least the weather is real and watchable. And beautiful when it''s in a fury.

[underdogus10]

shazam95 deal with it, deal with the truth!! JESUS!!

[minminmin-2009]

Looks like 33% of the world is Christian....but I suppose that includes everything from Mormons to Catholics to Seventh Day Adventists. Still a lot of contention between the Christians. I wonder if some of you stalwart Christian types view all these religions as legit Christians, or mybe not?

[genesis15-2009]

This is a tough one. Everyone has a right to believe what they want. I call myself a Christian, yet I don''''t go to church every sunday and I don''''t walk around saying "you need God in your life" That is everyone''''s God given right. To choose what you want to believe in. Acceptance I think, is what people are looking for. Some Christians force you to believe what they do. Those Christians don''''t realize they just broke their own rules. They are no longer acting like a true christian when they start forcing. You cannot force someone to believe as you do. We all have to live in this world and it would just make it a whole lot easier if folks would stop pushing their views on others.


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Posted by mandylou4u

That depends on your definition of force. Me explaining my beliefs to someone who is interested and want to hear it is not force. In the eyes of the world "force" means for me to tell someone about my faith even if they want to hear it. That is the way atheist think. They don''t even want me to mention God in the public arena. It ain''t happening here!!!