Poll: 3 In 10 Americans Take The Bible Literally

A new Gallup poll reveals that three out of ten Americans believe the Bible to be the actual word of God, to be interpreted literally, word for word. These results are relatively consistent with recent results, but down from the peak levels in 1980 and 1984 when 40 percent of Americans said they took the Bible literally.

Respondents to the poll were given three options as responses to the poll:

• The Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word.
• The Bible is the inspired word of God, but not everything in it should be taken literally.
• The Bible is an ancient book of fables, legends, history, and moral precepts.

While 30 percent responded that the Bible is the actual word of God, a clear plurality of 49 percent preferred the second interpretation, and 17 percent believe the Bible to be a book of fables and legends.

A further breakdown of the poll's numbers reveals a few potential correlations, most of them probably predictable to many.

A majority (54 percent) of those who attend church on a weekly basis said they believe the Bible to be the literal word of God. This compares with only 16 percent of those who say they seldom or never attend church services.

Responses to the poll also shifted drastically when sorted by levels of education. Of those with a high school diploma or less, 46 percent say they take the Bible literally, while only 16 percent of those with a postgraduate degree align with this view.

Also of note may be the clear majority of Catholics (65 percent) who believe the Bible is the inspired word of God but should not be taken literally word for word, and the clear disparity between the percentages of Republicans (6 percent) and Democrats (24 percent) who believe the Bible is a book of fables, legends and history.

Comments

[AbrahamSadegh]

03:50 PM on 08/31/2011

3 out of 10 Americans have put themselves in a mental and spiritual straightjacket woven over thousands of years by myriad of human beings who might have been at times inspired by God without losing their own freedom to choose.

Matthew 7.13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction” = easy way of taking the Bible literally.

Matthew 7.14 “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life” = accepting the responsibility of searching the mine that is the Bible in order to find the precious jewels hidden within.

[surferlaments]

11:20 PM on 07/28/2011

if some of you people don't believe that is fine.... but why come here, and call believers in God and Jesus names, for believing as they do? what is the point? again, believe as you do it has no bearing on me......

[floridaviolinist]

07:02 PM on 07/27/2011

those 3 in 10 people should be locked up and have their children taken from them.

[commonsensegrad]

02:37 AM on 07/29/2011

There is no reason for that comment. It is simply rude and lacks any sign of intelligence.

[soma77]

07:28 PM on 07/26/2011

The 3 out of 10 who read it literally throw the Bible at people as if it was a law book. It is too bad they don't use it to change themselves. They are the same people who believe in the Republicans.

[oldsftshoes]

08:25 AM on 07/27/2011

Who needs the Bible when the world has you?

[soma77]

02:25 PM on 07/27/2011

Conservative Christians are kind, polite,good and sweet-spirited until you try to sit in their Republican pews.

[surferlaments]

11:04 PM on 07/28/2011

think what you want. but, that does not make you right. "they are the same people who believe in the republicans". that is quite a generalization. I believe in God and i believe the Bible is the word of God. and, because of that, according to your wise thoughts ...... i believe in the republicans? too inept.

[soma77]

02:23 PM on 07/29/2011

Many Christians want to serve God, 7 out of 10. Republicans want to serve God only only in an advisory capacity, 3 0ut of 10. That is OK someday Republicans will realize that God is there co-pilot and will switch seats then we will see them making an effort to help the old, young and poor and not just the rich...............sorry job creators in other countries not the US.

[Theophrastus]

08:11 PM on 07/23/2011

People who take the Bible seriously have never read it. Or at least have not examined it thoroughly enough and with enough soul searching to examine the contradictions. Thomas Paine's Age of Reason is a great book to read before you read the Bible. His sense of humor is decidedly English and reads like you're having a Guinness with someone out of Monty Python even though it was written over two hundred years ago.

[oldsftshoes]

08:26 AM on 07/27/2011

Have you read it cover to cover book by book verse by verse?

[Theophrastus]

11:00 PM on 07/28/2011

Yep. Scofield version primarily. The old calvanist has an unparallelled reference guide. I learned a lot. I also studied apocryphal works ancient Egyptian texts (and Sumerian cuneiform.

[Theophrastus]

11:03 PM on 07/28/2011

oops... almost forgot., And Koine Greek. Aristotle was a genius. Wrong half the time, but a genius nonetheless.

[surferlaments]

11:07 PM on 07/28/2011

People who take the Bible seriously have never read it? now, how would you know that? did you talk to everyone that takes the Bible seriously? did you ask them.... have you ever read the Bible. guys like you are funny. think as you will.... who cares? well, let me be more specific, i don't care.

[John David Redux]

10:51 PM on 08/02/2011

Fundamentalists don't care about a lot of things ... like science or the truth.

[John David Redux]

05:53 PM on 08/03/2011

It really has nothing to do with faith. What you're saying is based in ignorance. I have faith, too. But I know that science means something. You seem to think that the two are diametrically opposed, when anyone with a brain would tell you that they're not.

Your whole "something can't be made from nothing" diatribe is just evidence that you really have no idea of what Big Bang Theory and evolution are all about. Try reading a science book. Yes, I said you were a lost cause now ... but maybe if you try learning some science, you can become less embarrassing to yourself and your loved ones.

[rccrosby]

10:18 PM on 07/18/2011

The Bible, the written "Word of God", is the tangible form we have and hold today of the "voice" of God ... or the "spoken Word" that put the planets in place. A.W. Tozer says it well here (from The Pursuit of God, p. 74) ...
“The Bible is the written Word of God, and because it is written it is confined and limited by the necessities of ink and paper and leather. The voice of God, however, is alive and free as the sovereign God is free. ‘The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life’ (John 6:63). The life is in the speaking words. God’s word in the Bible can have power only because it corresponds to God’s word in the universe. It is the present Voice which makes the written Word all-powerful. Otherwise it would lie locked in slumber within the covers of a book.”

Check out my column at Patheos.com - "Catch the Current" http://www.patheos.com/About-Patheos/Robert-Crosby.html

[Eternalwisdom]

05:51 PM on 07/21/2011

I guess business must not be going so well, hence the necessity to advertise here for free.

[oldsftshoes]

08:32 AM on 07/27/2011

Your right about one thing, YOUR GUESSING!

[Bobrobert]

03:44 PM on 07/18/2011

God has a sense of humor... live with it!!!

:-)

[guitarfitch]

06:06 PM on 07/17/2011

A favorite quote/bumper sticker: "Religion is for people that can't handle reality."

[oldsftshoes]

08:34 AM on 07/27/2011

No, those that can't handle reality would not have a bumper.

[John David Redux]

10:52 PM on 08/02/2011

There's some of that knee-slappin' atheist sense of humor for you.

[JACK DOYLE]

02:18 PM on 07/17/2011

Which shows how poorly educated stuck in superstition and voodoo Americans are .
That would explain Republicans who voted for bush and Iraqnam twice.

[eatURocra]

03:06 PM on 07/14/2011

3 in 10 americans take the Bible literally

Lets see the authors of the Bible took the creation, Noah and the flood, Jonah in the whale, the virgin birth, Jesus death and resurrection, etc etc--all the things most unbelievers and some believers scoff at other believers for 'taking literally'--those AUHTORS--those divinly inspired authors,-- David, Paul, Peter, etc--THEY took these things- literally. They comment on these events and do not call them methaphor in their comments about them. So I would suggest that believers in God continue to take such things LITERALLY even though places like huff po or liberal Christians call you a moron for doing so. That doesnt mean you deny that the Bible is full of deep truths to be pondered and struggle with over a lifetime. To accept these events as having been meant as literal accounts is to accept the truth.

[Estevan Benson]

12:38 PM on 07/13/2011

facepalm

[SolarArray]

11:14 AM on 07/13/2011

The bible was cobbled together for political purposes by Constantine. Ordinary stuff to gain power was all it was.
And people lapped it up, even to this day.

[Eaglepreacher7]

06:37 PM on 07/13/2011

Actually, I'm not a believer that Constantine's efforts were as selfish as those that followed. I do think he saw power in Christianity, but actually had a spiritual nature about him. Unfortunately, that seemed to die with him for a long long time. But even if Constantine did help assemble the books, it does not mean that he had anything to do with writing them.

[Paul Odtaa]

02:53 AM on 07/13/2011

To see how educated some of the believers are a friend of mine was beaten up by so called Christians for suggesting that Jesus did not speak English.

[Eaglepreacher7]

06:39 PM on 07/13/2011

I believe Jesus could have spoken english if He had needed to. But nothing of that time shows any indication of why he would have needed to. And why Christians would be willing to beat someone over such a mute fact would just show once again just how little they understood about Christianity in the first place.

Please tell your friend I'm sorry for such an offence. It was wrong and unacceptable.

[HappyBrit]

10:20 AM on 07/15/2011

The English language didn't exist at the time of Jesus............

[John David Redux]

10:55 PM on 08/02/2011

Oh my god. You're so incredibly stupid.

[Dr Juan]

11:35 PM on 07/12/2011

Belief depends highly on age. When we are in college we think we know everything and thus have no need of religion. As life teaches how little we know, some of us seek a source or order and understanding to counteract the inhumanity and greed we see. Then, as we approach the end of our lives we wonder if we can make amends through religion.

[ExiledMan]

11:47 PM on 07/12/2011

BS. I'm just looking for the truth not a pacifier.

[Tanrioldu]

01:21 AM on 07/13/2011

What a weak generalization

[Dr Juan]

08:57 AM on 07/13/2011

The point is people are not born with belief - it develops in some naturally as they age and in others it may be indoctrinated at an early age by religious schooling. Some of course see no point in it ever - but it is a factor that can hold civilization together and both are fading fast today.

[pinnsy]

09:03 PM on 07/12/2011

3 in 10 americans take the bible litterally. 3 in 1,000,000 try to live the bible in their daily walk. 3 in 10,000,000 know what repentance is. 3 in100,000,000 practice repentance. 2.98 in 10 americans use the bible as a mask to hide their real selves and motives. It is called acting like a believer. And alas 3 in 10 americans can tell you how to properly interperate and follow the bible.