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1. Lucy Foley on February 12th, 2009 at 10:52 am

   Well, Romania and Georgia are very interesting inclusions, because of the historical suppression of religion in those places under the Soviet system. I daresay if you had conducted this poll in Ireland 20 years ago, we’d have been up there, too. There are state-enforced reasons (whether pro- or anti- religion) for religion’s presence in people’s lives, cultural reasons also, and then there is the sense of devotion/sacredness that some people find in a church, a temple or an ashram (or on a mountain or in the toilet, for that matter). It’s always interesting to me to wander into a church in Ireland now, during the day, for instance, on a weekday. See who’s there, and how they’re praying.

2. Cindy Scroggins on February 12th, 2009 at 11:06 am

   I’d have to say that religion is an important part of my daily life, too–it informs the actions of so many people around me that I can’t not consider it on a daily basis.

3. Lelia Katherine Thomas on February 12th, 2009 at 11:06 am

   Polls like these are a bit of a problem, because having something be an “important part” of your daily life is highly subjective. For instance, it is just as likely for someone who prays once a day to say religion is an important part of their day and life, as it is for someone who prays every hour to say that. Of course, of the two there, who would you say treats religion more importantly? Clearly, it’d be the person who prays every hour, but this poll, because of the way it words its question, cannot take that into account.

   Never mind the cultural issues here. Religion, arguably, affects more of one’s daily life in places like Iran, Iraq and Lebanon. Speaking as an agnostic southerner and Mississippian (though I live in Australia right now), I can say you can go days without having a religious conversation or seeing religious symbols (outside of churches, that is) in the south. Might the same be true in a land where women are veiled or where people feel required to pray multiple times a day, etc.?

   We would likely see very different results if the question were “Would you die for your religious beliefs?” Of course, the percentage of people who would say yes would be much higher than the reality of such a thing (due to cultural pressure and dogmatic silliness).

4. Deron Bauman on February 12th, 2009 at 11:10 am

   Lucy, you make an interesting point. I can’t remember the last time awe and reverence seemed like a component of American religious life.

5. Daryl Scroggins on February 12th, 2009 at 11:18 am

   Maybe an interesting side question here would be: how often, in any given day, are you made to feel uncomfortable due to the religious expectations of others?

6. Cindy Scroggins on February 12th, 2009 at 11:23 am

   Five.

7. Cindy Scroggins on February 12th, 2009 at 11:24 am

   No, wait. Seven.

8. Lucy Foley on February 12th, 2009 at 11:24 am

   I think there are pockets of it everywhere. It’s innate in people, whether religious or not. Religion is actually a separate issue really, but in Ireland for instance, I see people for whom the religion provides a structure for that innate sensibility. The problem with religion as I see it, is in the act of closing a book and codifying the meanings therein, and shutting down curiosity and openness and wonder.

9. Lucy Foley on February 12th, 2009 at 11:26 am

   The innate sensibility and the pockets of it that I was referring to in that comment are the sense of devotion and openhearted love that sprouts in humans whether religious or not.

10. Cindy Scroggins on February 12th, 2009 at 11:28 am

    That’s lovely, Lucy. And I’m in complete agreement.

11. Cooper Renner on February 12th, 2009 at 11:35 am

    Too many Americans have awe and reverence only for money, no?

    I’d like to see the question asked, in both Alabama and Iran, “Do you have a favorable opinion of the US?” Iranians would probably score higher.

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