And We're Worried About The Muslims?

10/28/05 FOX Poll: More Believe in Heaven Than Hell

Friday, October 28, 2005

By Dana Blanton

NEW YORK — Most Americans believe in God, heaven, miracles and angels, and while the numbers are not quite as high, large majorities say they believe in hell and the devil.

The latest FOX News poll finds that more than nine in 10 Americans (91 percent) believe in God and almost as many believe in heaven (87 percent). In addition, 84 percent say they believe in miracles and 79 percent in angels.

What about the dark side? Almost three-quarters of Americans (74 percent) say they believe in hell and two-thirds in the devil (67 percent).

As Halloween (search) approaches, the poll also asked about ghosts and witches. A third (34 percent) believe in ghosts and a quarter in witches (24 percent). In addition, almost four in 10 Americans (37 percent) say they believe in astrology and one in four believe in reincarnation (27 percent). Hardly any say they believe in vampires (4 percent).

These results are in line with past FOX News surveys on these beliefs going back to 1997.

Here are some additional findings:

Conservatives are 12 percentage points more likely than liberals, and Americans over age 65 are 7 points more likely than those under age 30 to believe in God.

Of those that believe in God, 85 percent also believe in angels, 72 percent the devil and 25 percent also believe in witches.

Belief in heaven is highest among conservatives (96 percent) and Republicans (96 percent). Conservatives are significantly more likely than liberals (+21 percentage points), and Republicans are more likely than independents (+12 points) and Democrats (+15 points) to say there is a heaven.

Women are more likely than men to believe in angels (86 percent vs. 72 percent), miracles (90 percent vs. 78 percent) and heaven (91 percent vs. 84 percent).

Men are more likely than women to believe in vampires (6 percent vs. 2 percent).

People under age 30 are about twice as likely as those over age 65 to believe in ghosts.

Almost everyone that believes in hell also believes in heaven (97 percent), but not everyone that believes in heaven also believes in hell (82 percent).

About one in five men (18 percent), liberals (18 percent) and Americans with a college degree (19 percent) doubt miracles happen.

The Politics of Halloween Masks

Back in October 2001, soon after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, fully 81 percent of Americans said wearing an Usama bin Laden mask for Halloween would be offensive and 7 percent said it would be appropriate.

Today, while most still think it would be offensive (76 percent), almost twice as many say it would be appropriate to wear a bin Laden mask (13 percent appropriate).

For fun, the poll asked a question that combined Halloween costumes and politics. Slightly more people think a Hillary Clinton mask (40 percent) is scary than think a George W. Bush mask is (33 percent). A diplomatic 23 percent say neither mask would be scary.

Opinion Dynamics Corporation conducted the national telephone poll of 900 registered voters for FOX News on October 25-26.


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