Americans believe firmly in religious freedom but think atheists are more welcome than Muslims in the United States, Nashville-based LifeWay Research finds.
More than 90 percent say people should be free to choose and practice religious beliefs. Nearly 7 in 10 call America a nation of many religions.
Yet Americans acknowledge the nation embraces Christians and Jews more heartily than atheists or Muslims. While 92 percent agree America is a welcoming place for Christians and 87 percent agree for Jews, the number drops to 67 percent for atheists. LifeWay released the study July 29 based on a survey taken in 2014.
Muslims are the least welcome, in Americans’ estimation. Fifty-seven percent say America is a welcoming place for Muslims and 35 percent believe it is not.
“Americans are deeply committed to religious liberty, but they can look at today’s culture and see America does not always welcome everyone,” said Scott McConnell, LifeWay Research vice president. “Welcoming people of all religions means being open to both immigrants of other faiths and citizens who choose to change their beliefs.”
In a phone survey of 1,000 Americans, LifeWay found nearly 9 in 10 (88 percent) believe Americans have religious freedom.
Americans are uncertain whether the growing Muslim population will be welcome. Unease has surfaced in widespread disputes over mosque construction and in a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that Abercrombie & Fitch could not refuse to hire a Muslim woman because of her headscarf.
Christians are more likely than nonreligious Americans to believe Muslims are welcome, according to the LifeWay survey. Among atheists, agnostics and those with no religious preference, less than half (47 percent) say America is a welcoming place for Muslims. In contrast 6 in 10 Christians believe Muslims are welcome, a viewpoint held most strongly by Catholics at 68 percent.
As for atheists, two-thirds (67 percent) of Christians and 78 percent of those in other religions say America is a welcoming place for atheists, but that view is shared by only 62 percent of the nonreligious.
(BP)
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