Poll Watch: CNN/ORC Survey on the Separation of Church and State

CNN/ORC Survey on the Separation of Church and State

Thinking specifically about the role that religion plays in government, which of the following statements comes closest to your views: 

Religion should be the only factor the government uses to decide its policies; Religion should be a major factor in the government's decisions but not the only one; Religion should have some influence on the government's decisions but should not be a major factor in those decisions; or Religion should have no influence at all on the government's decisions.

• Religion should be only factor gov't uses to decide its policies 2%
• Religion should be major factor in gov't decisions; not only one 15%
• Religion should have some influence on gov't decisions 36%
• Religion should have no influence on gov't decisions 47%

Among Democrats

• Religion should be only factor gov't uses to decide its policies 3%
• Religion should be major factor in gov't decisions; not only one 11%
• Religion should have some influence on gov't decisions 31%
• Religion should have no influence on gov't decisions 54%

Among Republicans

• Religion should be only factor gov't uses to decide its policies 3%
• Religion should be major factor in gov't decisions; not only one 20%
• Religion should have some influence on gov't decisions 42%
• Religion should have no influence on gov't decisions 36%

Among Independents

• Religion should be only factor gov't uses to decide its policies 1%
• Religion should be major factor in gov't decisions; not only one 15%
• Religion should have some influence on gov't decisions 36%
• Religion should have no influence on gov't decisions 47%

Support Tea Party

• Religion should be only factor gov't uses to decide its policies 3%
• Religion should be major factor in gov't decisions; not only one 18%
• Religion should have some influence on gov't decisions 41%
• Religion should have no influence on gov't decisions 38%

Oppose Tea Party

• Religion should be only factor gov't uses to decide its policies 2%
• Religion should be major factor in gov't decisions; not only one 8%
• Religion should have some influence on gov't decisions 21%
• Religion should have no influence on gov't decisions 68%

Among Liberals

• Religion should be only factor gov't uses to decide its policies 2%
• Religion should be major factor in gov't decisions; not only one 6%
• Religion should have some influence on gov't decisions 21%
• Religion should have no influence on gov't decisions 70%

Among Moderates

• Religion should be only factor gov't uses to decide its policies 1%
• Religion should be major factor in gov't decisions; not only one 14%
• Religion should have some influence on gov't decisions 36%
• Religion should have no influence on gov't decisions 49%

Among Conservatives

• Religion should be only factor gov't uses to decide its policies 4%
• Religion should be major factor in gov't decisions; not only one 20%
• Religion should have some influence on gov't decisions 44%
• Religion should have no influence on gov't decisions 31%

Attended College

• Religion should be only factor gov't uses to decide its policies 1%
• Religion should be major factor in gov't decisions; not only one 11%
• Religion should have some influence on gov't decisions 36%
• Religion should have no influence on gov't decisions 52%

No College Education

• Religion should be only factor gov't uses to decide its policies 4%
• Religion should be major factor in gov't decisions; not only one 20%
• Religion should have some influence on gov't decisions 34%
• Religion should have no influence on gov't decisions 41%

Survey of 1,038 adult Americans was conducted September 9-11, 2011. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.