99 to I

Do Americans believe in God? The current issue of the Catholic Digest reports a nearly unanimous yes: 99% of them do.

The Digest bases its findings on a nationwide sampling in which people were offered a choice of phrases suggesting varying degrees of conviction. Eighty-seven percent felt "absolutely certain," ten percent were "fairly sure," two percent were "not quite sure," though not doubtful enough to class themselves as unbelievers.

The answers by denominations (including non-church members who lean to any one of them):

Absolutely Fairly Not Quite Other*

Certain Sure Sure

Roman Catholics 92% 7% 1% /-

Baptists 93 6 1 /-

Methodists 86 11 2 1

Lutherans 80 17 2 1

Presbyterians 90 8 2 /-

Episcopalians 77 17 4 2

Congregationalists 72 20 8 /-

Other Protestants 89 9 2 /-

Jews 70 18 9 3

Other faiths or none 55 21 7 17

Almost 100% of the women called themselves believers, 98% of the men. High school graduates (99%) were more devout than college students (94%).

The general affirmative made the Digest editors happy. They concluded: "Since there are only a few who do not believe, we need not fear their effect on our national belief or its strength."

*Including "not at all sure," "do not believe" and "don't know."

/-Less than half of 1%.

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