1 of 3 Americans Say Bible Should be Taken Literally
About one-third of American adults believe in the actual word of God and that it should be taken literally. And people who attend church more frequently are more likely to believe in the literal truth of the Bible, a Gallup Poll found.
According to the new survey, 54 percent of Americans who attend church weekly believe the Bible should be taken literally word for word. The more seldom church attendees are less likely to hold that belief with only 30 percent of those who attend church monthly and 8 percent of those who never attend church believing in the actual word of God.
Church attendance is highest in the South, the poll also noted. Thus, Southerners are most likely to believe in a literal Bible. Those least likely to hold that belief are Americans in the West (22 percent). Westerners are more likely to believe in the inspired word of God, but not literally so (50 percent)....