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Posts published in “Day: June 23, 2008”

Internationalists

One quick add-on to the piece on the Pew study, a statistic developed nationally but of special import to the Northwest.

The question was asked of everyone surveyed, which of these two views would come closest to your view: "It's best for the future of our country to be active in world affairs," or, "We should concentrate on problems here at home."

Every religious tradition chose "here at home" over "active in world affairs" - nearly all by big margins - with just two exceptions. For understandable specific reasons, Jews went for "world affairs" by 53% to 37%. Just behind them, however, is a less-expected group - by 51% to 37%, Mormons agreed - the only other group on that side of the choice.

Worth thinking about in national electoral politics.

Fine tuning on religion

The outlines of the Northwest on religion are clear enough. In most of southern Idaho and in patches of eastern Oregon and Washington, Mormons are dominant. The Seattle and Portland metro areas are relatively secular. Evangelicals are strong in many of the suburban areas. And so forth.

The latest study out of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life doesn't break down below state levels, but it goes beyond the labels and tags: Almost uniquely, it goes after specific beliefs and actions.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho vary more or less under this type of lens generally as you'd expect they would. But the differences are enlightening anyway.

Some of the numbers seem a little unexpected out of context; among adherents generally, evangelical Christians (26% nationally) account for 25% in Washington and 30% in Oregon, but just 22% in Idaho; but you have to bear in mind that Mormons are counted separately from them, and they are estimated at 23% in Idaho, but 5% in Oregon and just 2% in Washington. Add the two (which makes sense, since despite their theological differences they have many social policy similarities) and you get 27% in Washington, 35% in Oregon and 45% in Idaho. A picture emerges.

(Add to this: The percentage of Roman Catholics is higher in Idaho, at 18%, than in Washington's 16% or Oregon's 14%. ) (more…)