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Faith in Alaska -- less than Palinesque

E-mail|Link|Comments (9) Posted by Michael Paulson September 4, 2008 05:23 PM

alaska%20seal.jpg

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, responding to the extraordinary level of interest in Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin since she was named the GOP vice-presidential candidate, has pulled together a portrait of the religious landscape of the Last Frontier, and says that Alaskans are "less religious than other Americans." An excerpt:

"GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is a self-described 'Bible-believing Christian,' but statistics from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life's U.S. Religious Landscape Survey show that compared with the nation as a whole, Alaska is home to a higher-than-average number of people who are unaffiliated with any particular religion. More than one-in-four Alaskans (27%) describe their religion as atheist, agnostic or nothing in particular, compared with 16% among the adult population of the continental U.S. In this respect, Alaska closely resembles some other Northwestern states, including Oregon (27% unaffiliated with any particular religion) and Washington (23% unaffiliated)."

The Pew data is interesting in part because, when combined with Palin's very high popularity ratings, it suggests that her evangelicalism and conservative views on social issues were not an obstacle in the eyes of less-religious Alaskans. The survey notes that Alaskans are slightly more supportive of abortion rights than the nation as a whole, and are equally divided over acceptance of homosexuality, just like the nation. Another excerpt:

"Alaskans are somewhat more wary than other Americans of the government's role in protecting morality. More than six-in-ten Alaskans (62%) worry that the government is getting too involved in the issue of morality, while only 33% say that the government should be doing more to protect morality. The general population is more divided on this question (52% worry government is too involved, 40% say government should do more to protect morality)."

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9 comments so far...

What is the point? Sarah Palin described herself as a Bible-believing Christian, not the entire state of Alaska.

I don't care if she is the only Christian in Alaska if it means that she will represent and promote my values and beliefs.

Posted by Mike in Seattle (one of the affiliated 77%) September 4, 08 06:37 PM

Sarah Palin's use of wedge politics from her campaigns for mayor, governor and now vice president reflect the conservative Christian right's effort to win through negative campaigning and division. It is also interesting that she did not describe the war in Iraq -- or the president's use of the military -- in the same terms she did to her church earlier this year. Perhaps she knows that most Americans don't share her belief that the war is "God's Will," or that drilling in Alaska is "God's Will," or that citizens need to be "right-minded with God." The prospect of her becoming president frightens me even more than McCain.

Posted by Derek B. September 4, 08 06:48 PM

Why so defensive Mike?
It is an article that is positive about Sarah Palin, indicating that

"her evangelicalism and conservative views on social issues were not an obstacle in the eyes of less-religious Alaskans"

That means she was able to win in a state that is not overly bible-thumping.
Good for her.
I still think she'll be back in Alaska come November but good for her anyway.

Posted by MFV September 4, 08 07:34 PM

Is faith going to sustain us through all the turmoil and problems it causes people?

No!

Posted by Dave Welch September 4, 08 08:08 PM

Renounced her Catholic baptism -- did you know that Sarah Palin was baptised Catholic but at age 12 decided that wasn't sufficient for her salvation and had herself re-baptised in an evangelicial church.

Do Catholic voters in swing states know that she considers Catholic baptism insufficient? Interesting...

Posted by MW September 4, 08 09:29 PM

Lord help us all--someone wanted a more personal experience with God, so they changed religions. Wow--she had convictions at age 12 and took action. Yay Sarah!!

Posted by Terrylou September 5, 08 12:29 AM

Normally, I don't give a hoot about a person's religious beliefs, because in polite and civilized societies that remains more or less a person's private affair. But over the past 30 years, we have had an increasing number of evangelical preachers floating around the White House, and I am beginning to get very tired of them. They do not represent the majority of Americans, period. What's more, they are depressingly narrow-minded and medieval in their beliefs. Now, if the USA were the size of say Switzerland, no one would care. So anyone believing in Armageddon (and Palin should be asked those tough "faith" questions) has no business being close to the red button. Anyone who believes firmly that human beings and dinosaurs shared the planet 6000 (six thousand) years ago has no business making any excecutive decisions whatsoever. We've had 8 long years of a born-again moron in the WH already, it cost nearly 4200 American lives in Iraq and untold numbers of dead Iraqis, mostly innocent. It has made us truly the idiot nation on the fast track to irrellevance.
Now, to correct that, we have Dick "Darth" Cheney literally provoking Russia at a very delicate time so that we can embark on the next crusade (that is a religious term, which is why I mention this), should McSame win in the next election. I'd love to know where the media are on that subject.

No, folks, we need some other spirit in the White House for a while. I don't mind having a few good conservatives there at all. But this is the lunatic fringe and while it does belong to our nation's fabric, it should remain an amusing side show. Otherwise the crazies are going to be running the booby hatch.

Posted by Talleyrand September 5, 08 03:11 AM

Our first comment shows the problem at it's source. Government isn't here to promote beliefs and values. Everyone has their own values, and government isn't here to force one set of values on everyone. Government is here to assure that everyone can believe what they want and follow their own value system, meddling just enough to prevent total chaos from breaking out.

it's painful to hear politicians stand up and say that their beliefs are the right ones, and if they just made THEIR beliefs the law of the land, this country would be a great place. no one's beliefs and values are right for everyone. We're fighting over seas against countries where the government is based on religion and calling them bad, and then a leader stands up and declares that if we made laws based on THEIR faith then OUR country would be great. Huh???

Posted by John Mc September 5, 08 08:01 AM

Excellent comment, Talleyrand!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Bostonyan September 5, 08 08:15 AM

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Michael Paulson covers religion for The Boston Globe. He shared in the Pulitzer Prize in 2003, won the Mike Berger, Templeton and Supple awards in 2008, and is a four-time winner of the Wilbur Award.
E-mail mpaulson@globe.com.

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