Saturday, November 07, 2009 Last Update:07:14 pm ET

Society|Mon, Feb. 02 2009 05:50 PM EST

Report: Top 10 Most Religious States in America

By Jennifer Riley|Christian Post Reporter

The top ten most religious states in America are all located in the south or southern Midwest, according to a new Gallup report.

All ten states are part of the so-called “Bible Belt,” or the area in the United States with a heavy socially conservative evangelical Protestant population. They are, starting with the most religious: Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Kentucky and Texas, which are tied.

The Gallup report ranked each state’s religiousness by asking respondents if religion is an important part of their daily life.

Overall, analysis shows that a solid majority of Americans said religion is important in their daily lives. A full 65 percent of Americans across the entire U.S. population gave this response.

On the other hand, about one in three American adults said religion is not important in their lives, while one percent either responded they don’t know or refused to answer.

Breaking down the data by states, 60 to 70 percent of the population in 23 states said religion is important.

Religion seems to be less important to those living in the New England area and the far West.

The top ten least religious states, starting from the least religious are: Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Rhode Island, Nevada, and Connecticut.

The results are based on telephone interviews with 355,334 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted in 2008 as part of the Gallup Poll Daily tracking. The report is the second of a four-part series on the “State of the States.”

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  • Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:46 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Yes, I understand. It grieves me too when people don't love God enough to remove themselves from sin. Their heart of flesh has become a heart of stone that the Holy Spirit cannot pierce.

  • Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:52 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

    No, I mean humans without loving human hearts - as so many seem to be on this site.

  • Sun Feb 08, 2009 7:57 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Pseudo humans? Like sasquatch?

  • Sun Feb 08, 2009 3:06 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    And pseudo-humans....

  • Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:44 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Pseudo-christians of a feather flock together.

  • Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:46 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 2

    It certainly is true that - for a leader of our country - I prefer a Christian like Obama to some of the Christians on this Web site.

  • Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:56 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 1

    Apparently, you don't think He's bigger than your sin.

    Now, if you don't want to believe what the Bible says, that's okay with me. But don't lie and call yourself a Christian. Christian means "Christ-like", and since you don't want to separate yourself from sin, it would be a lie to call yourself a Christian. As with Obama, you are a religious person.

  • Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:37 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Or the opinion of millions of your ilk.

  • Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:36 pm Agree: 2   Disagree: 1

    Prophet, I just believe that God is bigger than the Bible, bigger than any printed book, bigger than religious dogma - and bigger than your opinion.

  • Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:36 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Prophet, I just believe that God is bigger than the Bible, bigger than any printed book, bigger than religious dogma - and bigger than your opinion.

  • Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:48 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Hebrews 12:8

    "But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye b*st*rds, and not sons."

  • Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:47 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Forgiven,

    Amen. People want to be a "child of God" and yet not live under His rules. Doesn't the Bible call these types "b*st*rds"?

    I wonder if these same people allow their own children to behave that way.

  • Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:44 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

    I find it funny that everyone can understand and relate to the father saying, "If you want to live under my roof, you must do a, b, and c", but can not reconcile it to our Father in Heaven which is His house, in which He says "if you desire to live in My house with Me, you need to believe in the Gospel of My Son, repent of sins and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, confessing My Son's name, receiveing the gift of the Holy Spirit that seals you until the day of redemption".

  • Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:21 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 1

    Then the Bible is wrong. I hope you're not claiming to be a Christian. Maybe a deist, but definitely not a Christian.

  • Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:11 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 1

    You're wrong again, Prophet. But enjoy your smug position. I'm sure it serves you well in daily life.

  • Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:43 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    And no doubt where that room will be....

    If she hasn't accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior then that "room" won't be in His house.

  • Fri Feb 06, 2009 6:15 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    believer, God will no doubt be able to find room for this good woman. You can stop worrying about her.

  • Fri Feb 06, 2009 1:13 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    mtg, it's an exclusive dogma because it's the Truth and there are no other positive options. God's desire is that whosoever will can be saved but the only way a person can be saved is by turning from their sin and turning to God by putting their complete faith/trust in the person and finished work of Christ alone. And while it may be as you call it an exclusive dogma it is available to anyone to include this woman who is angry with God.

  • Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:34 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    I guess "exclusivist" is the 25-cent word I need in that last post - but it's not worth going back, I'm sure you'll agree.

  • Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:33 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 1

    I only meant: You can let go of some of the exclusive dogma that you learned in 5th grade Sunday School.

    Welcome to a much bigger God. He loves you.

  • Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:32 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    So you are promoting a God of technicalities?

    That's a pretty small god. No wonder fewer and fewer people choose to follow that one.

  • Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:46 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    mtg, so what's your point? Because someone tells the truth they need to grow up, well the reality is that lukewarm people like yourself are doing more damage to the cause of Christ than those who consider themselves to be enemies of God or Christianity since you promote a false gospel that sounds a little like the real Gospel but leads people into a false sense of security and salvation. This woman is apparently lost and if she were to die would be eternally separated from God and regardless of how much sympathy you and others have for her you're not helping her but crippling her by keeping from her knowing what she needs to do to become a child of God before its everlastingly too late.

  • Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:36 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    "mtg, she doesn't believe in God but she gets it, gets what an eternity separated from God in hell? Because that's indeed what she'll get if she doesn't repent of her sin and turn to God by putting her complete faith/trust in the person and finished work of Christ alone."

    I think Jesus would prefer you to grow up, believer.

  • Thu Feb 05, 2009 7:41 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    by the way. how do you know when you've done enough good works to get to heaven? how good do you have to be? compared to who? compared to charles manson, hitler, saddam, stalin, dahmer, bin laden im a shoo in for heaven. yah! yah! im likeing my odds already. actually, doing good works would be a good way to get to heaven. compared to most of the world, being good is becoming more and more rare.
    and then, what do you consider good? who determines what good is. assisted suicide for an elderly man near the end of his life would be considered good by some, but not others. murdering an innocent baby in the womb..well...only a dork would think that's good.
    if i kill someone, how much good do i have to do to make up for it? or am i outta luck? who determines if i've been good enough. i may say that im good enough, but my wife may disagree (veheminantly...lol).
    WHERE IS THE BOOK THAT SAYS HOW GOOD I HAVE TO BE TO GET TO HEAVEN??!!!!




    oh. its right here. the title says "Holy Bible". let me see....hmmm....it says we can never be good enough, thats why Jesus came to this earth, lived a sinless life, took our sins upon himself and died on the cross in our place, and rose again from the dead. because he knew that even the nicest person was so far short of the glory of God, that something had to be done. so instead of being good enough to be saved...he saves us so that we can be good enough through His righteousness.

  • Thu Feb 05, 2009 6:57 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    mtg, she doesn't believe in God but she gets it, gets what an eternity separated from God in hell? Because that's indeed what she'll get if she doesn't repent of her sin and turn to God by putting her complete faith/trust in the person and finished work of Christ alone. And that's why if a person is truly a Christian they will be praying for her and looking for opportunities to share the love of Christ with her in both word and deed so she will come to Christ before it's everlastingly too late!

  • Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:23 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    He is helping me. Thanks.

    "For we are saved through faith, not of works, lest any man should boast."

    That's not my quote. That's the Bible.

  • Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:19 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 1

    "I know a lady in her late fifties....."

    How blind are you folks? That lady DOES NOT miss the point. She GETS it. You legalistic literalists who chalk up "souls saved" (like some sign in the front of a Baptist church showing how many children were in Sunday School ths morning) are the ones who "miss the whole point." God help you!

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 11:07 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    johnzon,

    I agree. It's sad that she missed the whole point. But there's still hope. Pray for her that she'll give her life to Christ.
    Works doesn't bring salvation, otherwise a person can boast that they saved themselves.

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 10:20 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    weekenderman

    <<Pure religion (good works) is something that happens as a RESULT of our Christianity, but those works do not result in our salvation.>>

    I know a lady in her late fifties, she does volunteer work for the homeless and works a local food pantry for next to nothing for pay. She lost her husband, all four of her children to disease, war and accidents. She stopped believing in God a long time ago, but she still continues to try to help others. Ah too bad she has no chance of salvation, she just doesn't believe, shame on her.......sadly, LOL.

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:04 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Robscross: Did you even wrote what elusivepete posted before your post?

    "Even the Bible teaches that true religion is "to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world" (James 1:27). These are important things, to be sure... but they should be an outflow of the presence of Christ in our lives, rather than some kind of religious duty."

    Pure religion (good works) is something that happens as a RESULT of our Christianity, but those works do not result in our salvation.

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 5:53 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Prophet,

    you're right! I dont see how a Mormon can preach the Word of God with the book of Mormon to contradict it.

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 5:07 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    if I recall the scriptures correctly, Jesus address the religious people of his day and rebuked them sharply. Didn't he?

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 4:45 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    JHS,

    "Not everyone who says unto me "Lord Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven. But those who do the will of my Father."

    I put Mormons in the first catagory. By spreading a false gospel they are not doing the Father's will.

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 3:49 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    jhs, according to the Word of God anybody who repents of their sin and turns to God by putting their complete faith/trust in the person and finishd work of Jesus Christ alone will go to heaven when they die regardless of what label they wear, but not simply because they call Jesus Christ their Lord and Redeemer. And don't question how you feel about the South, but your remarks about southerners in general is what I found pretty disrespectful.

  • JHS »
    Wed Feb 04, 2009 3:23 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    And for the record I do believe Mormons are Christians, just like any person who names Jesus as their Lord and Redeemer.

  • JHS »
    Wed Feb 04, 2009 2:42 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    SALTNLIGHT, Rush Limbaugh said that about the republican party and evangelicals, and as a fomer republican, for once he is right!!!!!!!!

  • JHS »
    Wed Feb 04, 2009 2:35 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Believer, I did vote for Bush, and I was wrong. I think was Bush as going to Iraq regardless of 911. With that said I believe in covenant theology, and I think that a whole lot more people will be heaven than some people think.

    I love the southern part of the US, I just think we could learn alot from other states.

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 12:11 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    jhs, and if I remember correctly you voted for Bush as well!?

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 12:10 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    jhs, well if a majority of Southern Baptists believing that the Bible in its original autographs is the God-breathed, inerrant, plenary Word of God, literally God's Word and if we do our best to encourage our members to live lives that are in keeping with God's truths as taught in the Word of God makes it appear we have a corner on the market then so be it. But once again I must pop your bubble because in Appalachia our county is one of the few where Southern Baptists are in the majority. In Appalachia we have a wide variety of denominations, Old Regular and Regular Baptists, Free-Will Baptists, Church of Christ, Methodists, Pentecostal, Presbyterians and many more. But the common thread we have is that a majority of members in these churches believe the Bible is the Word of God and do their best with the help of the Holy Spirit to live effective Christian lives.

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 11:34 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Re: Bush

    Apparently the Bush White House staff rolled their eyes and made cruel jokes about the "Christian right," but, God knows, they wanted their VOTES!

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 11:32 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    My aunt, who, by the way, was a Yankee married to my uncle who had lived in our same Southern city since the 1790s. She adjusted fine, though.

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 11:30 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    This fight reminds me again of what my Episcopalian Aunt Harriet asked at Miss Ella Southerlin's funeral, "What church did Ella go to?" The answer: "She was a Baptist." Aunt Harriet: "A Baptist?!?" she practically shouted. "I thought she was at least a Presbyterian."

    Aunt Harriet continued living her Christian life - full of good works and love and charity - and never went through any painful period os self-examination like yoiu people seem to spend most of your time doing.

    I want to be like my aunt.

  • JHS »
    Wed Feb 04, 2009 10:57 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Ohh believer, I will get over my "Bush" issues when the economy is back where it was under Clinton and Iraq is over, oh yeah The southern baptist is the largest church in the south bar none, and yesthey do tend to believe they have a corner on the truth, and God know they backed Bush in spades!!!!!!!!!1

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 12:47 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    jhs, plus who said anything about Southern Baptists, I was speaking to southerners and specifically southerners who live in Appalachia. You really need to let go of your Bush fixation!

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 12:44 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    chris, so just because one calls you on your bogus claim that the roman catholic church is not the one true church and all of a sudden that person is not on even keel?

  • Wed Feb 04, 2009 12:39 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    jhs, I hate to pop your bubble but a majority of the evangelical Christians in this area are registered Democrats and for the most part vote the party line and in fact democratic candidates run unopposed many times. So you need to do your homework before you make blanket statements about the South and specifically Appalachia.

  • Tue Feb 03, 2009 7:14 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

    Such foundless accusations and false beliefs. Thus is the foundation of Catholicism.

  • Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:34 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 2

    JHS you truly hit a sore spot with Believer.
    Next thing you know, he will think you are becoming Catholic and then he will rail against you like never before.

    Logic and Reason, recently, have not been his strong suits. He use to be more level headed in his approach and not so agressive. Pray for him, maybe he is going through something that is affecting his judgement.
    Most of the time in earlier posts he wasn't so mean, but rather very even keel and fair minded.

  • JHS »
    Tue Feb 03, 2009 3:33 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 2

    Oh believer, for the record, I perfer to live below the mason-dixon, I hate the cold, and I like church to non political, however the that is not the case any more, if you people listened to limbaugh who is full of it most of the time talk about what republicans in leadership really think about evangelicals, evangelicals would start their own party, but no, they keep voting for the republican who hide behind Jesus and the flag to justify their economic policies that do nothing for the working families in this country, but send them down the river. All this because evangelicals are worried about 1% of the homosexual population!!!

    Not to mention the BS war in Iraq and the disaster the republicans have left behind after 8 years, and I always voted republican!!!! So I don't care where you have been or where you are going, but I do know that the Southern baptist [the republican party at prayer] have thrown their lot with the Bush crowd, so if I seem a little P.. off, well now you know why!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:58 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

    jhs, and what's interesting is much of the North Country and Vermont are the northern part of the Appalachian range and I found that true Vermonters and many in the North Country were pretty similar of those living in Souteast Kentucky and Tennessee. Oh and by the way my wife is Appalachian born and bred from LaFollette Tennessee and proud of it.

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