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Survey Reports
July 26, 2005
Views of Muslim-Americans Hold Steady After London Bombings
Questionnaire
PEW RESEARCH CENTER FOR THE PEOPLE & THE PRESS
AND PEW FORUM ON RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE
JULY 2005 RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE SURVEY
FINAL TOPLINE
July 7-17, 2005
N=2000
QUESTIONS 1 THROUGH 8 FOR FUTURE RELEASE
ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=1000]:
Q.9F1 Now thinking about some specific religious groups... Is your overall opinion of [INSERT FIRST ITEM,
RANDOMIZE; ITEM e SHOULD ALWAYS COME LAST.] very favorable, mostly favorable, mostly
UNfavorable, or very unfavorable? [INTERVIEWERS: PROBE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN
"NEVER HEARD OF" AND "CAN'T RATE."]
(VOL) (VOL)
-------Favorable------ -----Unfavorable----- Never Can't
Total Very Mostly Total Very Mostly Heard of Rate/Ref
a.F1 Catholics 73 24 49 14 4 10 0 13=100
Mid-July, 2003 69 21 48 18 6 12 * 13=100
March, 2002 74 19 55 13 4 9 * 13=100
Mid-November, 2001 78 29 49 8 3 5 * 14=100
March, 2001 74 19 55 13 3 10 1 12=100
September, 2000 (RVs) 78 29 49 9 3 6 * 13=100
b.F1 Jews 77 23 54 7 2 5 * 16=100
Late May, 2005 77 37 40 7 2 5 -- 16=100
Mid-July, 2003 72 20 52 9 3 6 1 18=100
March, 2002 74 18 56 9 2 7 * 17=100
Mid-November, 2001 75 24 51 7 2 5 * 18=100
March, 2001 72 16 56 10 2 8 * 18=100
September, 2000 (RVs) 77 27 50 8 3 5 * 15=100
June, 1997 82 26 56 9 2 7 1 8=100
c.F1 Evangelical Christians 57 17 40 19 5 14 5 19=100
Mid-July, 2003 58 18 40 18 6 12 3 21=100
March, 2002 55 13 42 18 5 13 7 20=100
March, 2001 55 13 42 16 4 12 8 21=100
September, 2000 (RVs) 63 21 42 16 3 13 3 18=100
February, 1996 39 13 26 38 15 23 11 12=100
July, 1994 43 10 33 32 10 22 11 14=100
May, 1990 43 12 31 38 19 19 7 12=100
d.F1 Muslim Americans 55 9 46 25 9 16 * 20=100
Mid-July, 2003 51 10 41 24 9 15 1 24=100
March, 2002 54 8 46 22 8 14 2 22=100
Mid-November, 2001 59 15 44 17 5 12 1 23=100
March, 2001 45 7 38 24 8 16 4 27=100
September, 2000 (RVs) 50 11 39 21 8 13 2 27=100
e.F1 Atheists, that is,
people who don't believe
in God 35 7 28 50 28 22 0 15=100
Mid-July, 2003 34 7 27 52 33 19 * 14=100
March, 2002 34 5 29 54 31 23 * 12=100
Mid-November, 2001 32 7 25 49 28 21 * 19=100
March, 2001 29 4 25 57 35 22 * 14=100
September, 2000 (RVs) 32 8 24 52 32 20 * 16=100
ASK ALL:
Q.10X How worried are you that there will soon be another terrorist attack in the United States? [READ]
Very Somewhat Not too Not at all Don't know/
worried worried worried worried Refused
July, 2005 26 42 19 12 1=100
Mid-October, 2004 17 43 27 12 1=100
August, 2004 20 44 25 10 1=100
July, 2004 17 41 26 15 1=100
June, 2004 25 42 20 12 1=100
Mid-March, 2004 20 42 25 12 1=100
Early February, 2004 13 42 28 16 1=100
Mid-January, 2004 20 45 24 10 1=100
August, 2003 13 45 29 12 1=100
March, 2003 22 42 20 14 2=100
February, 2003 34 41 17 7 1=100
January, 2003 18 50 23 8 1=100
December, 2002 31 42 18 8 1=100
Early October, 2002 20 46 22 11 1=100
Late August, 2002 16 46 25 12 1=100
June, 2002 32 44 17 7 * =100
January, 2002 20 42 28 9 1=100
December, 2001 13 39 27 19 2=100
October 15-21, 2001 29 42 18 10 1=100
October 10-14, 2001 27 40 19 12 2=100
Early October, 2001 28 45 15 11 1=100
QUESTIONS 11 THROUGH 23 FOR FUTURE RELEASE
ASK ALL:
Q.24X Do you think that the terrorist attacks over the past few years are a part of a major conflict between the
people of America and Europe versus the people of Islam, or is it only a conflict with a small, radical
group?
IF CONFLICT WITH A SMALL RADICAL GROUP (2 IN Q.24X) ASK:
Q.24Y Do you think this conflict is going to grow into a major world conflict, or do you think it will remain
limited to a small, radical group?
Aug Mid-Oct
2002 2001
29 Major conflict 35 28
60 Conflict with a radical group 52 63
26 Is going to grow into a major world conflict 19 --
31 Will remain limited to a small, radical group 28 --
3 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 5 --
11 Don't Know/Refused (VOL.) 13 9
100 100 100
QUESTIONS 25 THROUGH 40 FOR FUTURE RELEASE
On another subject
Q.41 How much would you say you know about the Muslim religion and its practices? [READ, IN ORDER]
Mid-July March Mid-Nov
2003 2002 2001
5 A great deal 4 5 6
28 Some 27 29 32
36 Not very much 39 37 37
30 Nothing at all 29 28 24
1 Don't know/Refused 1 1 1
100 100 100 100
ASK ONLY IF R HAS A RELIGION OTHER THAN ISLAM (1,2,4,7 IN Q.33) [N=1735]:
Q.42 From what you know, do you think that the Muslim religion and your own religion have a lot in common,
or do you think that the Muslim religion and your religion are very different?
Mid-July March Mid-Nov
2003 2002 2001
27 A lot in common 22 27 31
59 Very different 60 57 52
14 Don't know/Refused 18 16 17
100 100 100 100
ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=1000]:
Q.43F1 Would you say you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of Islam?
Mid-July March ---- ABC/Beliefnet ----
2003 2002 Jan 2002 Oct 2001
41 Favorable 40 38 41 47
36 Unfavorable 34 33 24 39
23 No Opinion 26 29 35 13
100 100 100 100 100
ASK FORM 2 ONLY [N=1000]:
Q.44F2 Would you say you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of Islam -- the Muslim religion?
37 Favorable
36 Unfavorable
27 No opinion (VOL.)
100
ASK ALL:
ROTATE QUESTIONS 45 AND 46
Q.45 Do you happen to know what name Muslims use to refer to God? [Allah]
Mid-July March
2003 2002
48 Correct Answer 45 47
14 Incorrect Answer 9 11
38 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 46 42
100 100 100
Q.46 Do you happen to know the name of the Islamic equivalent to the Bible? [Koran]
Mid-July March
2003 2002
51 Correct Answer 42 43
9 Incorrect Answer 4 8
40 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 54 49
100 100 100
Q.47 As I read you a pair of statements, tell me whether the FIRST statement or the SECOND statement comes
closer to your own views even if neither is exactly right.
ASK FORM 2 ONLY [N=1000]: July Mid-July March
b.F2 2004 2003 2002
The Islamic religion is more likely than others to
36 encourage violence among its believers 46 44 25
-OR-
The Islamic religion does not encourage violence
47 more than others 37 41 51
3 Neither (VOL.) 2 3 3
14 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 15 12 21
100 100 100 100
ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=1000]: Late May Mid-July March
a.F1 2005 2003 2002
Some religions are more likely than others to encourage
45 violence among believers 52 52 47
-OR-
43 Religions are all about the same in this regard 39 38 41
5 Neither (VOL.) 3 5 4
7 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 6 5 8
100 100 100 100
ASK IF 1 IN Q.47aF1:
Q.48F1 Which one of the religions that I name do you think of as most violent--Christianity, Islam, Judaism or
Hinduism?
May 2005
5 Christianity 5
27 Islam 35
2 Judaism 2
2 Hinduism 2
2 None (VOL.) (DO NOT READ) 1
7 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 7
43 Religions are all about the same [in Q.47aF1] 39
12 Neither/Don't know/Refused (VOL.) [in Q.47aF1] 9
100 100
ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=1000]:
Q.49F1 How much of a role does religion play in causing most wars and conflicts in the world? [READ, IN
ORDER]
Mid-July March
2003 2002
40 A great deal 44 34
35 A fair amount 35 31
13 Only a little [OR] 12 20
8 None at all 6 9
4 Don't know/Refused (VOL, DO NOT READ) 3 6
100 100 100
Q.50F1 How much of a role does religion play in causing political conflict in the United States? [READ, IN
ORDER]
30 A great deal
35 A fair amount
27 Only a little [OR]
4 None at all
4 Don't know/Refused (VOL, DO NOT READ)
100
Now, just a few questions for statistical purposes only...
PARTY In politics TODAY, do you consider yourself a Republican, Democrat, or Independent?
(VOL) (VOL)
No Other
Trend Republican Democrat Independent Preference Party Don't know
July, 2005 32 32 28 5 * 3=100
June, 2005 30 32 32 4 * 2=100
May, 2005 30 34 29 4 * 3=100
March, 2005 30 34 29 4 * 3=100
February, 2005 31 32 30 4 1 2=100
January, 2005 32 33 30 4 * 1=100
December, 2004 31 34 30 3 * 2=100
Mid-October, 2004 30 33 30 4 * 3=100
Late September, 2004 29 30 31 6 * 4=100
Mid-September, 2004 29 31 30 5 * 5=100
Early September, 2004 30 33 31 3 * 3=100
August, 2004 31 35 27 4 * 3=100
July, 2004 29 33 32 3 * 3=100
June, 2004 30 34 31 3 * 2=100
May, 2004 29 35 26 5 1 4=100
Early May, 2004 27 34 31 4 1 3=100
Late April, 2004 30 31 31 5 * 3=100
Early April, 2004 31 32 28 4 1 4=100
Late March, 2004 30 34 28 4 * 4=100
March, 2004 27 35 32 4 * 2=100
Mid-February, 2004 30 33 30 4 * 3=100
Early February, 2004 31 33 31 3 * 2=100
Mid-January, 2004 31 31 31 4 1 2=100
Early January, 2004 29 34 31 4 * 2=100
Yearly Totals
2004 30 33 30 4 * 3=100
2003 30 31 31 5 * 3=100
2002 30 31 30 5 1 3=100
2001 29 34 29 5 * 3=100
2001 Post-Sept 11 31 32 28 5 1 3=100
2001 Pre-Sept 11 28 35 30 5 * 2=100
2000 28 33 29 6 * 4=100
1999 27 33 34 4 * 2=100
1998 28 33 32 5 * 2=100
1997 28 33 32 4 1 2=100
No Preference/
Other/DK
1996 29 33 33 5=100
1995 32 30 34 4=100
1994 30 32 34 4=100
1993 27 34 34 5=100
1992 28 33 35 4=100
1991 31 32 33 4=100
1990 31 33 30 6=100
Independent/
No Pref/Oth/DK
1989 33 33 34=100
1987 26 35 39=100
(All party identification trends based on general public.)
IF ANSWERED 3, 4, 5 OR 9 IN PARTY, ASK:
PARTYLN As of today do you lean more to the Republican Party or more to the Democratic Party?
Refused
Republican Democrat to lean
July, 2005 10 14 12=36%
June, 2005 10 16 12=38%
Mid-May, 2005 9 13 14=36%
Late March, 2005 13 17 9=39%
December, 2004 14 12 9=35%
August, 2003 12 16 14=42%
August, 2002 12 13 13=38%
September, 2000 11 13 15=39%
Late September, 1999 14 15 16=45%
August, 1999 15 15 12=42%
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