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Americans Overwhelmingly Support Religious Rights and Freedoms This Thanksgiving

Three-Quarters of Americans Say Their Rights Come from God, Not Government; Agree Government Can’t Force Americans to Violate Their Religious Beliefs

(Manitou Springs, CO—November 16, 2021) Summit.org, in partnership with McLaughlin and Associates—one of America’s most respected polling survey firms—is releasing the results of a recent national survey. Results were from a survey of 1,000 likely general election voters nationwide and were conducted October 14th through October 18th.

“There’s a widening gap between the dominant media narrative and what the American people actually believe. We’re seeing that in these numbers. As we approach a holiday established to thank God for His blessings on our nation, the American people still believe that our rights come from God, not from the government and that the right to believe and practice our religion must be respected,” said Dr. Jeff Myers of Summit.org. “Despite everything, it is encouraging to see that Americans still acknowledge the freedoms that made this nation great.”

All interviews were conducted online; survey invitations were distributed randomly within predetermined geographic units. These units were structured to correlate with actual voter turnout in the general election. This poll of 1,000 general election voters has an accuracy of +/- 3.1% at a 95% confidence interval.

The complete link to the data can be found here: https://www.summit.org/about/press/polling-religious-freedom-rights-and-government/

KEY INSIGHT: Of Those American Voters Who Offered an Opinion on the Issue Nearly 3 out of 4 Say Our Rights Come From God Not the Government

• 73 percent of American voters who have an opinion about the issue say that they agree with America’s founders that our rights are given to us by our Creator and not by the government.
• 27 percent of American voters who have an opinion about the issue say that they don’t agree with America’s founders that our rights are given to us by our Creator and not by the government.

KEY INSIGHT: Bipartisan Support for the Idea That Our Rights Come from Our Creator and Not from the Government

• 80 percent of Republican voters say that they agree with America’s founders that our rights are given to us by our Creator and not by the government.
• 60 percent of Independent voters say that they agree with America’s founders that our rights are given to us by our Creator and not by the government.
• 51 percent of Democrat voters say that they agree with America’s founders that our rights are given to us by our Creator and not by the government.

KEY INSIGHT: Overwhelming Majority of American Voters Say Government Does Not Have the Right to Overrule a Person’s Religious Beliefs

• 75 percent of American voters say the government does not have the right to force people to participate in practices that violate their religious beliefs.
• 16 percent say the government does have the right.
• 10 percent did not know or did not answer.

KEY INSIGHT: Support for Primacy of Personal Religious Beliefs Crosses Bipartisan Lines

• 84 percent of Republican voters say the government does not have the right to force people to participate in practices that violate their religious beliefs.
• 78 percent of Independent voters say the government does not have the right to force people to participate in practices that violate their religious beliefs.
• 64 percent of Democrat voters say the government does not have the right to force people to participate in practices that violate their religious beliefs.

KEY INSIGHT: Of Those American Voters Who Offered an Opinion on the Issue a Majority Say Civil Disobedience is Appropriate When the Government Oversteps its Legal Authority or Becomes Immoral 

• 57 percent of American voters who have an opinion about the issue believe that civil disobedience is the appropriate response when the government oversteps its legal authority or engages in immoral behavior against its citizens.
• 43 percent of American voters who have an opinion about the issue believe that civil disobedience is not the appropriate response when the government oversteps its legal authority or engages in immoral behavior against its citizens.