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Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life – Sept. 9, 2004 New poll: Views of Islam remain sharply divided Roughly four-in-ten Americans (39%) say they have a favorable impression of Islam, while about as many (37%) say they have an unfavorable view. The balance of opinion has not changed substantially in the past year (39% favorable in July 2003). But there are significant differences of opinion among religious groups, with white Evangelical Protestants having a much more negative view of Islam than white Catholics, Mainline Protestants or secular Americans. In a new poll, conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life and the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, Americans were asked if Islam is more likely to encourage violence; how many Muslims are anti-American; and whether the Islamic religion is more likely to encourage violence among its believers. There continue to be significant demographic and political differences in public opinion toward Islam. On balance, younger Americans, those under age 30, hold a more favorable view of Islam; older age groups are divided, with a relatively large minority of those age 65 and older expressing no opinion (39%). Among religious groups, seculars by two-to-one express a favorable opinion of Islam (50%-25%). A plurality of white Catholics also has a positive impression of Islam (43% fav/34% unfav). But white evangelical Protestants, on balance, have a negative opinion of Islam (46% unfav/29% fav). And more than half of white evangelicals who attend church at least once a week have an unfavorable impression of Islam. There also are sharp ideological differences in impressions of Islam. A solid majority of liberal Democrats (56%) say they have a favorable opinion of Islam. Conservative and moderate Democrats are less favorable (44%), but positive opinions outnumber negative ones. Republicans are less positive toward Islam, and 45% of conservative Republicans say they have an unfavorable opinion of the religion. |