Survey of Religion and Community Life in Indianapolis, 1999

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BIBLE Which of the following statements comes closest to describing your feelings about the Bible? Would you say:   1) Bible is the Word of God, to be taken literally.   2) Bible is the Word of God, but not to be taken literally.   3) Bible is legends, history and teachings.   7) Other   8) Don't know   9) Refused

Pie Chart Bar Chart Cumulative Bar Chart

Category	Frequency	Percentage	Cumulative Percentage	Z-Score
Bible is the Word of God, to be taken literally.	305	37.8%	37.8%	-.85
Bible is the Word of God, but not to be taken literally.	325	40.3%	78.2%	.07
Bible is legends, history and teachings.	160	19.9%	98%	.98
Other	10	1.2%	99.3%	4.66
Don't know	4	.5%	99.8%	5.58
Refused	2	.2%	100%	6.5

Variable Comparisons

Gender Education Religious preference Age Race Marital status Political party Household income

Gender (I-GENDER)

	Male	Female	TOTAL
Bible is the Word of God, to be taken literally.	32.3% 109	41.7% 195	37.8% 304
Bible is the Word of God, but not to be taken literally.	40.9% 138	40.0% 187	40.4% 325
Bible is legends, history and teachings.	25.2% 85	16.0% 75	19.9% 160
Other	1.2% 4	1.3% 6	1.2% 10
Don't know	0.0% 0	0.9% 4	0.5% 4
Refused	0.3% 1	0.2% 1	0.2% 2
TOTAL	100.0% 337	100.0% 468	805

Education (I-EDUC)

	Zero to 11 years	12 years	Some college	College degree or higher	Don't know	TOTAL
Bible is the Word of God, to be taken literally.	58.2% 39	49.1% 115	35.6% 69	26.5% 81	0.0% 0	37.8% 304
Bible is the Word of God, but not to be taken literally.	25.4% 17	29.1% 68	48.5% 94	47.1% 144	66.7% 2	40.4% 325
Bible is legends, history and teachings.	13.4% 9	19.7% 46	14.9% 29	24.2% 74	33.3% 1	19.8% 159
Other	1.5% 1	0.9% 2	0.5% 1	2.0% 6	0.0% 0	1.2% 10
Don't know	1.5% 1	0.9% 2	0.0% 0	0.3% 1	0.0% 0	0.5% 4
Refused	0.0% 0	0.4% 1	0.5% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.2% 2
TOTAL	100.0% 67	100.0% 234	100.0% 194	100.0% 306	100.0% 3	804

Religious preference (I-REL)

	Catholic	Protestant	Oth Chrstn	Oth Rel	No pref	TOTAL
Bible is the Word of God, to be taken literally.	19.6% 28	44.0% 109	51.2% 105	43.6% 44	14.9% 15	37.7% 301
Bible is the Word of God, but not to be taken literally.	65.0% 93	45.6% 113	33.7% 69	25.7% 26	22.8% 23	40.6% 324
Bible is legends, history and teachings.	14.7% 21	8.5% 21	14.1% 29	27.7% 28	57.4% 58	19.7% 157
Other	0.0% 0	2.0% 5	0.5% 1	1.0% 1	3.0% 3	1.3% 10
Don't know	0.7% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	2.0% 2	1.0% 1	0.5% 4
Refused	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.5% 1	0.0% 0	1.0% 1	0.3% 2
TOTAL	100.0% 143	100.0% 248	100.0% 205	100.0% 101	100.0% 101	798

Age (I-AGE)

	18-29	30-44	45-65	65 and up	Refused	TOTAL
Bible is the Word of God, to be taken literally.	37.0% 61	35.3% 95	36.8% 86	45.5% 61	33.3% 1	37.8% 304
Bible is the Word of God, but not to be taken literally.	38.2% 63	43.9% 118	40.6% 95	35.8% 48	33.3% 1	40.4% 325
Bible is legends, history and teachings.	23.0% 38	18.6% 50	20.9% 49	16.4% 22	33.3% 1	19.9% 160
Other	0.6% 1	1.5% 4	0.9% 2	2.2% 3	0.0% 0	1.2% 10
Don't know	1.2% 2	0.0% 0	0.9% 2	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.5% 4
Refused	0.0% 0	0.7% 2	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.2% 2
TOTAL	100.0% 165	100.0% 269	100.0% 234	100.0% 134	100.0% 3	805

Race (I-RACE)

	White	Black	Wh and Ind	Other	Dk/ ref	TOTAL
Bible is the Word of God, to be taken literally.	29.5% 155	63.1% 94	40.0% 18	45.5% 35	33.3% 2	37.9% 304
Bible is the Word of God, but not to be taken literally.	46.4% 244	25.5% 38	40.0% 18	31.2% 24	16.7% 1	40.5% 325
Bible is legends, history and teachings.	22.6% 119	10.1% 15	17.8% 8	19.5% 15	16.7% 1	19.7% 158
Other	1.1% 6	0.7% 1	2.2% 1	1.3% 1	16.7% 1	1.2% 10
Don't know	0.4% 2	0.7% 1	0.0% 0	1.3% 1	0.0% 0	0.5% 4
Refused	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	1.3% 1	16.7% 1	0.2% 2
TOTAL	100.0% 526	100.0% 149	100.0% 45	100.0% 77	100.0% 6	803

Marital status (I-MARITAL)

	Married	Cohabiting	Widowed	Sep/ Div	Nvr marry	TOTAL
Bible is the Word of God, to be taken literally.	36.0% 130	35.9% 14	58.9% 33	39.5% 68	33.3% 58	37.8% 303
Bible is the Word of God, but not to be taken literally.	46.3% 167	38.5% 15	23.2% 13	37.8% 65	37.4% 65	40.5% 325
Bible is legends, history and teachings.	15.5% 56	23.1% 9	12.5% 7	22.1% 38	27.6% 48	19.7% 158
Other	1.7% 6	0.0% 0	1.8% 1	0.6% 1	1.1% 2	1.2% 10
Don't know	0.3% 1	2.6% 1	3.6% 2	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.5% 4
Refused	0.3% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.6% 1	0.2% 2
TOTAL	100.0% 361	100.0% 39	100.0% 56	100.0% 172	100.0% 174	802

Political party (I-PARTY)

	Republican	Democrat	Independnt	Other	Dk/ ref	TOTAL
Bible is the Word of God, to be taken literally.	37.9% 91	38.6% 107	36.0% 80	32.7% 18	80.0% 8	37.8% 304
Bible is the Word of God, but not to be taken literally.	45.8% 110	38.6% 107	38.3% 85	40.0% 22	10.0% 1	40.4% 325
Bible is legends, history and teachings.	15.4% 37	21.3% 59	23.9% 53	18.2% 10	0.0% 0	19.8% 159
Other	0.4% 1	0.7% 2	0.9% 2	9.1% 5	0.0% 0	1.2% 10
Don't know	0.0% 0	0.7% 2	0.9% 2	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.5% 4
Refused	0.4% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	10.0% 1	0.2% 2
TOTAL	100.0% 240	100.0% 277	100.0% 222	100.0% 55	100.0% 10	804

Household income (I-INCOME)

	$0-19999	$20-29999	$30-39999	$40-49999	$60000+	TOTAL
Bible is the Word of God, to be taken literally.	51.5% 69	42.3% 52	44.1% 56	38.2% 68	20.8% 44	37.3% 289
Bible is the Word of God, but not to be taken literally.	25.4% 34	32.5% 40	40.2% 51	42.1% 75	53.8% 114	40.6% 314
Bible is legends, history and teachings.	21.6% 29	23.6% 29	14.2% 18	17.4% 31	23.6% 50	20.3% 157
Other	0.7% 1	0.8% 1	0.8% 1	2.2% 4	0.9% 2	1.2% 9
Don't know	0.7% 1	0.8% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.9% 2	0.5% 4
Refused	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.8% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.1% 1
TOTAL	100.0% 134	100.0% 123	100.0% 127	100.0% 178	100.0% 212	774