Interpreting scripture among adults who would rather have a smaller government with fewer services by state (2014) Switch to: State among adults who would rather have a smaller government with fewer services by interpretation of scripture

% of adults who would rather have a smaller government with fewer services who say the holy scripture is…

StateWord of God; should be taken literallyWord of God; not everything taken literallyWord of God; other/don't knowNot the word of GodOther/don't knowSample size
Alabama49%31%2%14%4%314
Alaska28%28%4%35%5%183
Arizona29%33%1%29%7%410
Arkansas40%33%2%21%4%172
California21%27%2%42%8%1,784
Colorado27%27%3%37%5%278
Connecticut18%31%2%43%6%196
Delaware14%36%3%42%6%146
Florida29%29%3%33%6%1,035
Georgia38%30%3%22%7%528
Hawaii29%26%2%41%3%160
Idaho28%33%1%32%5%209
Illinois26%33%2%33%6%721
Indiana35%29%4%25%7%383
Iowa27%40%2%26%6%201
Kansas33%40%2%21%5%204
Kentucky43%25%2%25%5%245
Louisiana35%31%3%24%7%262
Maine20%29%4%40%6%180
Maryland25%31%2%34%8%298
Massachusetts11%25%2%57%5%325
Michigan30%31%3%31%5%545
Minnesota24%32%2%32%9%331
Mississippi49%24%7%19%3%178
Missouri32%30%4%26%9%402
Montana24%31%5%33%8%215
Nebraska28%41%4%22%6%202
Nevada22%25%1%46%6%194
New Hampshire19%26%1%45%9%180
New Jersey15%31%3%44%8%437
New Mexico34%27%6%30%3%153
New York20%30%2%42%7%882
North Carolina33%30%4%24%8%559
North Dakota26%39%1%28%6%233
Ohio31%34%3%28%5%682
Oklahoma31%34%3%26%7%240
Oregon25%31%4%32%9%228
Pennsylvania30%33%2%31%6%793
Rhode Island15%33%1%46%5%155
South Carolina46%27%1%21%6%271
South Dakota33%37%1%15%14%212
Tennessee47%25%6%16%5%407
Texas35%29%2%29%5%1,330
Utah23%46%4%24%3%222
Vermont19%25%2%47%6%143
Virginia35%27%4%28%5%516
Washington23%32%4%32%9%386
West Virginia48%24%3%19%6%188
Wisconsin29%32%5%28%6%369
Wyoming36%30%2%27%5%230
Sample sizes and margins of error vary from subgroup to subgroup, from year to year and from state to state. You can see the sample size for the estimates in this chart on rollover or in the last column of the table. And visit this table to see approximate margins of error for a group of a given size. Readers should always bear in mind the approximate margin of error for the group they are examining when making comparisons with other groups or assessing the significance of trends over time. For full question wording, see the survey questionnaire.

Learn More: Word of God; should be taken literally, Word of God; not everything taken literally, Not the word of God