Interpreting scripture among who say common sense is their primary source of guidance on what's right and wrong by state (2014) Switch to: State among who say common sense is their primary source of guidance on what's right and wrong by interpretation of scripture

% of who say common sense is their primary source of guidance on what's right and wrong 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
Alabama38%30%5%23%4%180
Alaska13%23%2%54%8%146
Arizona18%27%1%42%13%286
Arkansas31%33%2%29%6%114
California17%24%2%48%9%1,596
Colorado12%27%2%50%9%209
Connecticut13%26%3%49%9%197
Delaware14%30%1%47%8%141
District of Columbia24%29%< 1%38%8%118
Florida20%25%2%45%8%933
Georgia29%26%3%35%7%360
Hawaii24%20%1%48%7%158
Idaho14%30%1%49%6%150
Illinois18%33%2%40%7%596
Indiana19%32%3%37%9%282
Iowa18%35%1%39%8%148
Kansas16%44%3%26%11%139
Kentucky30%23%3%37%7%175
Louisiana39%25%1%27%8%172
Maine15%23%1%53%8%167
Maryland15%32%1%46%6%282
Massachusetts13%21%2%56%7%366
Michigan18%33%2%41%7%447
Minnesota17%27%< 1%47%10%261
Missouri20%30%3%37%11%267
Montana8%34%1%48%9%138
Nebraska21%34%4%35%6%134
Nevada15%23%1%53%7%162
New Hampshire10%26%2%55%7%168
New Jersey16%26%2%47%9%421
New Mexico19%24%4%47%6%115
New York16%23%2%50%9%935
North Carolina22%29%2%38%9%391
North Dakota18%34%1%40%7%160
Ohio24%29%2%37%9%527
Oklahoma19%34%3%33%10%163
Oregon17%26%1%44%12%185
Pennsylvania23%26%1%43%7%590
Rhode Island9%27%1%59%3%156
South Carolina36%25%< 1%30%9%177
South Dakota20%36%2%29%13%140
Tennessee39%21%3%29%8%231
Texas27%27%2%37%8%953
Utah8%26%1%56%9%119
Vermont8%22%2%60%7%162
Virginia25%27%< 1%38%9%350
Washington9%28%1%52%9%308
West Virginia29%30%2%29%11%125
Wisconsin15%32%2%44%7%267
Wyoming24%30%< 1%34%11%125
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