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

% of who say religion 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
Alabama64%26%4%4%2%264
Arizona49%40%3%4%4%219
Arkansas60%26%2%7%4%147
California51%30%3%9%6%1,027
Colorado49%34%4%6%6%150
Florida60%25%5%6%4%632
Georgia56%32%3%3%6%426
Idaho49%40%4%2%5%120
Illinois49%34%4%6%7%403
Indiana65%25%3%4%3%242
Iowa43%43%4%5%4%119
Kansas54%37%5%2%2%115
Kentucky65%28%3%3%1%190
Louisiana58%31%4%5%2%201
Maryland56%26%4%7%7%211
Massachusetts38%40%4%13%5%111
Michigan56%28%5%7%4%332
Minnesota52%34%6%4%4%164
Mississippi71%21%4%< 1%3%161
Missouri53%31%4%8%4%240
Nebraska48%43%2%1%7%113
New Jersey43%37%6%9%5%249
New Mexico58%24%4%5%9%107
New York47%34%4%10%5%496
North Carolina60%24%6%4%6%428
North Dakota50%39%4%5%3%113
Ohio52%36%4%5%3%389
Oklahoma62%24%2%9%2%159
Oregon44%39%8%3%6%111
Pennsylvania48%36%3%9%3%474
South Carolina66%27%3%1%3%230
South Dakota54%37%3%1%5%109
Tennessee60%25%6%4%5%326
Texas60%28%3%4%5%1,052
Utah38%54%6%1%< 1%141
Virginia65%22%6%4%2%318
Washington56%30%4%7%3%204
West Virginia66%18%8%4%4%143
Wisconsin55%30%5%8%1%197
Wyoming56%33%6%2%4%118
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