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

% of adults who would rather have a bigger government with more 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
Alabama53%25%7%10%4%166
Alaska21%13%< 1%58%7%108
Arizona23%30%3%34%10%209
Arkansas50%22%2%19%6%124
California32%21%2%39%6%1,638
Colorado19%24%3%47%8%185
Connecticut27%24%1%44%4%151
Delaware30%28%4%34%4%126
District of Columbia32%18%1%43%6%210
Florida34%22%2%36%6%830
Georgia46%25%1%23%5%370
Hawaii31%19%1%44%5%123
Illinois27%30%2%34%7%514
Indiana40%24%1%31%4%228
Iowa24%27%3%40%6%110
Kentucky41%23%4%29%3%157
Louisiana57%22%< 1%18%3%176
Maryland30%24%1%39%5%301
Massachusetts17%20%2%55%6%314
Michigan30%29%2%33%6%354
Minnesota22%18%3%51%6%196
Mississippi67%20%4%5%5%115
Missouri31%30%2%32%5%201
Nevada32%27%1%33%6%104
New Hampshire9%18%2%63%8%103
New Jersey32%27%3%32%5%382
New Mexico32%19%1%38%10%134
New York27%21%2%44%6%946
North Carolina39%22%3%31%6%381
Ohio36%28%1%29%6%363
Oklahoma41%24%1%30%5%121
Oregon21%21%1%49%8%158
Pennsylvania30%23%1%40%6%472
Rhode Island25%23%< 1%45%7%124
South Carolina56%21%2%16%6%184
Tennessee46%22%2%25%5%206
Texas44%26%2%23%6%1,016
Vermont10%19%2%65%4%134
Virginia41%18%1%31%8%309
Washington21%20%1%53%5%274
Wisconsin23%26%1%46%3%201
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