Barbara Moulton
15th April 2006, 08:38 AM (08:38)
I thought these poll results (published in the Globe and Mail) were interesting. Ipsos Reid conducted telephone interviews with 814 Canadians and 768 Americans on April 11-12. The survey has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points, 19 times in 20.
*Sixty-two per cent of Canadians polled agreed with the statement that "through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God provided the way for the forgiveness of sins." Asked the same question, 76% of Americans agreed.
*In Canada, 20% agreed with the statement that "the world will end in the Battle of Armageddon between Jesus and the Antichrist." In the United States, 46% answered in the affirmative.
*Only 25% of Canadians said it is important to encourage non-Christians to become Christians, compared with 46% in the United States.
*The number of Canadian believers is virtually unchanged from 1996, but regular church attendance dipped four percentage points. Moreover, just over half of Canadians now say they go only once a year or never at all, a drop from 43% a decade ago.
*Forty-two per cent of Canadians said they felt they have been in the presence of God, while 29% said they have had "a religious or mystical experience that is a moment of sudden religious insight or awakening." In comparison, 58% of Americans said they had felt they were in the presence of God, and 47% had experienced a religious awakening.
*Sixty-two per cent of Canadians polled agreed with the statement that "through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God provided the way for the forgiveness of sins." Asked the same question, 76% of Americans agreed.
*In Canada, 20% agreed with the statement that "the world will end in the Battle of Armageddon between Jesus and the Antichrist." In the United States, 46% answered in the affirmative.
*Only 25% of Canadians said it is important to encourage non-Christians to become Christians, compared with 46% in the United States.
*The number of Canadian believers is virtually unchanged from 1996, but regular church attendance dipped four percentage points. Moreover, just over half of Canadians now say they go only once a year or never at all, a drop from 43% a decade ago.
*Forty-two per cent of Canadians said they felt they have been in the presence of God, while 29% said they have had "a religious or mystical experience that is a moment of sudden religious insight or awakening." In comparison, 58% of Americans said they had felt they were in the presence of God, and 47% had experienced a religious awakening.