Politics

Poll: Majority of Americans approve of God’s job performance

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
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Most Americans say they are pleased with the job God is doing these days.

The Democratic polling outfit Public Policy Polling released the results of a poll Tuesday asking such questions as “If God exists, do you approve or disapprove of its performance?” and “If God exists, do you approve or disapprove of its handling of natural disasters?”

For the record, 52 percent of Americans approve of God’s performance, while 9 percent disapprove. Forty percent aren’t sure.

Michael Sadowsky, who came up with the question in the poll, said PPP often includes silly questions just for fun.

“I felt an approval rating for God would be an interesting silly question as polls on God almost always ask what one’s beliefs are, not how good a job the deity in question is doing,” he said.

When it comes to God’s handling of natural disasters, 50 percent of Americans approve while 13 percent disapprove.

“Clearly God was going to get great ratings in America where the vast majority is Christian,” Sadowsky said, “but whether Americans would give God as good ratings on natural disasters wasn’t so clear.”

The poll was careful not to use language describing God as a male. (CNN poll: Obama has the public on his side in debt debate)

“God was referred to as ‘it’ rather than ‘he’ because not everyone who believes in God believes God to be male,” Sadowsky said. “Using ‘it’ in the God questions allowed them to be more inclusive.”

Fifty-six percent of Americans approve of God’s handling of animals, while 11 percent disapprove. And God’s highest marks come after the question of his “handling of creating the universe.” Seventy-one percent of Americans approve. Only 5 percent disapprove.

PPP surveyed 928 American voters in the poll.