Most Americans Can't Say Obama Is A Christian

Interesting factoids from a new survey by the Pew Research Center:

• Nearly one-in-five Americans (18%) now say Obama is a Muslim, up from 11% in March 2009.
• A plurality of Americans say 43% they do not know what Obama's religion is.
• Only 34% of Americans say Obama is a Christian, down from 51% in October 2008.
• Eleven percent of those who say Obama is a Muslim say they learned of this through Obama's own words and behavior.
• Among Democrats, only 46% say Obama is a Christian, down from 55% in March 2009.
• The share of Republicans who say Obama is a Muslim has nearly doubled over the past year and a half – from 17% to 31%.

Other fun facts:

• Among all the subgroups examined in the Pew survey, "moderate/liberal" Republicans were least inclined to say Obama is a Christian (34%).
• Only 39% of "conservative/moderate" Democrats think Obama is a Christian.
• There is widespread agreement that politicians should be religious: 61% say that is important that members of Congress have strong religious beliefs; only 34% disagree.

The Pew survey was completed in early August, before Obama's recent comments about the Ground Zero Mosque.

There are plenty of reasons to be confused about Obama's religious leanings.

I'm inclined to say that Obama's religion is Obama.

Update: Neo-neocon has a very sensible opinion: "I’m with that 43% who don’t know. I would add that I not only don’t know what religion he practices, I don’t know if he practices one—and if he does, I don’t know whether it is for show or because he believes in the tenets of that religion."

Via Memeorandum, cross-posted at Left Coast Rebel