Interpreting scripture among adults who say that government aid to the poor does more harm than good by state (2014) Switch to: State among adults who say that government aid to the poor does more harm than good by interpretation of scripture

% of adults who say that government aid to the poor does more harm than good 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
Alabama49%30%4%14%3%262
Alaska30%28%3%35%4%135
Arizona31%35%1%25%9%325
Arkansas47%33%2%14%4%155
California30%28%2%33%8%1,423
Colorado33%21%4%33%9%227
Connecticut17%27%3%45%7%147
Delaware22%36%8%27%6%121
Florida32%29%2%31%6%953
Georgia42%30%3%18%6%460
Hawaii30%28%3%34%4%123
Idaho30%36%1%28%4%150
Illinois30%35%2%25%7%566
Indiana39%29%4%24%4%343
Iowa30%34%3%28%5%158
Kansas41%38%1%16%4%154
Kentucky49%23%3%21%5%216
Louisiana46%27%4%20%4%235
Maine28%32%1%36%3%125
Maryland34%31%3%27%5%254
Massachusetts16%30%3%49%2%248
Michigan31%31%5%27%5%425
Minnesota31%29%4%27%9%231
Mississippi49%25%7%13%5%157
Missouri36%33%2%22%5%312
Montana26%37%4%26%7%171
Nebraska35%41%3%16%6%156
Nevada26%30%1%38%5%143
New Hampshire24%29%3%36%7%108
New Jersey21%34%2%35%7%362
New Mexico43%22%5%24%6%131
New York25%31%2%35%7%748
North Carolina39%28%4%23%6%451
North Dakota31%34%< 1%29%6%179
Ohio32%34%3%24%7%526
Oklahoma40%33%3%19%5%190
Oregon36%24%3%24%13%158
Pennsylvania36%29%2%29%4%640
Rhode Island24%34%1%35%5%116
South Carolina51%29%2%15%3%227
South Dakota31%39%1%15%14%164
Tennessee47%26%7%16%5%339
Texas41%28%2%23%5%1,231
Utah29%46%3%19%2%164
Virginia41%25%3%25%5%412
Washington28%32%3%27%9%276
West Virginia51%27%4%12%6%144
Wisconsin34%35%4%21%6%299
Wyoming43%28%2%22%5%195
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