The Morning Buzz | June 4, 2012

Welcome to the Morning Buzz, PRRI’s morning dose of religion-related news with a shot of data – because what doesn’t liven up a morning round-up like some public opinion numbers? This, my friends, is no ordinary cat video. 

The appeal of anti-Mormonism is simple, says a historian: it makes other people feel good.

The debate over the placement of crosses at the entrance to a public university in Texas continues. Nearly two-thirds (66 percent) of Americans agree that we must maintain a strict separation of church and state.

According to a new Gallup poll, 46% of Americans subscribe to creationism. For an in-depth look at Americans’ perspectives on evolution, take a look at this PRRI survey from last fall.

A survey of Irish Catholics reveals a sharp rift between lay Catholics and the Roman Catholic hierarchy. Many Catholics disagree with the Church’s official stance on issues like gay rights or contraception.

In a column for the Washington Post, C. Welton Gaddy and Salam Al-Marayati argue that embracing American Muslims as an important part of the American community can help deter violent extremism. Muslims’ place in American society is something of a fraught issue: Americans are evenly divided over whether the values of Islam are at odds with American values and way of life (47% agree, 48% disagree).

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