Most Americans believe God is involved in their daily lives, from parking tickets to football scores to losing those extra pounds. That’s the finding from a Canadian researcher who looked at two U.S. surveys on the subject. Scott Schieman, a professor of sociology at the University of Toronto, found that 82-percent of respondents depended on God for help making decisions. Some 71-percent said that whatever happens, good or bad, it was all part of God’s plan. About a third agreed there was no point in planning as their fate was determined by the Almighty. Schieman observed, quote, “If you believe your fate is not in your own hands, how does that affect your own well-being?”
The polls used in the report were the Baylor Religion Survey of more than 17-hundred American adults and the Work, Stress and Health Survey of 18-hundred people. The data showed an inverse relationship between education and income and belief in divine intervention. Wealthier and better-educated Americans were less likely to believe God had a hand in their day-to-day doings. The findings are published in the journal “Sociology of Religion.”
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