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A survey released today by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life reveals that Muslims in the U.S. are more moderate than Muslims in other countries.
The report, “The World's Muslims” shows Muslims here are more likely to believe that people of other faiths can attain eternal life in heaven and are less inclined to support suicide bombings.
Of the countries surveyed (39), only a majority of Muslims in America — 56 percent — believe people of other faiths can go to heaven; by contrast, that figure among U.S. Christians is about 64 percent, according to the Religion News Service.
The survey also found most Muslims favor religious freedom for people of other faiths.
Most U.S Muslims (81 percent) said suicide bombing was never justified, 7 percent said it was justified to “defend Islam” and 1 percent said it was “sometimes justified.”
Globally most Muslims also reject suicide bombing, according to the report.
U.S. Muslims are also less likely than Muslims abroad to believe in evolution, sharing views that are closer to those of U.S. Christians, according to the report.
The 157-page report is based on more than 38,000 face-to-face interviews conducted in more than 80 languages with self-identifying Muslims in 39 countries and territories. The report combines findings from a 2011-2012 survey of 24 countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe and a 2008-2009 survey of 15 other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The full study can be found here.
Tracy Simmons is an award winning journalist specializing in religion reporting, digital entrepreneurship and social journalism. In her 15 years on the religion beat, Simmons has tucked a notepad in her pocket and found some of her favorite stories aboard cargo ships in New Jersey, on a police chase in Albuquerque, in dusty Texas church bell towers, on the streets of New York and in tent cities in Haiti.
Simmons has worked as a multimedia journalist for newspapers across New Mexico, Texas and Connecticut. Currently she serves as the executive director of SpokaneFAVS.com, a digital journalism start-up covering religion news and commentary in Spokane, Wash. She is also a Scholarly Assistant Professor at Washington State University.
