Ask An Open Question...

Gallup headlines this:

Many Americans Can't Name Obama's Religion

Majority guess he is Christian, 11% say Muslim

However! The question was open ended rather than multiple choice. I would hope that if asked, I would have gone with "Protestant" or "Christian". However, if my Inner Pedant were responding, "Don't Know" might have come up since I have no idea what Protestant denomination Obama might be associating himself with these days, or ever.

So it strikes me as plausible that "Don't Know" includes a lot of folks who would have picked "Protestant" if prompted.

AND BTW: Did the pollsters provide a a breakdown between "Sunni", "Shi'ite", and "Other Muslim"? 

Comments

[Sue]

I'm going with no religion. He is an atheist. Like his mama and papa.

[Dave (in MA)]

Maybe a good chunk of the 44% are people who can't determine where Black Liberation Theology fits into that list.

[Rick Ballard]

Better choices:

Marxist
Fabian Socialist
National Socialist
Bolshevik
Trotskyite
Leninist
Stalinist

[Captain Hate]

Was that an open ended question because I'm not understanding why Baptist or Methodist has to be broken out from Protestant. Also how ignorant do the 2% that thought he was Catholic have to be? At least people don't think he's Jewish so I guess Ed Koch wasn't part of the sample.

[Ignatz]

Barry worships every day at the House of Barry.

[narciso]

Festivus, wasn't a choice,

[Janet]

I'm going with no religion. He is an atheist. Like his mama and papa.

Agree.

[NK]

RickB and Ig-- have the correct answer -- all of Rick's list and Ig's Barry's self worship.
BarryO says: "I don't go to church often....but when I do... I worship myself."

[Comanche Voter]

Howzabout fixing that poll up by adding a category "Narcissistic Jerk"? I woulda voted for that.

[Clarice]

Agree with Sue and Janet. Although "narcissistic jerk" is a rather appealing choice, too.

[cboldt]

No mention of Black Liberation Theology?

From NPR circa 2008, linked above

Presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) defended his longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, on Tuesday, even as he repudiated some of the pastor's inflammatory sermons. But Wright's comments likely come as no surprise to those familiar with black liberation theology ...

[Threadkiller]

Even Obama can't name his faith:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKGdkqfBICw

Uhh....

[Rocco]

Klein also said Wright told him he “made it comfortable” for Obama to accept Christianity without having renounce his “Islamic background,” which Klein said he has on tape.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/05/jeremiah-wright-i-made-it-comfortable-for-obama-to-accept-christianity-without-having-to-renounce-islam/

[jimmyk]

Whar idiot designed this poll. It flunks Survey Design 101. I suspect an agenda.

[rse]

MO has shown definite signs of buying into pagan notions and New Age foolishness.

Plus I can tell you just how much deference is being pushed on aboriginal and tribal notions concerning the envmt and Mother Earth and not having anything at school contradict those beliefs.

They are serious about everything just being a matter of perspective. Dr J would be apoplectic at reading about "doing" chemical engineering instead of transmitting the accumulated knowledge.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Maoist.

You missed the wurst one, Rick, and would be Ayers first choice.

[Extraneus]

I suspect an agenda.

If you read the text at the Gallup site, they provide a helpful lecture.

link

Obama is a Christian and has labeled himself as such as in his writings and interviews, and while living in Chicago he attended the Trinity United Church of Christ. Since moving into the White House, Obama has attended several different Christian churches.

[peter]

Mha Puja, worship of one's self.

[Jack is Back!]

If Christian, he's a heretic.

My bet is shadow Muslim.

[Jane]

I really couldn't care less what religion OBama is. My guess would be none. Who cares?

[Porchlight]

Whar idiot designed this poll. It flunks Survey Design 101. I suspect an agenda.

Seriously. "Christian" encapsulates all other choices except Muslim and None and "Protestant" encapsulates all the non-Catholic Christian denominations.

He is three of the above according to his claim: Christian, Protestant, and United Church of Christ. So what's the "correct" answer?

Unbelievably lame.

[Porchlight]

Who cares?

I care, because claims to have one, so if he actually has another, or none at all, he's a liar.

[Captain Hate]

Obama is a Christian and has labeled himself as such as in his writings and interviews

Get Maraniss on this STAT; but as a historian and not as a fact-checker::rolleyes::

[Extraneus]

I wouldn't care if he wasn't an invented character, Jane.

[NK]

I also care, because Obama makes this all up. He loves and worships only one "G_d" and that is BHO. Dana Milbank said it-- on religion, like everything else-- obama is a "Falsehood wrapped in a fallacy." That is the essence of Obama-- he's a hardcore Lefty, but he is a made up falsehood, wrapped in fallacy.

[Jane]

I care, because claims to have one, so if he actually has another, or none at all, he's a liar.

Yeah but we already know he is a liar. I don't believe a word out of his mouth and this is just another one.

I wouldn't care if he wasn't an invented character, Jane.

See above. He has a "composite" religion.

[(Another) Barbara]

Whar idiot designed this poll. It flunks Survey Design 101.

How so, Jimmy? An open-ended question is the cleanest sort of inquiry because it gives no hints to the respondent as to how he's expected to answer. Further, had "Muslim" or "atheist" been suggested as possibilities, there could be a legitimate outcry that it was a push poll.

[maryrose]

I agree with JIB. Obammy is a closet Muslim. He also worships at the House of Obama. After he loses in November,he will re-enroll at Rev. Wright's establishment for political purposes.

[pagar]

IMO, a more logical question (since religion is not supposed to be an election factor) is which religion does Obama and the Obama regime favor in their actions?

IMO, every decision made by Obama and the Obama regime favors the Muslim religion and is the one approved by CAIR.

Why else would the Obama regime need hundreds of meetings with CAIR?

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/us-news/obama-white-house-held-hundreds-of-meetings-with-hamas-tied-cair-official/2012/06/09/

[hit and run]

Since moving into the White House, Obama has attended several different Christian churches.

Small, old plaque hanging on the wall in my den growing up: "Going to church makes you as much of a Christian as going to a garage makes you a car."

Porchlight:
He is three of the above according to his claim: Christian, Protestant, and United Church of Christ.

I doubt Obama would identify as UCC today. Obama resigned Trinity several weeks after disowning Wright (and after Wright left Trinity, too), and Obama has not become a member of any church since.

[Porchlight]

(A)B,

It's bad design because Obama is Christian *and* Protestant *and* (arguably) UCC since that is his "home" church. The poll doesn't allow for "three of the above" or "two of the above."

If you answer UCC because you know enough about the guy to know what church he attended in Chicago, then you can't answer Protestant or Christian, both of which are also true.

If I had been a respondent I would have told them to shove it. How could I possibly answer correctly? And I am likely better informed about Christianity and Obama's background than the average respondent.

A better set of choices would look like this:

Christian/Protestant
Christian/Catholic
Muslim
None/no religion
Other
No/don't know

Then, if the person responds "Christian/Protestant" (the only correct answer in the first list, at least as far Obama contends anyway), follow up with a list of Protestant denominations.

[stan]

Jeremiah Wright when asked if he converted Obama to Christianity from Islam, "It's hard to tell."

[Porchlight]

I doubt Obama would identify as UCC today. Obama resigned Trinity several weeks after disowning Wright (and after Wright left Trinity, too), and Obama has not become a member of any church since.

Yes, but someone who knows a lot about the guy would know that was the last church he was a member of. Just because he's not a member there anymore, doesn't mean he's not still UCC.* I would still consider myself Episcopalian even if I stopped attending my current (actually Anglican) church.

*I'm talking about how normal Christians are likely to behave. I recognize Obama's not that. Personally I don't think he's a Christian at all, but still, even taking him at face value, this is bad poll design.

[Rick Ballard]

"this is bad poll design"

Porchlight,

That depends upon the purpose or intent of the poll. I would wager against Gallup doing a survey concerning whether Obama is considered a socialist because the top line results would prove deleterious to his attempts to maintain a "capitalist" facade.

It's just 'painting by polling' and the question design is part of a larger process.

[mojo]

My guess would be the Unitarians, seeing as they are the Commie front church.

[Porchlight]

It's just 'painting by polling' and the question design is part of a larger process.

Rick,

If you're suggesting there may be an agenda beyond just "seeing what people think Obama's religion is," then I agree.

[narciso]

From the Fallows freakout, on the other thread;

http://minx.cc/?post=330425

[Captain Hate]

narc for some reason with that other wonderful software, that thread has temporarily disappeared.

[narciso]

I guess he'll bring it back, or not, the thing is it was quite the reverse, based on a bad sample, they threw the state to Gore, then
they came up with the telemarketing scheme for
the Buchanan boomlet, and so on, and so on.

[bgates]

I have some survey questions for Gallup.

* Obama is currently a member of what church?

* What was the date on which Obama last attended a church service?

[(Another) Barbara]

A better set of choices would look like this:

Christian/Protestant
Christian/Catholic
Muslim
None/no religion
Other
No/don't know

It was an open-ended question, Porch; respondents weren't given choices, they were simply asked the question and could answer in their own words. The interviewer simply typed out the answer as it was given.

Open ended questions are far more costly for a survey company to process, compared to checking a pre-determined box and having a computer tally the check marks. Open-ends do supply far more information though, and also avoid the pitfalls I mentioned in my earlier post.

[Porchlight]

Oh, I am so sorry, (A)B. I thought the list of responses were the list of choices given. Obviously a big error on my part. Thanks for correcting me.

I still object somewhat because if questioned, I wouldn't have known whether they wanted faith (Christian, Muslim, Buddhist) or denomination (UCC, Methodist, Baptist) etc. Probably would have gone with "Christian."

[pagar]

O/T but the guy was asked to be finance minister and Cyprus has now asked for money.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/greek-finance-minister-resigns-just-days-after-appointment-cyprus-officially-requests-bailout

The link is worth looking at just for the picture, IMO.

[daddy]

Megyn Kelly says that when she returns in a few minutes her guest will be a guy who was with Holder when word first came about the operation known as Fast & Furious.

She says it will be his first appearance on her show. I'll advise if anything interesting is mentioned.

[(Another) Barbara]

I still object somewhat because if questioned, I wouldn't have known whether they wanted faith (Christian, Muslim, Buddhist) or denomination (UCC, Methodist, Baptist) etc.

Well, many respondents had the same problem you would have had, Porch. That's apparent by their answers. When one puts an open-ended question in a survey, one never knows what may emerge, which is why they're far more interesting. I'd bet in the "other" category they aggregated a few really weird responses like "Celtic" or "basketball." You always get those.

You would have been generous to answer "Christian." I've always felt nearly certain he is an atheist. But I guess it's the decent thing to accept what a person claims to be his faith.

[Porchlight]

You would have been generous to answer "Christian." I've always felt nearly certain he is an atheist. But I guess it's the decent thing to accept what a person claims to be his faith.

Oh, I don't think he is actually a Christian either, (A)B. Probably an atheist as you say. But I would have answered as if the question was "what religion does Obama claim to be?" ;)

[daddy]

The DOJ Spokesguy is a total weasel. You missed nothing:

The guy in the room with Holder, was Mathew Miller, former Justice Dept spokesman.

Megyn: Holder told Congress that he did not know about F&F in 2011. What date were you with him?

Spokesguy: Sometime in 2011. He immediately said that it was wrong if it happened and he immediately ordered people to investigate it, and 2 it should be stopped immediately.

Megyn: Who informed him?

Spokesguy: I don't remember.

Megyn: So you don't remember who it was?

Spokesguy: Doesn't remember specifically.

Megyn: Issa sez Operation F&F was designated an OCEDTF 12 months before your boss heard about it.

Spokesguy: Issa has got all the documents from DOJ.

Megyn: They signed off on the wiretapping. They would have had to be signed off on by high DOJ officials.

Spokesguy: Issa found the reviewers reviewed summaries that did not mention F&F. Issa keeps moving the goalposts.

Megyn: She doesn't believe the guy. He keeps saying there hasn't been any evidence uncovered. "Do you believe that the Prez and Holder had talked about this?"

Spokesguy: I don't know.

Megyn: Do you think this stuff should fall under Executive Priveledge?

Spokesguy: Issa keeps moving the goalposts and asks for stuff that won't answer what he claims to want to find out.

The guy is a total weasel. Megyn tried hard, but she got nothing out of that creep.

[daddy]

Andy McCarthy on now with Megyn and it is evident he does not buy the guys story.

[narciso]

Yes, that story doesn't pass muster,

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

IMO, Andy is the go to guy on F&F. I saw that Miller guy yesterday. He is a complete buttflak. Weasel is an understatement.

[daddy]

I don't believe Obama is any religion, but I believe he likes to have keep alive the controversy of if he is a Muslim because in his juvenile way, (like being thought of as being born in Kenya) it adds to his cache,' his mystique.

He considers it a plus for himself to be an edgy character that cannot be positively pinned down, and that has supporters and defenders arguing about what he is. It is all self-serving.

IMHO, he is neither Christian nor Muslim, but the terms are convenient vehicles he uses to promote himself.

[Rocco]

"What I was suggesting -- you're absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith..." --in an interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, who jumped in to correct Obama by saying "your Christian faith," which Obama quickly clarified

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMUgNg7aD8M

[ECM]

Sue had it right in the first post--he's almost certainly an atheist.

[Sara]

Obama worships someone other than himself? Who knew?

[squaredance]

Well it is hard to capture in one term that menagerie of Communist/Statist/Socialist/One Worlder "beliefs" that rattles around in that viper's brain-pan, but I would suggest the phrase "Oligarchical Collectivism" might get us close to it.

Narcissism is not, BTW, a "belief" in the confessional sense. What it is, depending on one's point of view, is a sin, a moral failing or a pathology.

One might as well call murder a "belief".

(Not that he does not "have faith" in either of them.)

[Sara]

FREEDOM! This Is Incredible! US Catholic Church Rolls Out Major Offensive Against Obama’s Attacks on Religious Liberty

[maryrose]

Obama made a huge mistake when he tried to play fast and loose with the Catholic Church.
Sue: Agreed. Obama is probably an atheist.

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

Sara,

I pointed that out two Sunday's ago. Each diocese has printed up prayer cards similar to the one shown on Gateway Pundit. Ours have two different front cover pictures. One is the Flag and the other the Capitol.

I hear some churches are saying this prayer "en assemble" prior to mass starting. We don't. We say a prayer to the Unborn Child.

But in any event it is game on, no matter what SCOTUS decides.

[narciso]

Not surprisingly, 'fake but accurate; just turns out to be fake;

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2012/06/25/Newsroom-falsehood

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

narciso,

Just bought tickets to Chelsea v. AC Milan in Miami July 28th at Sunlife Fielld. We're coming down on the 26th and leaving the 29th. Can we all get together? Staying either the beach or Key Biscayne. Making my mind up in a few days.

[narciso]

Didn't even know there was a match down here,
JiB,

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

narc,

Let's go to Pier 94 for civeche:) You know it?

[glasater]

I have some survey questions for Gallup.

I'm with bgates on this one (@ 1:54pm) and would add which church did the Obamas pay tithe--not knowing what Muslims do regarding offerings and so on.

[narciso]

Yes, it's called zakat btw, glasater, in the Muslim religion, Maraniss spends a little time
on the his two Pakistani pals, but is incurious how likely opponents of Zia, enabled Obama's trip there,

[jimmyk]

I thought the list of responses were the list of choices given. Obviously a big error on my part. Thanks for correcting me.

I didn't realize either, and stand corrected. My only excuse is that I was reading it on an airplane as they were about to tell us to shut down all electronic devices.

I still object somewhat because if questioned, I wouldn't have known whether they wanted faith (Christian, Muslim, Buddhist) or denomination (UCC, Methodist, Baptist) etc.

Yeah, I'm not persuaded the "open question" is so great when it's not even clear what the question means. Sure the choice of answers can influence the outcome, but that's what survey design is about. You have well-posed questions and people either have an opinion (or knowledge), or know enough to say "I don't know."

[glasater]

Thanks, Narciso.

[b]

'"Protestant" encapsulates all the non-Catholic Christian denominations.'

Hate to be a pedant, but this is not strictly true. There are a number of non-Catholic, non-Protestant, Christian denominations. Just to name a couple: Orthodox* and Coptic. And of course within Catholic you have Western and Eastern rites and dozens of particular churches.

But agreed that BLT cannot properly be construed as Christianity and so Obama's religion must either be "Don't Know" or "None".