Large percentages of Americans link faith to their everyday lives, a new poll reveals. But according to a Religion News Service report, overall, faithful Americans acknowledge a gap between what they believe and how they act.
The findings are part of a new joint effort to examine "The Spiritual State of the Union" by the Gallup Organization and the Center for Research on Religion & Urban Civil Society. Among the findings:
* 77 percent of Americans believe the overall health of the nation depends a lot on the its spiritual health.
* 72 percent said their lives have meaning and purpose because of their faith.
* 60 percent said their faith is involved in every aspect of their lives.
"You really cannot understand America if you do not understand her spiritual underpinnings," said George Gallup, who presented the survey's findings at a March 4 briefing. "This survey makes that point, loudly and clearly."
Some of the other findings regarding Christians were that 74 percent believe God is actively involved in their lives, 67 percent find hope from their faith in Jesus Christ during a crisis and 58 percent believe no task is too menial if God calls them to it.
