By the numbers

In this installment of the Daily's "By the Numbers" feature, we take a look at Americans' religious (and irreligious) beliefs.



Americans who believe in "the survival of the soul after death": 84%

College graduates who do so: 79%

18-25 year olds who do: 85%



Americans who believe heaven exists: 76%

College graduates who believe in heaven: 76%

Americans who think they're going there: 64%



Americans who believe Hell exists: 71%

College graduates who believe in hell: 60%

Americans who expect to go there: less than 1%



Americans who have "no idea" where they're going when they die: 24%



Americans who would vote for an atheist for president in 1959: 22%

In 1999: 49%



Americans who would vote for a Jewish president in 1959: 72%

In 1999: 92%



Americans who would vote for a Catholic president in 1959: 70%

In 1999: 94%



Officially recognized religion-themed student organizations on Tufts' campus: 8

Chaplains at Tufts: 5



The statistics cited above come from the 1999 Gallup Poll "Americans today much more accepting of a woman, black, Catholic or Jew as president; Still reluctant to vote for Atheists or homosexuals;" K. Connie Kang's Los Angeles Times article "Most Americans think they're heaven-bound;"; the 2003 Harris Poll "Religious and Other Beliefs of Americans 2003;" and Barna Research Online.