MARCH 23, 2022 10:21 AM BY HEATHER HAMILTON

A survey looking at America’s religious landscape found that 72% of U.S. adults believe the nation’s moral compass is “pointed in the wrong direction.”

The Deseret News /Marist Poll results released Tuesday showed that faith was not a critical component of whether people found America’s morality to be amiss.

The survey found that 69% of nonreligious people, along with 74% of practicing Christians, agree that the morality of the country is declining. Most adults, or 65%, do not believe “being religious” is necessary to live a moral life.

“While the state of religion is continually changing, our study found that the majority of Americans still hold core religious beliefs and draw moral guidance from their families and their faith traditions,” said Hal Boyd, executive editor of Deseret National. “Despite headlines that emphasize religion’s decline, faith remains a strong moral force in American life.”

More than half, or 54%, said they believe in “God as described in the Bible,” even though only 40% said they attend a religious service once or twice a month.

Family ranked highest as the most influential source for moral guidance at 79%. Other sources of moral guidance included the
rule of law, 66%, friends, 65%, religious teachings, 63%, and religious leaders, 57%. Only 16% said they look to political leaders for moral advice.

Boyd said that the “vast majority of Americans, 7 in 10, believe the country would be better off if we prayed for each other.” The

Deseret News is based in Salt Lake City, Utah , and is owned by a holding company of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The survey was conducted using live interviewers via phone calls connecting with 1,653 U.S. adults Jan. 19-26. The poll’s margin of error was plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/patriotism-unity/pointed-in-the-wrong-direction-public-believes-us-moral-compass-is-broken