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Americans mix practices from different faiths, study finds
By Chris Herlinger
New York, 10 December (ENI)--People in the United States are increasingly mixing religious practices from different traditions, with many saying they attend religious services of another faith, while others embrace elements of Eastern or New Age beliefs.
A study, released on 9 December by the Washington-based Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, also found that almost half of those surveyed, 49 percent, said they had had some type of "religious or mystical experience - that is, a moment of religious or spiritual awakening".
Slightly more than one-third, 35 percent, said that they "regularly" or "occasionally" attend religious services at more than one place. Those who do so said they sometimes attend services of a religious faith different from their own, the study found.
The embrace of Eastern or New Age beliefs is becoming more prevalent in the United States, the study indicated, with about a quarter of adults in the country believing in some elements of those traditions.
Twenty-four percent of those surveyed said they believe in reincarnation, while 23 percent "believe in yoga not just as exercise but as a spiritual practice", the study determined.
Similarly, 26 percent believe in spiritual energy they believe is found in such things as mountains, trees or crystals, while 25 percent said they believe in astrology.
Nearly a third surveyed told researchers that they "have felt in touch with someone who has died", with nearly 20 percent saying they have felt they have been in the presence of a ghost. Of those surveyed, 15 percent said they have consulted a fortune-teller or a psychic.
On the question of having a spiritual experience, the Pew study noted that strong majorities of white evangelical Protestants (70 percent), and black Protestants, (71 percent), said they have had religious or mystical experiences. This was in contrast to whites belonging to traditional Protestants churches (40 percent) and Roman Catholics (37 percent).
The Pew study was based on a telephone survey, conducted between 11 and 27 August, among 4013 adults in the United States.
:: Study at: www.pewforum.org [Reprinted with Permission]
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