People are divided on whether will of the people or religious texts should shape national laws; large shares say the religious texts should have little or no influence | Pew Research Center

January 23, 2025

4. Should religious texts influence national laws?

People are divided on whether will of the people or religious texts should shape national laws; large shares say the religious texts should have little or no influence

People are divided on whether will of the people or religious texts should shape national laws; large shares say the religious texts should have little or no influence

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People are divided on whether will of the people or religious texts should shape national laws; large shares say the religious texts should have little or no influence

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4. Should religious texts influence national laws?
Countries diverge over level of influence religious texts should have on national laws
In general, those who say the Bible currently has great influence on the law more likely to say it should have a great deal of influence
Views about how much influence religious texts have on current laws
People are divided on whether will of the people or religious texts should shape national laws; large shares say the religious texts should have little or no influence
People who say religion helps society are more likely to say religious texts should influence the law
In many countries, people on the ideological right are more likely to support religious texts shaping national laws
Christians are more likely than religiously unaffiliated people to say the Bible should have great deal of influence on national laws