American Moral Values

Some interesting factoids from a Gallup poll of 1,005 American adults, conducted May 2 to 5 concerning moral issues. The survey findings were summarized in this Washington Times article and we have not changed the descriptive terms used in reporting the results.

Cliffs Notes version: Seventy-seven percent of Americans think the country's moral values are on the decline.

A majority of Americans accept (in descending order): the death penalty, divorce, gambling, medical testing on animals, the use of animal fur in clothing, sex between unmarried men and women, and children born out of wedlock.

A majority of Americans do not accept (in descending order): marriage infidelity, polygamy, human cloning, suicide, homosexual relations, abortion and doctor-assisted suicide.

The Statistics

93% of Americans find romantic dalliances between married men and women morally unacceptable.
92% disapproved of polygamy.
87% said human cloning was wrong.
82% could not support suicide.
82% of Republicans think the country's moral values are on the decline.
77% of Americans think the country's moral values are on the decline.
72% of Democrats think the country's moral values are on the decline.
70% percent of Americans think the death penalty is morally acceptable.
66% accept divorce, gambling, medical testing on animals and the use of animal fur in clothing.
58% accepted sex between unmarried men and women.
54% did not have a problem with children born out of wedlock.
52% felt "homosexual relations" were unacceptable.
51% believe abortion is morally wrong.
49% felt doctor-assisted suicide was morally acceptable.
18% of Democrats felt the moral climate was improving.
14% of Republicans felt the moral climate was improving.