A recent and extensive new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life (November 2009) detailed statistics on religion in America and explored the shifts taking place in the U.S. religious landscape. It also revealed the percentages of people who had supernatural encounters or beliefs.
The Pew Forum survey was based on interviews with more than 35,000 Americans age 18 and older. Here are some interesting highlights:
* 29% interviewed said they have been in touch with the dead
* 18% interviewed said they had ghostly experiences
* 15% interviewed consulted a psychic
THE REPORT STATES: The proportion of Americans who say they have interacted with a ghost has doubled over the past 13 years (9% in 1996 compared with 18% today). The number saying they have felt in touch with someone who has died has also grown considerably, from 18% in 1996 to 29% today. There has been no change, however, over the past 20 years in the proportion of Americans who have consulted a fortuneteller or psychic, with a steady minority of roughly one-in-seven continuing to say they have done so.
Evangelical Protestants are the group least likely to say they have felt in touch with a dead person (20%). Members of other religious traditions are much more familiar with this type of phenomenon, with 37% of black Protestants, 35% of white Catholics, 31% of the unaffiliated and 29% of white mainline Protestants saying they have felt in touch with someone who has died. Differences between evangelicals and other religious traditions are smaller on the questions of ghostly experiences and consultations with fortunetellers.
Related Mysticism answers:
* 26% said they believe in spiritual energy in trees, nature, etc.
* 25% believe in astrology
* 24% believe in reincarnation
* 23% believe in Yoga as a spiritual practice
* 16% believe in casting of curses (i.e. "the Evil Eye")
FOR THE ENTIRE REPORT GO TO: http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=490#4
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