Slightly more than half of Americans are satisfied with the influence of organized religion in the U.S., according to a new Gallup poll.
Fifty-three percent of respondents said they are totally satisfied with the influence of organized religion, down from the last time Gallup asked that question, while 39 percent said they were totally dissatisfied.
Satisfaction has decreased and dissatisfaction increased significantly since 2002, when the all-time high was reported, but the numbers have changed little over the past three years, suggesting that Americans' satisfaction has settled at a baseline.
Gallup asked those Americans who voiced dissatisfaction if they wanted to see religion exert more or less influence, and most of the group, equating to 22 percent of all Americans, said they would prefer less influence, while 8 percent said they would like to see organized religion become more influential.
According to a separate analysis by Pew Forum, nearly 92 percent of the House and Senate are Christian, as are 73 percent of American adults.
After Christianity, Judaism is the next largest faith held by lawmakers in Congress, representing slightly over 5 percent of the members. Nine members reported "don't know" or would not answer, and only a few subscribe to the Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist faiths.
While the Gallup results indicate that Americans' satisfaction with organized religion is down from where it was a decade ago, it's important to note that the poll dealt strictly with organized religion.
"Responses to this question could reflect more of a shift in the way that Americans are conducting the spiritual side of their lives, rather than a definitive shift toward a more secular society," wrote Gallup's Frank Newport. "This interpretation is supported by other trends showing that Americans have become more likely to affiliate with nondenominational churches and to eschew identification with formal religions."
