This isn’t about an actual confrontation between the two communities, or a discussion on whether they can coexist. For that, check out Stanley Fish’s review of Barbara Herrnstein Smith’s “Natural Reflections.’ I just want to share a chart that shows a significant gap between the two on a specific issue.

One day over lunch my coworker and I were again talking about percentages of global warming deniers. I brought up the poll I shared before on here of different religious groups, and he shared one about scientists in general and climate experts in particular.

Later he made a mashup of the two and sent it to me. It’s interesting to look at, because of the gap between even progressive religious groups and the scientists. The first time I shared the poll, I emphasized the gap between evangelicals and mainliners. But when you look at the same chart and include the scientific community, the previous point seems rather moot (as well as the race gap).

While we were listening to a conference call about recent polling done on what message gets a favorable response when it comes to energy legislation, we wondered what the results would be when only people of faith were asked.

Which message is more likely to lead you, as a person of faith, to support strong climate legislation?

It would make corporations pay to pollute.

It will create millions of new jobs here at home.

It’s critical for ending our dependence on oil and will increase national security.

It’s all about the polar bears.

It protects people in vulnerable communities who have contributed the least to global warming.