Toro
Diamond Member
In 2011, the Public Religion Research Institute asked voters if “an elected official who commits an immoral act in their personal life can still behave ethically and fulfill their duties in their public and professional life.”
Across the board, most Americans said that the answer was no—politicians who behave immorally in their personal lives can no longer be trusted in their professional lives.
White evangelicals were the most adamant, with a full 61 percent saying no. Only 30 percent of white evangelicals felt an immoral politician could behave ethically in their public life — fewer than white mainline Protestants and Catholics.
But it’s been an interesting six years. Last year, PRRI has conducted the same survey and the results are stunning. The number of white evangelicals who believe a politician can still behave ethically despite immoral behavior rocketed up from 30 percent to 72 percent. The group went from the least likely to ignore a politicians’ personal immoral behavior to the most likely.
Across the board, most Americans said that the answer was no—politicians who behave immorally in their personal lives can no longer be trusted in their professional lives.
White evangelicals were the most adamant, with a full 61 percent saying no. Only 30 percent of white evangelicals felt an immoral politician could behave ethically in their public life — fewer than white mainline Protestants and Catholics.
But it’s been an interesting six years. Last year, PRRI has conducted the same survey and the results are stunning. The number of white evangelicals who believe a politician can still behave ethically despite immoral behavior rocketed up from 30 percent to 72 percent. The group went from the least likely to ignore a politicians’ personal immoral behavior to the most likely.
Study: White Evangelicals Are Suddenly Much More Likely to Forgive Politicians' Immoral Conduct
Because political expediency matters most.