In God We Trust: Religion and Optimism Toward Biotechnology*

Christopher P. Scheitle

Social Science Quarterly, 2005, vol. 86, issue 4, 846-856

Abstract: Objectives. Biotechnology has been called a new industrial revolution. This revolution has and will produce many ethical and moral questions. Religion could have a significant role in these debates, yet little is known about how religion affects views of biotechnology. Methods. The 1997–1998 U.S. Biotechnology Study, a nationally representative data set resulting from telephone interviews, is analyzed to see how belief in a personal God and other religion variables affect scores on an optimism scale. Results. The analysis shows that church attendance and personal religiosity do not affect optimism. However, holding an image of a personal God who hears individual prayers produces a more optimistic view of biotechnology. Conclusions. I argue this finding is because holding an image of a personal and powerful God makes one more confident due to the safety net of having a God that could help guide biotechnology and protect against any negative consequences.

Date: 2005
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