Sociologist Tracks Views of Devout

A Roman Catholic sociologist says that the more people pray, the more likely they are to oppose the death penalty and to support federal assistance for medical expenses of AIDS patients.

Based on survey data of the National Opinion Research Center, the Rev. Andrew Greeley of the University of Chicago said, “those who pray more than once a day are half again as likely to oppose the death penalty as those who pray less than once a week.”

Also, he said, the frequent prayers “are half again as likely to support federally funded medical care for AIDS patients.”

“Many people would be inclined to think that the religiously devout are rigid and punitive,” Greeley said. “But the data . . . show just the opposite. Those who have an intense relationship with God in frequent prayer are the most sensitive to the needs of other human beings.”