Only just over half - 56% (down from 72% in 2000) - believe "the freedom to worship as one chooses...applies to all religious groups" and was "never meant to apply to religious groups that most people would consider extreme or fringe." And still, 97% believe the "right to practice the religion of your choice" is either essential or important. (I suppose many took that to mean it's only important that they have that right, not that everybody does...)

43% believe that in December "(p)ublic schools should be allowed to put on Nativity re-enactments with Christian music." (up from 36% 2 years ago.)

A whopping 58% - oh. my. gosh - agree with this statement: Teachers and other public school officials should be allowed to lead prayers in public school.  (my emph)

65% have bought into revisionist claims and agree that "The nation's founders intended the United States to be a Christian nation." (worth noting that 46% strongly agree)

55% believe that the Constitution "establishes a Christian nation." And only 26% strongly disagree with that claim. (I wonder how many would be shocked to know that "establish" is precisely the verb the Constitution uses for what the government is not allowed to do with religion.)

50% agree that public school teachers should be able to use the Bible as a factual text in a history or social studies class.

The poll was made up of 30% self-described Democrats, 28% Republicans and 26% Independents.

Luckily, the actual Constitution protects many of the freedoms that many Americans would apparently deny, and it clearly denies much of the church-state entanglement that most Americans would allow, according to this poll. But those constitutional protections will only survive as long as Americans are willing to maintain them. Exposing the untruths and distortions of the religious right, while countering honest public mis-perceptions as well, has never been more important.

You can read the survey details here (pdf). The First Amendment Center press release is here. If, like me, reading this leaves you feeling like you could use some ice cream - a lot of ice cream - you may be interested in this voice-sensitive dispenser, which doles out serving sizes after assessing your level of misery, stress and sadness.