A study at Baylor University shows that a large majority of Americans believe that “God has a plan,” and that idea influences their level of support for government programs. According to the researchers, the study should not come as a complete surprise, as the vast majority of Americans believe in the existence of a higher power.

The study includes a random sample of 1,714 adults, conducted for Baylor by the Gallup Organization during fall 2010. The authors write, “There are several core themes for this wave of the survey. These include health and religiosity, the relationship between entrepreneurship/work and religion, religion and the American ethos (individualism), as well as recurring themes such as religion and cultural issues (e.g. politics, same sex marriage).

The Baylor study, entitled, “The Values and Beliefs of the American Public,” reveals that the same Americans who believe that God has a plan for their lives also tend to be less supportive of government programs.

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