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DON’T: We’re always told that two topics to stay away from in polite company are politics and religion.

In 2022, the Pew Research Center assembled some data about religion and government in the United States.

Nearly 73% of adults said religion should be kept separate from politics. About 25% said government policies should support religious values and beliefs.

The Johnson Amendment limits political activity by religious organizations, and most Americans (70%) want churches and other houses of worship to stay out of politics. However, prior to the 2020 presidential race, several survey respondents admitted to hearing political messages from the pulpit about which candidate they should support.

The Supreme Court ruled in 1962 that it’s unconstitutional for a teacher to lead a class in prayer at a public school, but three in 10 U.S. adults said in a March 2021 survey that public school educators should be allowed to do this.

At the same time, 46% said they shouldn’t be allowed.

Nearly four in 10 U.S. adults (39%) say cities and towns should be allowed to put religious symbols on public property while 35% said they should not.

While the U.S.

Constitution does not mention God, nearly all state constitutions reference either God or the divine, according to a 2017 analysis.

God also appears in the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and on U.S. currency.

Christmas Day is the only federal holiday that’s also a religious holiday, although many Americans view Christmas as a cultural holiday, too.

Nearly all U.S. presidents have been Christian. John F.

Kennedy and Joe Biden were the only Catholic presidents. Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln had no formal religious affiliation.