RELIGION AND LOYALTY TO THE POLITICAL ELITE: THE CASE OF THE PRESIDENCY.

This study explores the relationship between religiosity and loyalty to the President. Data were gathered by means of questionnaires from college students at six different universities in different states. The analysis of the data reveals that the various elements in religiosity are dichotomous in their impact on loyalty to the President. Church related activities and rituals have a positive impact while prayer has a negative impact. The interactive affect of social class with religion on loyalty is minimal The reason for this, we propose, is that the sample, consisting of college students, has hale if any class variation. Our findings suggest the religious duality of church-priest as opposed to private-prophetic religion stand in a dialectical relationship and exert a diametric effect on the political institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]