With the Christmas season upon us, 61% of adults nationwide say life in the United States would be better if more Americans lived as Christians.

Just 13% disagree and say life would be worse, according to a Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Nineteen percent (19%) think little would change, and eight percent (8%) are not sure.

Not surprisingly, Christians see the possibility in a more positive light than others. Evangelical Christians, by an 88%-to-three-percent (3%) margin, say life would be better if more Americans followed Christ. Other Protestants agree, 72% to five percent (5%). Among Catholics, 60% say life would be better, and seven percent (7%) say worse.

As for those who proclaim a different faith or claim no belief in God, just 35% say life would be better if more Americans lived as Christians. Twenty-nine percent (29%) say it would get worse, and 26% say there would be no change.

Living as a Christian can mean different things to different people. A profile of the habits and demographics of Christians at Christmas was released earlier this week.

Perceptions of Christians are clearly shaped by personal contact. Only five percent (5%) of Americans don’t know anyone who attends church on a regular basis.

Even among those who rarely or never attend services themselves, 61% have close friends who attend a Christian church every week. Another 27% of those who rarely attend know someone outside their close circle of friends who attends church weekly.

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of those who rarely or never attend church say they’ve had a meaningful discussion about faith with a Christian during the last month.

Only 15% of those who rarely or never attend church say those who believe in Jesus as the Son of God are stupid. Twenty-five percent (25%) of non-churchgoers have a favorable opinion of Evangelical Christians while 45% have an unfavorable opinion. Those with close friends who attend church regularly have a more favorable opinion of Evangelicals than those who don’t have close churchgoing friends.

Among those who attend church less than one time a month, 47% have a favorable opinion of Evangelical Christians while 25% have an unfavorable view.

Older Americans are more likely than younger adults to say life would be better if more people lived as Christians. Still, 58% share that view among those under 30. African-Americans are more likely than whites to say more people living as Christians would make life better.

There is a strong ideological divide on this question. By an 80% to seven percent (7%) margin, political conservatives say life would be better if more lived as Christians. Among liberals, just 38% say life would be better with more Christian living, and 25% say it would be worse. Another 28% of liberals say it would have no impact.

Forty-four percent (44%) of America’s adults attend Christian church services at least twice a month. Another six percent (6%) attend church about once a month, 17% attend occasionally, and seven percent (7%) profess a religious belief other than Christianity. Twenty-five percent (25%) rarely or never attend church.

Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it’s free)… let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.

Crosstabs are available to Premium Members only.