Via Secular Right comes this interesting graph suggesting people who pray more tend to be more partisan (or perhaps people who are more partisan tend to pray more). One of Andrew Sullivan's readers offers up the best explanation I've seen: "The more willing you are to "believe" in anything, the more likely you are to "believe" in something else."

But it isn't necessarily a lack of belief that makes one a moderate or independent. I don't think the right analogy is to compare independents to agnostics, for instance. Political agnostics don't really vote. A better comparison would be people who consider themselves spiritual versus those who consider themselves highly religious. The two may believe in the same God, but the former tends to seek out answers independently and internally, whereas the latter turns to an institution for answers.

UPDATE: Blogger Xpatriated Texan seems to by a little offended by my post because of what seems like a misunderstanding (or maybe due to looking for Christian persecution where this is none).

XT writes: "That is not only offensive, but totally illogical. What it says is that some people are so weak that they have some psychological need to "believe" in something - and just about anything will do."

I said nothing about believers or partisans being duped. Both the "spiritual" and the "religious" person have beliefs, just as the partisan and nonpartisan have political views. The difference, in both cases, is doubt. Someone who is inherently skeptical of institutions, ideologies, etc. is more likely to question both Church and Party. Granted, prayer isn't the best variable to measure that. Church attendance (to use Christianity as an example) or self-described religiosity would be better.