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So here's a talker:

A clear majority of American respondents

Interestingly, the poll off 40,080 people in 40 countries actually makes the United States an outlier among western nations when it comes to religious belief.

A majority of respondents in the nations surveyed, 22 of 40, said it was necessary to believe in God to be a moral person. The position, according to the report was, "

highly prevalent, if not universal, in Africa and the Middle East."

Responses were highest among Asian and Latin nations,

Indonesia (99 percent), Malaysia (89 percent), the Philippines (99 percent), El Salvador (93 percent), and Brazil (86 percent) all fell in the highest percentile of respondents believing belief in a god is central to having good values, according to Salon summary of the report.

Then take a look at the West: Only 15 percent

of the French population answered in the affirmative. Spain: 19 percent. Australia: 23 percent. Great Britain: 20 percent. Italy: 27 percent. Canada: 31 percent. Germany 33 percent and Israel: 37 percent.

Fifty-three of Americans answered in the affirmative, the highest number among western nations.

Here are the results in one, handy graphic:

Graphic by the Pew Research Center

What do you think? Have your say in the comments.