Religious Attitudes about Genetically Modified Foods: Are Muslims Different?

The worldwide sale and cultivation of genetically modified food (GMF) has generated intense public concern about potential health and environmental risks. However, studies also show that individuals do not possess much technical knowledge about the costs, risks and benefits associated with the use of GMF. If this is so, on what basis are attitudes about GMF formed? Recent research claims that religious beliefs and norms affect environmental behavior and action. More specifically, studies have argued that the Judeo-Christian tradition is associated with a belief in mastery over nature; hence, Judeo-Christians might well perceive less threat from GMF than would non-Christians. However, existing studies say little about how people from non-Christian religious traditions view the issue of genetic engineering. We examine data from International Social Survey Programme: Environment III - ISSP 2010 to analyze how Islamic beliefs relate to concerns about GMF. Multi-level analyses show that Muslims are more supportive of GMF after controlling for the effects of country-level economic and environmental factors and other individual level social and political predictors. Our results will help us develop a better understanding of how the general public tends to evaluate environmental and health risks.