God plays an active role in the economy and tends to favor conservative economic policies, according to a poll conducted by Baylor University.

About one in five Americans think so, adding that they (and God) oppose government regulation while favoring free-market policies, the poll finds, according to USA Today.

"They say the invisible hand of the free market is really God at work," says sociologist Paul Froese, co-author of the Baylor Religion Survey.

"They think the economy works because God wants it to work. It's a new religious economic idealism," with politicians "invoking God while chanting 'less government,'" he says.

The godless, it seems, favor big government and higher taxes: one in five think so.

"So they're less likely to see God controlling the economy. Liberal economic perspectives are synonymous with the belief that there is no one 'ultimate truth,'" Froese says.

The survey of 1,714 U.S. adults, conducted by Gallup in late 2010, was funded by Baylor, the National Science Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation.

Consumers, however, seem to carry the fear of God when it comes to spending these days.

The Confidence Board's consumer confidence index in August fell to its lowest level since April of 2009.

"Consumer confidence deteriorated sharply in August, as consumers grew significantly more pessimistic about the short-term outlook," says Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, according to Reuters.

Faith that the jobs market will improve remains weak, which is keeping consumer spending at bay and economic growth weak.