I find the more politicized something is the more statistics are distorted. Even lacking intent to distort, the sheer politicization/'hot button' nature means that more and more mass-appeal outlets are going to make polls and surveys in total ignorance of the proper methods of data gathering and extraction. Statements like '90% of Americans X' are always flawed because I can damn well tell you that is NOT a representative poll. And lots of people don't ever bother to make the statement or even come to the realisation that the question at best means that 90% of a tiny subsection of the American population claims to believe in a magical ghost.
Lies, damned lies and statistics as Clemens would say.
That is not to say I doubt that a lot of people believe in absolute rubbish, such as magical ghosts. This is obviated by the present status of mankind. If people weren't fundamentally screwy in their thinking, none of this stuff would appear outside of academic journals.
"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently." - Fritz