The Com Res survey was commissioned by religion think tank Theos as part of a report on the link between religion and violence.
It found that while 61 per cent of people think that the teachings of religions are essentially peaceful, 70 per cent think that most of the wars in world history have been caused by religions.
Nick Spencer, research director at Theos told Premier he thinks the poll shows that the British public is confused about how inherently violent religions are and added the thought that the world would be better without religion isn't realistic.
"Humans are a religious species whether you like it or not," he said.
"The answer to bad religion is not no religion, it's good religion. So it's incumbent on people who do call themselves religious to engage seriously with their text and with those people who might want to use their text to legitimise violence."
The report, entitled "Killing in the Name of God: Addressing Religiously Inspired Violence" focused on certain texts from the Old and News Testament as well as the Quran.
Spencer added that it's true that both of the holy books can be seen as legitimising violence, but a closer look at the scriptures within context will reveal a better perspective.
He told Premier: "The idea that you should take these texts by themselves and read them straightforwardly in a literal way to justify violence...that isn't sustainable for any kind of serious, well-thought, thorough reading of holy scriptures.
"If you read them within the wider cannon of the scriptures, they needn't and shouldn't legitimise violence."
Spencer said some people who "have political or ethnic or economic grievances" have hijacked their religious belief to justify their resistance and violence.
Listen to Nick Spencer speaking with Premier's Eno Adeogun here:
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