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In the USA, 48% reject evolution, 34% of college graduades are Biblical creationists

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  • In the USA, 48% reject evolution, 34% of college graduades are Biblical creationists

    Quite interesting.


    Link

    March 30, 2007 - A belief in God and an identification with an organized religion are widespread throughout the country, according to the latest NEWSWEEK poll. Nine in 10 (91 percent) of American adults say they believe in God and almost as many (87 percent) say they identify with a specific religion. Christians far outnumber members of any other faith in the country, with 82 percent of the poll’s respondents identifying themselves as such. Another 5 percent say they follow a non-Christian faith, such as Judaism or Islam. Nearly half (48 percent) of the public rejects the scientific theory of evolution; one-third (34 percent) of college graduates say they accept the Biblical account of creation as fact. Seventy-three percent of Evangelical Protestants say they believe that God created humans in their present form within the last 10,000 years; 39 percent of non-Evangelical Protestants and 41 percent of Catholics agree with that view.

    Although one in ten (10 percent) of Americans identify themselves as having "no religion," only six percent said they don’t believe in a God at all. Just 3 percent of the public self-identifies as atheist, suggesting that the term may carry some stigma. Still, the poll suggests that the public’s tolerance of this small minority has increased in recent years. Nearly half (47 percent) of the respondents felt the country is more accepting of atheists today that it used to be and slightly more (49 percent) reported personally knowing an atheist. Those numbers are higher among respondents under 30 years old, 62 percent of whom report knowing an atheist (compared to just 43 percent of those 50 and older). Sixty-one percent of the under-30 cohort view society as more accepting of atheists (compared to 40 percent of the Americans 50 and older).

    Still, it is unlikely that a political candidate would serve him or herself well by declaring their atheism. Six in ten (62 percent) registered voters say they would not vote for a candidate who is an atheist. Majorities of each major party — 78 percent of Repulicans and 60 percent of Democrats — rule out such an option. Just under half (45 percent) of registered independents would not vote for an atheist. Still more than a third (36 percent) of Americans think the influence of organized religion on American politics has increased in recent years. But the public is still split over whether religion has too much (32 percent) or too little (31 percent) influence on American politics. Democrats tend to fall in the "too much" camp (42 percent of them, as opposed to 29 percent who see too little influence) as Republicans take the opposite view (42 percent too little; 14 percent too much). In the poll, 68 percent of respondents said they believed someone could be moral and an atheist, compared to 26 percent who said it was not possible.
    I cut out the rest of the stuff, as it was not pertinent.

  • #2
    Originally posted by aneeshm
    Quite interesting.
    Why ?
    Last edited by BlackCat; March 31, 2007, 18:57.
    With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.

    Steven Weinberg

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    • #3
      41% of Catholics believe in young Earth creationism? I find that strange given that it is at odds with Catholic teaching, even that of the Catholic church in the US.
      One day Canada will rule the world, and then we'll all be sorry.

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      • #4
        I don't see the US being generally religious as either good or bad. However, I do find the impact of religion in politics very worrisome. People genuinely care about the President's religion, and I believe that's a problem. It will probably be quite a while until someone not identifying himself as a Christian (or a religious person at all) can become President.
        Solver, WePlayCiv Co-Administrator
        Contact: solver-at-weplayciv-dot-com
        I can kill you whenever I please... but not today. - The Cigarette Smoking Man

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Dauphin
          41% of Catholics believe in young Earth creationism? I find that strange given that it is at odds with Catholic teaching, even that of the Catholic church in the US.
          I don't think that the Catholic reconciliation with evolution is trumpeted very loudly here in the states. I know many creationist Catholics (including my in-laws, unfortunately. Thankfully, my wife is not religious.)
          I'm about to get aroused from watching the pokemon and that's awesome. - Pekka

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Solver
            People genuinely care about the President's religion, and I believe that's a problem. It will probably be quite a while until someone not identifying himself as a Christian (or a religious person at all) can become President.
            It's not that big of a deal. All that a candidate would have to do is pay lip service to religion and they'd get a pass. I'm agnostic. If I were to run for office here, I'd join a church a few years before and say some spiel about how much God matters in my life if I was ever asked about it. I'm sure that most of our politicians are this way.

            In my experience, the U.S. resembles a third world country when it comes to our religiosity. Our upper classes aren't that religious (EDIT: in comparison to our lower classes. They're probably much more religious than the European upper classes). The further down the socioeconomic scale you go, the more religious the people are. I grew up in rural Appalachia. I know some people who, if given the chance, would gladly be Christian Taliban. Fortunately, they're not too active in public life and they're not too sophisticated. If someone claims to be religious and says some religious buzz wors, then those people will fall for it and vote for it. Most U.S. Republicans know how to work that crowd, even if the candidates themselves are actually athiest at heart.
            I'm about to get aroused from watching the pokemon and that's awesome. - Pekka

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            • #7
              It's not that big of a deal. All that a candidate would have to do is pay lip service to religion and they'd get a pass. I'm agnostic. If I were to run for office here, I'd join a church a few years before and say some spiel about how much God matters in my life if I was ever asked about it. I'm sure that most of our politicians are this way.


              Agreed. I think the politicians who say they've been "born again" are often just politicians who made a smart move for their election campaign. But my problem isn't with a religious President, it's with voters who don't base their vote on the candidate's issues, but things such as religion.

              Then again, I did find it quite worrying when religion was mentioned in official speeches about the US war on terror...
              Solver, WePlayCiv Co-Administrator
              Contact: solver-at-weplayciv-dot-com
              I can kill you whenever I please... but not today. - The Cigarette Smoking Man

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              • #8
                Then again, I did find it quite worrying when religion was mentioned in official speeches about the US war on terror...
                This is the U.S.A., solver. Our party system and electoral structure make it so the candidates never have to run on the issues. That's why personality issues matter so much.
                I'm about to get aroused from watching the pokemon and that's awesome. - Pekka

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                • #9
                  Yeah, you have a weird country there, I don't understand you guys. Like how you manage to simultaneously have a democracy and a system with only two major parties and only to real candidates in a presidential election.
                  Solver, WePlayCiv Co-Administrator
                  Contact: solver-at-weplayciv-dot-com
                  I can kill you whenever I please... but not today. - The Cigarette Smoking Man

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                  • #10
                    Catholics from the USA are very influenced by american protestants.

                    Sometimes american bishops have to remind them of the differences.
                    I need a foot massage

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                    • #11
                      Didn't I just see this on CFC?

                      do we only get second rate, reused topics?

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                      • #12
                        That is because annehsm posts the same threads here and there
                        I need a foot massage

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Solver
                          Yeah, you have a weird country there, I don't understand you guys. Like how you manage to simultaneously have a democracy and a system with only two major parties and only to real candidates in a presidential election.
                          It's the electoral system. First past the post elections eventually mean two party politics. Duverger's law
                          Resident Filipina Lady Boy Expert.

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                          • #14
                            Guess where they get more replies, though .
                            Solver, WePlayCiv Co-Administrator
                            Contact: solver-at-weplayciv-dot-com
                            I can kill you whenever I please... but not today. - The Cigarette Smoking Man

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Solver
                              Yeah, you have a weird country there, I don't understand you guys. Like how you manage to simultaneously have a democracy and a system with only two major parties and only to real candidates in a presidential election.
                              There's also the lovely fact that most Congressional districts have been gerrymandered to ensure that only one party even has a chance to win in that district.

                              Our political system is very unsatisfactory. It's completely outdated. I suppose that that's a price you pay for pioneering a system of government. Unfortunately, due to ignorance and tradition, the system's not going to change any time soon. Most Americans are ignorant about other systems of democracy and are convince that the U.S. has the best possible form of government. They're not going to support a fundamental change in governmental structure. Changing would require scrapping our current Constitution and with it our direct connection with the founding fathers. That's definately not going to happen. We'll have to make due with what we have and hope for the best. It's worked so far.
                              Last edited by Wycoff; March 31, 2007, 20:27.
                              I'm about to get aroused from watching the pokemon and that's awesome. - Pekka

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