Athiests know more about religion than the religious.

[N35t0r]

Oh. I thought it was bat.

[Darius871]

I'm impressed. Now make a different assumption and declare it to be silly.

[Solomwi]

I only knew the Great Awakening one because we read one of Edwards' sermons in 11th grade English class nearly 20 years ago. Can't recall a word of the sermon, but somehow remember Edwards as part of the Great Awakening, and one of the first "fire and brimstone" preachers. I think I must not drink enough.

[Proteus_MST]

Proteus, long time no hear.

Hello Ben
yes, a lot to do in RL (still the case, but at least I can look over here more regularly again)...
and when I went back to Poly I usually spent more time on the Civ V forums than in Offtopic

Except for the fact that homosexuality is condemned in Romans. Seems you need to brush up on your scripture.

Ah you´re right, I missed this passage.
Although it sounds still more moderate than the stance that evangelicals often seem to take (not all of them, but many of the more vocal ones), towards "homosexuality being a more grave sin than everything else" and that seems to be more unforgivable than, for example, murder or any of the other 10 commancments. this seems to be something that IMHO doesn´t fit well with christian forgiveness

Husband to be head of the family as Christ is head of the church appears in Ephesians, btw.

Yes, you are correct, I forgot about Paul making a lot of statements that would be considered mysogynist by many people nowadays
(although fortunately more moderate than those from the old testament, where women were property of their father and might have to marry their rapists if raped before getting married)

[Boris Godunov]

The survey doesn't seem particularly in-depth to me. Seems a bit like a history test that would only ask for names, dates and places without delving into things that really matter. Of course, then one has to wonder: if religious people get the basic facts of their own faiths so wrong, why should we think they would do better when it comes to doctrines/theology?

However, I do think it is significant that atheists at least tend to know the basics of multiple religions over religious people, who tend to only know or care about their own faith and seem happy to believe in simplistic caricatures or outright misinformation about other faiths.

[GePap]

I got 15 out of 15 but I did sort of guess on the Great Awakening question - I knew we had Great Awakenings in the US, but I don't think I retained much information about key figures. Still, good guess on my part....

[Al B. Sure!]

who tend to only know or care about their own faith and seem happy to believe in simplistic caricatures or outright misinformation about other faiths.

You mean like Ben?

[Boris Godunov]

Too easy, Al.

Besides, in my experience, it's actually the norm. Even the liberal religious people I know tend to have no clue what's in the Qu'ran or anything about the Bhagavad Gita and so on.

[Al B. Sure!]

Too easy, Al.

Besides, in my experience, it's actually the norm. Even the liberal religious people I know tend to have no clue what's in the Qu'ran or anything about the Bhagavad Gita and so on.

Nor in the Bible. I kind of relish the opportunities to tell such people about the events surrounding the Golden Calf incident, Job, Abraham's relations with Hagar and then his latter would-be sacrifice of Isaac, God making the heart of Pharaoh cold, God's orders to the Hebrews and what they should do the Philistines, etc. It's amazing to see people feel all of it is so inherently wrong but it's God.

It's always stunned silence as I quote straight from Scripture too.

It's like did none of you ever read this stuff? "Not really. I saw The Ten Commandments before"

I am positive you can make almost anyone with a brain and who isn't a stubborn mule lose faith just by reading them passages from the Old Testament.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Unfortunately, I agree with Boris. Then again, I do hang out with highly educated liberal Christians (well... as well as non-highly educated conservative Christians), and they tend to know what's going on with other religious beliefs. I think it probably comes down to the level of education, regardless of the principles of the faith.

[Al B. Sure!]

Unfortunately, I agree with Boris. Then again, I do hang out with highly educated liberal Christians (well... as well as non-highly educated conservative Christians), and they tend to know what's going on with other religious beliefs. I think it probably comes down to the level of education, regardless of the principles of the faith.

The study said it controlled for education and still found disparities.

[dannubis]

Only at the very center.

Still they should come to a consensus whether they are freeezing their butts off or burning their royal zizy.

[Ben Kenobi]

Although it sounds still more moderate than the stance that evangelicals often seem to take (not all of them, but many of the more vocal ones), towards "homosexuality being a more grave sin than everything else" and that seems to be more unforgivable than, for example, murder or any of the other 10 commancments. this seems to be something that IMHO doesn´t fit well with christian forgiveness

One, all sins can be forgiven. Two, some sins are mortal some are venial. Homosexuality is on par with other mortal sins, ie sins against the Holy Spirit.

Yes, you are correct, I forgot about Paul making a lot of statements that would be considered mysogynist by many people nowadays
(although fortunately more moderate than those from the old testament, where women were property of their father and might have to marry their rapists if raped before getting married)

Where in the OT is this? The OT in fact argues just the opposite in condemning Lot.

As for Paul, it's very clear that he considers men and women to be equal in value (husband their own wives, wives their own husband), but that they have different jobs.

I don't believe that's particularly misogynist, women are different than men and thank God for that.

[Ben Kenobi]

Of course, then one has to wonder: if religious people get the basic facts of their own faiths so wrong, why should we think they would do better when it comes to doctrines/theology?

One would surmise that a test that has very little actual 'religious' content would favour those with a dabbling experience but little in-depth knowledge. Fr'instance, the assumption that atheists are more knowledgeable about faith is a poor one to make given the content of the quiz, as very little has to do with the actual doctrine.

The only question of merit in this whole thing, at least from my perspective is the 40 percent of Catholics who understood the body and blood. That to me is significant.

[Ben Kenobi]

who tend to only know or care about their own faith and seem happy to believe in simplistic caricatures or outright misinformation about other faiths.

I'm not sure why you are directing this one at me. I suppose I am the caricature of the cradle catholic who's never read his own bible, and goes to church at easter and christmas.