More than four in 10 Americans continue to believe that God created humans in their present form 10,000 years ago, a view that has changed little over the past three decades. Half of Americans believe humans evolved, with the majority of these saying God guided the evolutionary process. However, the percentage who say God was not involved is rising.
The percentage of the U.S. population choosing the creationist perspective as closest to their own view has fluctuated in a narrow range between 40% and 47% since the question's inception. There is little indication of a sustained downward trend in the proportion of the U.S. population who hold a creationist view of human origins. At the same time, the percentage of Americans who adhere to a strict secularist viewpoint -- that humans evolved over time, with God having no part in this process -- has doubled since 1999.
Okay well that last part is good news at least, but 42%? Seriously?
That means that when I am out in public almost half of the people I come into contact with are intellectually inferior to almost ALL of the people in Europe. That's right, even France!
And these are not just the people who bag my groceries, mow my lawn, or go door to door selling meat. There are actually professional people in the world who are just as ignorant.
Perhaps you have met them. They call themselves Republicans.
In my opinion this is a national emergency and should be addressed as aggressively as making sure that children are inoculated against Measles and Polio. We could call it the "inoculation against ignorance."
Of course in the long run it probably won't help with conservatives, who think education is a commie plot, and that the only book worth reading is the Bible, which of course is considered so difficult that they must go to a building every Sunday to have it explained to them.
And people wonder why the rest of the world is losing respect for America.
I don't think this can only be attributed to Republicans. Having been born and raised a Southern Baptist, religion was many things to many people ESPECIALLY when someone needed: a way out of trouble, an excuse for why something happened, someone to blame, or an explanation when they couldn't come up with a logical answer (Saying, God did it instead of "I don't know" seems to be much more profitable and influential). It keeps people in authority in authoritative positions -- regardless of their political leanings.
ReplyDeleteO/T but not really...
ReplyDeleteIN IRELAND, the bodies of around 800 babies who died of neglect at a Catholic workhouse for unmarried mothers were dumped in a septic tank.
And in Canada, an as yet unknown number of Mohawk children – victims of an alleged church/state genocide campaign – were buried at the oldest Indian residential school in Canada, the Anglican-run Mohawk Institute in Brantford, Ontario.
http://freethinker.co.uk/2014/06/04/churches-buried-evidence-of-their-cruelty/
I watched Philomena last weekend.
DeleteThe scene with the crazed nun who prattled on about never having sex? That is the type of person, driven mad by unfulfilled human touch, who dumps 800 babies in a septic tank.
Fucking freaks.
Whatev.....we all know that the GOP/TP only cares about the fetus. Why should thay waster thier time caring for CHILDREN?
DeleteStaff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs from Billings, Montana, the ringleader of the "kill team", was the highest-ranking soldier in the case.[31] He was charged with conspiracy and three counts of murder for plotting and killing three Afghan civilians.[32]
ReplyDeleteA report in The Guardian said that soldiers told the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command that Gibbs bragged of his exploits while serving in the Iraq War, saying how easily one could "toss a grenade at someone and kill them."[33][34] Prosecutors said Gibbs was found in possession of "finger bones, leg bones and a tooth taken from Afghan corpses".
Gibbs was convicted by a military jury on 15 counts including the premeditated murder of Mudin, Agha and Adahdad as well as illegally cutting off pieces of their corpses and planting weapons to make the men appear as if they were Taliban fighters.[35][36][37] In November 2011, Gibbs was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 10 years minus the 547 days of pretrial confinement.[38]
The survey omits the view of agnostics, who most likely would believe in evolution but admit that there was no way of knowing whether god exists at all.
ReplyDeleteI know a guy from MIT with a mid 6 figure salary, a wife who was a teacher who beliwve this shit. They home schooled their kids until the oldest boys, who luckily had been born with critical thinking skills, rebelled. The two youngest girls are still in the clutches.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, these people need their own little planet to go ruin.
"not just the people who bag my groceries..."
ReplyDeleteGryphen, you really stepped in it now!
Wait till you hear from the International Brotherhood of Grocery Stockers, Aisle Cleaners and Baggers.
I'm with you Gryph....one wonders where these poll numbers really come from anymore. I know millions of intelligent people have lost land lines and only use cell phones which can't be polled. If we are to believe that almost 1/2 this country buys into this bullshit...how did we elect Obama twice? You can still have normal, intelligent, professional people that have faith in God without relying on the bible to explain every good or bad thing that happens, point in fact that poster is for the rest of them. I started out in the Methodist church & even taught Sunday school when my girls where young (urged by my Mother), but it was fun, not scarey or the hell stories if your bad. It is critical thinking our kids need most...let them decide for themselves, just as I did and my girls did. Church makes you feel good on Sunday singing hymns,.....good, activities from the church helping people, good.....socializing with like minded people, good. Just don't shut yourself off from the real world and not read and expand your working daily knowledge, don't let these loud mouths make your opinions because they are loud....KNOWLEDGE=CRITICAL THINKING. Just as this poster suggests...the hard books need reading too. FYI...I took up Buddhism in my 20's and I will always believe the Golden Rule is all you need. I believe in karma & small acts of kindness, paying it forward...luckily these are the lessons I have taught my girls and they live moral lives which I am extremely proud of. It is in this context that I note...none of their great circle of friends (early 30's) go to church or have any religious affiliations...I ask from time to time.
ReplyDeleteI always said to my friends that those 8 horrible years of Bush totally dumbed down this nation and a blackman in the WH allowed these bible fanatics to crawl out from under the rocks and FOX gave them a mouth piece 24/7 based on fear.
Our national media is to blame...they were so lazy reporting talking points instead of truth, they made so many people lazy in learning the truth....look where we are now. AMEN
Sorry, Sharon, but you need to check again. I have received calls three times from polling companies recently! All I HAVE is a cell phone. NO land line!
DeleteAs for the rest of it, my SIL roped my brother into the methodist church and he has been going down hill ever since. They DO try to brain wash and they succeed in many cases.
I was visiting there one Sunday (trying to be nice to my brother and his wife). The minister got up for the sermon and began to scream and shout about "queers" and "lezzies" and the rest of the vile names they use. I decided I couldn't take any more of his shit. I stood and began to leave when he stopped and yelled at me, "Where the hell do you think YOU'RE going?"
I turned toward him and said as politely as I could, "As far away from you as is possible." Turning again, I was faced with the six ushers. I looked at the minister again and said, (not quite as nicely this time) "If you don't want some serious blood spilled here, I suggest you get your goons out of my way." (Trust me, I am thoroughly capable of handling myself in situations of that sort!)
While I was waiting for the idiots to move, my brother finally woke up that I was just pissed enough to do exactly as I said and he stood saying to the minister, "Let him go. He's easily capable of destroying those six." They backed down.
That side of the family hasn't spoken with me since. Well, the KIDS do, but they're smart enough to know how to "hide" behind the belief facade while waiting for the chance to RUN!
I trust NO organized monotheistic religion! They are like mobs. And we all know what mob rule is like when they get their anger up.
The Truth is: one doesn't have to believe in superstitious nonsense to be a good person.
ReplyDeleteAnd a corollary: the claim that one believes in God does not, in and of itself, make one a good person.
Chill....actually this says that 42% of the people POLLED believe in creationism - they did not ask every person in the USA. :-)
ReplyDeleteHonestly, there is nothing new about this. Nearly half of Americans are lazy or woefully stupid when it comes to scientific literacy. The really sad part is people do not feel embarrassed about this lack of information in their lives. They feel entitled to all the conveniences and benefits of science and technology, but are willfully ignorant when it comes to evolution, choosing to make Earth Science 101 optional. It is the shameful aspect of American education that this is allowed to continue. We simply do not have enough science teachers. I can’t count how many of my kids science teachers weren't qualified to teach science but had to as there were no qualified teachers available.
ReplyDeleteI know, our teachers s our school district can teach a different subject every year. There are people with accounting degrees teaching biology....
DeleteWhat always saddens me are the people on Facebook who describe some terrible situation in their lives and ask for "prayers" to be sent to them or their loved one. That is bad enough, but then you have to read all the responses from your 'friends' saying "Prayers sent!" 1) Nothing is really being done, and 2) you find out which of your friends are idiots.
ReplyDeleteI know.I get a bunch of these every week. sometimes I will send the person positiver energy, but I do not pray to a magic mean man in the sky or anywhere. I guess prayer can be considered positive energy, but it gets diluted out too much.
DeleteI also hate the comments about" god's plan" and "god only gives you what you can hand;e". Interesting. The divorce rate of married couples who lose a child to cancer are staggering high. I do not ascribe to a god who 1) lets an innocent child be born with or develop cancer and suffer and die and 2) do so so that the parents can divorce.
That's a fucked up god. I mean, if he wanted the parents to get divorced, why did he christian mingle them together in the first place???????
The Stunning Resurgence of Progressive Christianity
ReplyDelete...While the influence of the old religious right has waned, I'm not sure that just replacing it with the "religious left" is what this county needs. The way forward is for people of good will of all faiths and no faith to work together on matters that promote the common dignity, respect and well-being of all Americans.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-raushenbush/progressive-christianity_b_5437715.html