61% percent of Americans believe the creation story in the bible is literally true?

[Bleacher Creature]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/05/AR2007050501039.html

Eager to Be Reagan's Heir, but Not Bonzo's Cousin

By Chris Cillizza And Shailagh Murray
Sunday, May 6, 2007; Page A02

When former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, Rep. Tom Tancredo (Colo.) and Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.) each raised his hand in response to a question from moderator Chris Matthews during Thursday night's Republican presidential debate in California, signaling that they did not believe in evolution, it raised more than a few eyebrows among journalists.

But a look at public polling on the issue reveals that the three men aren't far from the mainstream in that belief.

<SNIP>

Nearly half the sample, 48 percent, said the creationism option was closest to their beliefs, and 30 percent chose the hybrid option. Just 13 percent of the sample chose evolution alone as the best approximation of their view of human development.

Or when you take into account that a 2004 ABC News poll found 61 percent said the creation story in the Bible -- that God created the world in six days -- is "literally true."

<SNIP>

------------------------------------------------------

It's results like this that makes me wonder what the point is and why we are even fighting for the people of this country.

[EstimatedProphet]

1. Wonderful.

[knitter4democracy]

2. Which one?

There are two versions of the creation of mankind in Genesis. First, we're created on the sixth day, spoken into being with the animals, and then later, Adam was formed out of mud and breathed into. So . . . which one do they go for?

[Bandit]

12. The one where Cain went off and married a girl from a different tribe..

:shrug:

[kestrel91316]

14. Here's how the fundies get around that one: Cain and Abel weren't

Adam and Eve's only children - there were a whole bunch more. And they were busy making tribes and reproducing for a while before Cain and Abel got around to the marryin' thing.

So the boys had a little incest thing going with the wives..........minor details.

[LiberalFighter]

Maybe they should consider that Eve wasn't Adam's first wife

Lilith had a 100 children a day. That has to be a wet dream for fundies!

[DontTreadOnMe]

3. Six Days

So... if it took six days, was it EXACTLY six days to the minute... or did they round up or down to the nearest 15 min. mark?

[liberalnurse]

4. Well, let's not forget the "marketing"

aspect of some of the Bible stories.....Christmas is one that immediately comes to mind. We have to sell the story to sell all that retail stock!

[Botany]

25. Also Marketed is the idea that believe in Evolution = no God

:grr:

[Christa]

5. I don't understand it

Why are Americans so easily fooled? It was noticable during the aftermath of 9/11 as well, when so many believed *'s lies.

[gatorboy]

6. I'm honestly surprised only three candidates raised their hands.

[Oddball]

7. If a billion people believe a foolish thing...

...it is still a foolish thing.

I believe the Creation Story of Genesis is a myth, and respect it as such. Actual respect, not ironic or sarcastic. I see myth as powerful and potentially beneficial, and believe myth can teach profound truth. But it has its place and that place is not in the biology classroom.

[snappyturtle]

8. I guess it's safe to assume these believers of creationism

don't believe in carbon dating either.

"It's results like this that makes me wonder what the point is and why we are even fighting for the people of this country."

I know.....it is extremely troublesome because if people believe as this post says then we cannot expect them to be open mined in changing policies. It's their story and they're stickin' to it!

[Perky]

22. The problem with this Poll is that people Hedge their bets

Even as a Christian I think this number is not realistic. I suspect that people, "eternally fearful" of speaking out loud what they believe are hedging their bets on the evolution/creation mess ...just in case...

[snappyturtle]

37. Well, I'm a Christian too, but..................I don't ignore science.

I reconcile it.

[muriel_volestrangler]

38. That would say something even worse about the country

if people feel they have to pretend they hold a religious belief, if they don't really.

[Sukie1941]

9. Evolution

I have seen evolution happen in the biology and chemistry labs. It is not that difficult to understand. And it is fascinating.

What is hard for me to understand is how a Christian can deny this amazing process as being the plan which the creator (if there is one) chose. Not that I actually believe in what I just wrote, but for those who do believe in an intelligent creator, what's wrong with evolution???? As a process it sure beats the Bible stories.

[madfloridian]

10. That old Southern Baptist saying is responsible.

"God said it, I believe it, that settles it."

Or this version:

"The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it."

Hey, there is just no arguing with that mindset.

They are in control, they have the power.

[jobycom]

11. Not bad for us, actually.

About ten percent of Americans profess to being atheists, so in the first poll you mention, the findings are consistent with that. They gave three options: belief in creation with no evolution, belief in evolution with no God, and belief in evolution guided by God. 13% said they believed in evolution with no God--that's about the percentage of atheists in the US. Another 30% believed in evolution with God present. So 43% believed in Evolution, 48% in creationism. Given the nature of polls, and the appearance to me that this poll was phrased to make the question about a belief in God more than a question of Evolution, that's not so bad.

As for the other poll mentioned, that 61% believe in Creationism, there's not enough detail for me to judge the results. What were the other options? How many of them believe that Creationism denies the possibility of Evolution? When I was a religious fundie sort growing up, I believed that Evolution and Creationism were complimentary, not exclusionary, and that was a common opinion (not the majority, but this was in deep south Mississippi). I learned about Evolution, enjoyed being taught about it, believed in it, but I would have answered the question "Do you believe God created the universe as the Bible says?" I would have quickly answered yes.

So I don't know enough about the second poll to form an opinion, though the fact that article cites only one question and answer from it makes me doubt that the rest of the poll said what the writer wanted it to say, and the first doesn't really upset me. I'd rather see a poll on what percentage of Americans believe Evolution should be banned from schools. That might get me angry. :)

[ellacott]

13. Very good response, I do agree with you

Of all people the folks here at DU should know better than to take a poll at face value.

I also believe they both do co-exist. Most Christians I know believe the same thing. Also carbon dating has been used to validate many of archeological finds during biblical times.

[bowens43]

15. More evidnce that religion is the problem, not the solution.

[GoneOffShore]

16. I'm officially in despair.

:banghead:

It's too late. We are doomed. The loonies are taking over.

Can the 39% educate the 61%? I doubt it.

I hoped to live a comfortable old age without being pursued by evangelical nuts, but it looks like the only way to do that is to cash in my chips and get out of here.

[ThomWV]

17. That's OK, Even More People Than That Believe In Reincarnation

When it comes to being religiously stupid we are not alone.

Build a bad idea and they will come.

[RetroLounge]

18. 61% of americans are Ass Hats too...

:shrug:

RL

[valerief]

19. ABC News either lied or didn't sample correctly or had Diebold tally the votes. nt

[m_welby]

20. not at all surprising, dont 60-70% of americans believe in ufos too? n/t

[JHB]

21. Thirty years of dumbing down and de-emphasis on science...

..in the schools, would be one big factor.

Creationsists have been relentless in protesting school biology books, and since they haven't been able to insert creationism, they've been able to minimize squeeze out evolution content as "contoversial".

Meanwhile, for a variety of reasons, many places seem to have a shortage of teachers with strong backgrounds in the sciences, and how many schools can afford decent lab setups that would allow more than "what's in the book"-style teaching?

[unpossibles]

23. 61% of Americans don't believe in math

and the other half do.

;)

This is pretty sad, really. I agree with the poster above who discussed respecting it as a myth - a story which helped humanity develop - but sadly the fundies are making me less respectful of it.

How can so many believe in angels but not things that we can see and document, like climate change and evolution?

[ellacott]

24. Why are you convinced that this poll is reliable

Some posted in this thread about the variables that were not taken into consideration and would result in skewed results.

I always wonder why people are so hard on Christians but they leave the Muslims, Buddists, agnostics and others alone.

It's deeper than just the fundie Christians.

[unpossibles]

26. Why are people so hard against Christians and not other faiths?

Trust me, if members of those faiths were actively trying to ruin my country I would be against them too. I have no problem with agnostics - I am one - if anything, we're at least honest in saying we don't know if God exists or not. If the very vocal minority of Christians (yes, I know that most Christians are not fundies) would leave me and the Constitution alone, I'll stop being so hard them - it must suck to be the majority yet so oppressed.

Despite rightwing "logic" atheism and agnosticism do not require faith, so I don't understand your inclusion of that in your argument.

[ellacott]

27. That's how they've fooled most of you, including the Christians

Many of the fundies are being used. These aren't religious people who are ruining our country. The PNAC signatories were never closely associated with the religious right. This was Karl Rove's strategy that has worked better than he probably thought. While he's got the Christians and the Non Christians arguing over choice, gay marriage and evolution they are selling out country out and ruining it.

Those fundies thought they had the govt. in their pocket but they were just being used for their vote. Just like the Democrats do with African Americans.

[unpossibles]

28. I agree that many Christians have been fooled into supporting a very non-Christian agenda

no argument there.

But the attacks on religious freedom have to stop. Frankly, as an agnostic I am not only sick of the fundies who are actively trying to push their anti-freedom down my throat, but also feel it is the responsibility of those of us who are sick of it to speak out. I include moderate Christians in this. I feel like people like Pat Robertson get a platform to preach hate and a free pass from many - and I consider ignoring him to be almost as bad as saying he's right.

I don't honestly understand why you felt the need to attack my original post. No, I don't totally believe the numbers in that post, but frankly if they are even off by 10%-20% I would find that bothersome and scary. I am so sick of the anti-education wave that has been taking over this country for the past 30 years and seems to be worsening, so I am sorry if I offended you, but I can't just ignore it either.

[ellacott]

31. This wasn't an attack, I wish we wouldn't use that word so much

I apologize, I was not personally attacking you. The reason I replied to your post was you were the last person that gave affirmation to that percentage and no one seemed to pay attention to the one poster who showed how the figure could have been skewed.

You may be surprised but we are in agreement. The attacks on religious freedom do have to stop. I don't agree with any of the political fundies because they are some of the biggest hypocrites around. Believe me, I do speak out against it. I've lost many Christian friends because I make it known that they are wrong.

Pat Robinson gives Christians a bad name. People are afraid to speak up. I'm not afraid and I don't think it should be ignored either.

[unpossibles]

33. cool. I just wasn't sure

I did not want to think you were attacking me, and didn't at first, but it's easy for things to be misunderstood in the realm of electronic type.

Peace. :)

And yes, it does bother me as well that the creeping tide of fundamentalist policy attempts has made me sometimes feel awkward with religion in general. As I said, the reason I tend to not pick on other faiths (or versions of the same faith) is because they tend to either be less vocal or not a problem at all, at least where I live.

[ellacott]

36. I'm glad we have an understanding

Peace :)

I am very bothered by the way the Right has characterized religion. It angers me when I see people like Ann Coulter embraced by the religious right and being keynote speakers at their events. It's actually scary that they see nothing wrong with this. I feel bad about the friendships I have lost with some Christians who see nothing wrong with this. I hoping that more Democratic candidates will speak up that all Christians aren't like the religious right.

It's ironic that Karl Rove is one that orchestrated this religious right movement and he's not even a Christian.

[Marie26]

35. It's reliable

"Those results have been mirrored in a series of Gallup polls that have asked nearly the same question at several points over the past 25 years." I wish this wasn't true, too, but it seems like the polls have been pretty consistent.

[jsamuel]

29. maybe they think "literally" means "figuratively"

[Judi Lynn]

30. We know a lot of people are good at denying the truth to themselves.

I'll bet there are a lot of Americans who are afraid to admit to strangers (poll takers) that they don't find it easy to believe the stories they've been told, that they don't believe the Biblical account, etc. because they fear being targeted as "non-believers," or "atheists" by a society known for hysterical extremes, which actually accepts very little diversity in anything.

Anyone who lived at the same time famous atheist personality Madelyn Murray O'Hair was around, is completely aware she used to get death threats, endlessly, even packages and letters sent to her containing excrement. This made her even more convinced she was absolutely, dead center on target.

[ComerPerro]

32. is this 2007, or 1907? Sometimes I can't tell

[Marie26]

34. Only 13% believe in evolution w/o divine intervention.

"13 percent of the sample chose evolution alone as the best approximation of their view of human development"

Jeez, that's stunning.

[Disturbed]

39. Do most Jewish and Islamic believers also believe in

the biblical version of creation?

[Marie26]

41. I have no idea

It seems like the poll allows for people of any religion - it doesn't specify which "god" created the world. So Jewish, Islamic etc. could also vote for creationism. It does seem like Protestant fundamentalists are the most likely to believe the literal biblical version, though. Maybe another poll has been done w/a breakdown by religion?

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

40. How God created the Bush family

In the beautiful Garden of Eden, God took some dust in his hands and created Adam. Then he took one of Adam's ribs and created Eve. Then Eve offered an apple from the tree of knowledge to Adam.

The apple gave Adam the runs and he ran behind the nearest Bush to take a crap. God then scooped up that excrement from behind the Bush and, Behold, the first member of the Bush family came into being.

Think they'll teach that in Sunday school?