Survey: Atheists outdo some believers on religion

[CLWolf81]

Found this to be rather interesting. I thought I'd share it with the class. It's ironic, but I can't say I don't believe it.

Americans are by all measures a deeply religious people, but they are also deeply ignorant about religion.



Researchers from the independent Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life phoned more than 3,400 Americans and asked them 32 questions about the Bible, Christianity and other world religions, famous religious figures and the constitutional principles governing religion in public life.



On average, people who took the survey answered half the questions incorrectly, and many flubbed even questions about their own faith.



Those who scored the highest were atheists and agnostics, as well as two religious minorities: Jews and Mormons. The results were the same even after the researchers controlled for factors like age and racial differences.

 

[jakobeast]

[quote name="CLWolf81"]Found this to be rather interesting. I thought I'd share it with the class. It's ironic, but I can't say I don't believe it.



[/quote]



I was raised Mormon, and now consider myself agnostic. I wouldn't say I have studied religions from around the world, but whenever the discussion comes up, I will engage. Perhaps that is me looking for a religion?

 

[The Count Dante]

I have always joked with some Xians that I knew more about their book then they do.



But I also found it was not always a joke.



I think this stems from the fact that most are raised with religion from a young age so that seems "standard" for the belief structure. The move to atheist usually comes from research and question so you would probably know more than someone who was raised a certain way who didnt have question.

 

[winos5]

I as raised in a splinter sect/cult of the Mormon religion/belief as well. It's not too surprising IMO. People that question their own beliefs often discover them to be fucked up (as I did). I would classify myself as christian, but non-denominational and not very into the "church experience".

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

How many atheists have been such since they were very young?

My guess would be not many.

Most atheists such as myself were brought up in religious households.



I'm still a bit off-put by the term agnostic. It literally means "without knowledge."

Then again, the label atheist is really unnecessary as well.



I guess if more people that were faith based actually did the reading of the book(s) they believed in, perhaps they'd get more questions correct. There's so much out there in terms of history of religions. I find it fascinating to delve into the origins.

 

[The Count Dante]

[quote name="BlackhawkPaul"]How many atheists have been such since they were very young?

My guess would be not many.

Most atheists such as myself were brought up in religious households.



I'm still a bit off-put by the term agnostic. It literally means "without knowledge."

Then again, the label atheist is really unnecessary as well.



I guess if more people that were faith based actually did the reading of the book(s) they believed in, perhaps they'd get more questions correct. There's so much out there in terms of history of religions. I find it fascinating to delve into the origins.[/quote]



I was, but I would agree that I am probably in the minority.



But even with that said, my Dad, who was not religious, is a hardcore bible-thumper now, so maybe that is how I will go.

 

[LordKOTL]

Not surprising, but what pises me off is the other aspect: the lack of knowledge--or rather the willfull ignorance when it comes to constitutional regulations about religion and the framework thereof.



Think about it, how many americans think we are a Christian nation (we aren't), founded on Christian values (we weren't) by our founding fathers who were Christian (most weren't--and some like Jefferson and Franklin has some disdain for Christians).



Further, how many Christians out there say point-blank that "Under God" should always be in the Pledge of Allegiance because it was always there (no it wasn't).



To me, that's the sickening thing--the fabric of what makes america great began unravelling when people would throw the 1st amendment and the estabishment clause out the window when it was convenient.



Rant off.

 

[Guest]

[quote name="BlackhawkPaul"]How many atheists have been such since they were very young?

My guess would be not many.

Most atheists such as myself were brought up in religious households.



I'm still a bit off-put by the term agnostic. It literally means "without knowledge."

Then again, the label atheist is really unnecessary as well.



I guess if more people that were faith based actually did the reading of the book(s) they believed in, perhaps they'd get more questions correct. There's so much out there in terms of history of religions. I find it fascinating to delve into the origins.[/quote]



Ha, you basically nailed it right there.



I grew up methodist going to church every Sunday. I literally never missed a Sunday growing up and volunteered through out the church. Once I started confirmation, the first thing my pastor said was "The Bible is not a Science book". I did exactly what he didn't want us doing and I looked at the whole religion scope from the other side. After confirmation I would attend church occasionally, mostly on holidays, and now I don't even go Easter or Xmas. I would consider myself Atheist at this point of my life and I am quite surprised how many of my buddies I know believe and feel the same way.



One of my buddies followed the same route as Paul and went to Catholic school and once he got out and went to a public H.S. he got out of religion.

 

[CLWolf81]

[quote name="BlackhawkPaul"]How many atheists have been such since they were very young?[/quote]



I know I'm one of the few..... I've been to Catholic school all my life, starting from 2nd grade. The beliefs on equality, oddly enough, was what started to turn me to being Atheist.

 

[The Count Dante]

[quote name="CLWolf81"]



I know I'm one of the few..... I've been to Catholic school all my life, starting from 2nd grade. The beliefs on equality, oddly enough, was what started to turn me to being Atheist.[/quote]



Perhaps a bit off subject and I am certainly not going to start a Holy War, but I do think it is funny that say Xians, the majority in this country laugh at how crazy Mormon's beliefs are...



"HAHAH! They are INSANE! They think that Jesus lived in the States and that God told him to use secret scrying stones to write this book?!? HOW STUPID! Now, please open your books to Jonah 1:17 while we read about how God saved Jonah by living in a big fish..."

 

[JOVE23]

[quote name="THe Count Dante"]Now, please open your books to Jonah 1:17 while we read about how God saved Jonah by living in a big fish..."[/quote]



THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A METAPHOR AND STUFF

 

[The Count Dante]

[quote name="JOVE23"]



THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A METAPHOR AND STUFF[/quote]



ITS SCIENCE....

 

[supraman]

I took the quiz and scored 28 out of 32. Not too shabby if you ask me.

 

[Ymono37]

I just got a 93% (14/15) on the survey on NYT site... that doesn't surprise me though, I'm always looking to expand my understanding of other religions. I'm by no means an expert, I just like to see how other cultures define and interpret their own existence...



Personally, I don't think having faith or a belief in something greater than you is all that "crazy." I have issues when those sets of beliefs become codified and organized AND the groups solidifiying those said beliefs tries to force them onto others.

 

[supraman]

My issues with religion are in regards to blind-faith. If you just believe in something without asking critical questions then that is blind-faith and sorry I just won't respect you for it. But if someone asks those critical questions and still has the belief in whatever faith then I can respect that, I certainly don't agree with it but I can respect it.

 

[LordKOTL]

I think this Quote sums up one of my views on religion quite well:

If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.

~Bertrand Russell

 

[ytsejam]

"Many people would sooner die than think. In fact, they do."

~Bertrand Russell

 

[LordKOTL]

[quote name="ytsejam"]"Many people would sooner die than think. In fact, they do."

~Bertrand Russell[/quote]

Touché.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

http://features.pewforum.org/quiz/us-religious-knowledge/?

I took the quiz, and scored 14 out of 15.

Strange enough, I got the Catholic question wrong-- and I was raised Catholic.

 

[jakobeast]

[quote name="BlackhawkPaul"]http://features.pewforum.org/quiz/us-religious-knowledge/?

I took the quiz, and scored 14 out of 15.

Strange enough, I got the Catholic question wrong-- and I was raised Catholic.[/quote]



I got the very last one wrong.



14 out of 15 as well.