Another Survey -- Evolution vs Religion in the US vs questions asked

Evolution in a new PRRI survey | National Center for Science Education

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Evolution in a new PRRI survey

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Attitudes toward evolution and the compatibility of science and religion were addressed in a new survey (PDF) from the Public Religion Research Institute (which, as NCSE previously reported, was mainly focused on climate change). Presented with "Evolution is the best explanation for the origins of human life on earth," 24% of respondents completely agreed, 29% mostly agreed, 14% mostly disagreed, and 27% completely disagreed, with 5% of respondents saying that they didn't know or refusing to answer. In 2007, 20% of respondents completely agreed, 28% mostly agreed, 16% mostly disagreed, and 29% completely disagreed, with 7% of respondents saying that they didn't know or refusing to answer.

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Asked whether they think that science and religion are "often in conflict" or "mostly compatible," 54% of respondents chose conflict, with 40% choosing compatibility and 5% saying that they didn't know or refusing to answer. But asked whether science conflicts with their own religious beliefs, 38% of respondents said that it did, while 59% said that it did not and 3% said that they didn't know or refused to answer. In 2009, 55% chose conflict, with 38% choosing compatibility and 7% saying that they didn't know or refusing to answer; 36% said that science conflicts with their own religious beliefs, while 61% said that it did not and 3% said that they didn't know or refused to answer.

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Looks like evolution is gaining with positive response growing by {(24+29) - (20+28)} = +5%while negative response declined by {(14+27) - (16+29)} = -4% andNo answer declined by {5-7} = -2%Enjoy

Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

It baffles me how a modern Western democracy can have 41% of its population holding such primitive beliefs. Luckily, the US is a weird outlier and at least your constitution protects the public from the worst of its effects.

At least you don't have to live here with them ...Enjoy

In the US education is directed solely towards job training and not on learning how to think.

Plus schools are predominantly controlled by parents ... who perpetuate their beliefs rather than learn from science.Plus we have idiots in congress.Enjoy

There is a reason for that: we have a plurality of idiots in the voting public.

It all depends on how you ask the question. I read about a survey which asked 3 possible questions, instead of either/or. this changes the breakdown by not forcing people to choose one or the other, and many people choose both. the three options were:1.atheist+evolution, 2. God+evolution, 3. God+creationist.When given 3 choices the USA breakdown is about 20% atheist+evolution, 40% God+evolution (intelligent design + billions of years), and 40% God+creationist (intelligent design + young earth). So ~60% of Americans believe in evolution processes. but only 20% are atheists. THEREFORE 2/3 American evolution believers are religious, not atheists.Evolution believers can't do anything right, can they? They even fail at being atheists.Knowing the relative numbers, who exactly do you think creationist propaganda is actually aimed at? Aiming it at atheists is basically a waste of time, and there are not even that many potential converts even if successful. But, if they can push the belief that evolution science is anti-God, then they can attempt to drive a wedge through the half of all christians who believe in God-directed-evolution, forcing them to take a side.Edited by jasonlang, : No reason given.

There is the fourth choice which is God Evolution where there is a belief in God but an understanding that evolution is NOT guided.

God’s Work? A new poll suggests Americans aren’t so confident in their creationism.How many die-hard creationists are really out there, versus sunday creationists and those in between?

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... A new study, sponsored by the BioLogos Foundation and conducted by Calvin College sociologist Jonathan Hill, explores beliefs about evolution and creation in greater detail. The results show far more nuance, variation, and doubt than is commonly supposed. Most Americans do believe God created us. But the harder you press about historical claims in the Bible, the less confident people are. The percentage who stand by young-earth creationism dwindles all the way to 15 percent.

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My favorite question is about scriptural interpretation. The survey asked:

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Which of the following comes closest to your personal beliefs about the Bible?

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1. The Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word-for-word.

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2. The Bible is the inspired word of God, without errors, but some parts are meant to be symbolic.

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3. The Bible is the inspired word of God and contains some factual or historical errors.

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4. The Bible is not inspired by God but tells how the writers of the Bible understood the ways and principles of God.

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5. The Bible is just another book of teachings written by men containing stories and advice.

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Two-thirds of respondents selected one of the top three options. These people affirmed, in one form or another, that the Bible is God’s word. A majority, 51 percent of the entire sample, picked one of the top two options. But only 21 percent agreed that everything in the Bible is literally true. Thirty percent chose the second statement: that the Bible is without errors but that some parts are meant to be symbolic. This isn’t what secular people tend to think inerrancy means. But it is what a lot of Christians apparently believe. Most people who believe that the Bible is inerrant do not believe that this means everything in it is literally true.

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Yes, we’re a creationist country. But apparently, we’re pretty creative about what that means.

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So, 15% hardcore YEC. One in seven people ...Enjoy