Who believes in evolution?

[FreeThinker]

Unlike the Catholic church which recognizes the theory of evolution, many of the Christian groups which are skilled at grass roots statewide organization believe in a literal translation of parts of the Bible, just as many Islamic extremists take parts of the Quran literally. I

 

I think the problem is that the "Islamic extemists" do not take the Quran literally...

[gcol]

If it was not for the support of Southern redneck fundamentalist creationists, from where would Bush get most of his support? (Just joking, perhaps.....)

[Kedas]

More interresting than how many say it's true is are their numbers increasing or decreasing.

The US is decreasing. And there are still much people who can't decide.

Not sure if that is because they didn't understand the question or if they are in doubt.

[calbiterol]

More interresting than how many say it's true is are their numbers increasing or decreasing.

The US is decreasing. And there are still much people who can't decide.

Not sure if that is because they didn't understand the question or if they are in doubt.

 

Well, that is misleading, because (in the US) both the number who support evolution and the number who oppose it have decreased, so more and more are unsure. There are any number of possible reasons for this, many that would be impossible to prove without a specific demographic breakdown of the poll, which is not available because the demographic info was not acquired in the first place (IIRC).

[Sayonara]

No, I'm not. This is the right thread. You're from the UK right? Think about how serious a problem it is for you if we don't solve it here.

Are you saying that the mighty and furious Iraq is being held back purely by the USA, and that if the USA goes, then the rest of us are in big trouble?

 

Oh please, please, please let him be saying that god.

 

Bringing up the "war" in Iraq in a thread about the international representation of belief in evolution is completely off-topic, no matter how wonderfully circuitous you can be. Shame really, because it was a very smooooth segue, but there it is.

 

 

Despite the majority of our population remaining scientifically ignorant, we still remain one of the most scientifically progressive nations in the world.

The question is, how rapidly can creationists and the spread of their doctrine make the US tumble down the scientific progression list?

[darkangel199]

I think over time, as the children of this generation grow up, creationism will fall to the wayside. Ameirca has always been a very religious country, and certain parts are extremely hardcore about it, but i think the graph shows more and more people are basically thinking about it a lot more than blindly following their pastor or taking their 5th grade science teacher's word for it. Science is just not as glamorous as it once was during the space race and the whole 60's sci fi explosion. But the fact the the discussion has been raised and people are thinking will lead most to the same view as the catholic church has, that Creationism is not real.

 

And considering in Kansas the board of Ed was just basically handed their walking papers for this very creationism subject i would say things are getting better in America. I think people in America like to keep their spiritual worship from their hard science, which more and more are doing. I'm christian, but i don't believe in creationism. i dont take the bible litteraly, i take it as a book of moral lessons for people to try to live by. A rock that's carbon dated at a billion years cannot be proven false cause the bible claims the earth was made 6,000 years ago.

[Phi for All]

I think the problem is that the "Islamic extemists" do not take the Quran literally...

I think the problem is that extremists take the parts they want to take too literally. Many Christians selectively remember, "An eye for an eye" and forget, "Turn the other cheek". I'm sure the problem extends to Islam and many other religious documents.

 

This highlights something I've always disliked, the idea of holding something "sacred". To me, spirituality should be a living, growing thing if it's to have any meaning. It should be discussed and molded, researched and explored. When something is "sacred" it is usually protected from critical review, tucked away and never questioned. I think this is why some people take the extreme literal interpretation of their "sacred" documents.

 

The question is, how rapidly can creationists and the spread of their doctrine make the US tumble down the scientific progression list?

Considering the potential for exponential growth in medical knowledge and cures from stem cell research, "tumble" may be too mild a word.

[silkworm]

Are you saying that the mighty and furious Iraq is being held back purely by the USA' date=' and that if the USA goes, then the rest of us are in big trouble?

 

Oh please, please, [i']please[/i] let him be saying that god.

 

Bringing up the "war" in Iraq in a thread about the international representation of belief in evolution is completely off-topic, no matter how wonderfully circuitous you can be. Shame really, because it was a very smooooth segue, but there it is.

 

 

 

The question is, how rapidly can creationists and the spread of their doctrine make the US tumble down the scientific progression list?

 

No no. I was making the point that you are not immuned to creationism infiltration, and which is clearly evident in the UK's involvement in the worst policy move in US history. It's pretty obvious that logic doesn't prevail when we set the trend, especially in the UK.

 

I wasn't trying to be "circuitous", Sayonara. I thought you'd get it as soon as I made the hint.

[Sayonara]

A political decision does not need to be made on the basis of logic.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

A political decision does not need to be made on the basis of logic.

And surely anybody living in our modern world - and especially the United States - would know this.

[silkworm]

A political decision does not need to be made on the basis of logic.

 

What is the success of the creationism/ID movement anywhere it has success if not political? What else could it possibly be based on? Certainly not scientific or even philosophical validity.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

What is the success of the creationism/ID movement anywhere it has success if not political? What else could it possibly be based on? Certainly not scientific or even philosophical validity.

Theological, for saving the Heathens from Hell.

[CanadaAotS]

LMAO

 

Ya'll burn in hell for your scientific-a-mal-ness, putting thoughts in our chillun's heads!

 

 

But really, I wish Canada was polled -_-'

[swansont]

And surely anybody living in our modern world - and especially the United States - would know this.

 

Sadly, though, many don't.

[Dr. Dalek]

And surely anybody living in our modern world - and especially the United States - would know this.

The problem is that too many people* assume that any desision made by their political pary is logical and their opponants are illogical. This seems to happen with all partices and political alignments.

 

*The more proper term would be Sheeple, or In-duh-viduals

[Kedas]

I was just thinking how many people (%) Are actualy educated enough to interprete the presented data and label it true or false.

 

30% is probably already too much.

So that means that 70% of the people base their decision on other people's decision....

[Hegemony]

That poll makes me want to move out of the US... well, more-so.

[Dr. Dalek]

That poll makes me want to move out of the US... well, more-so.

If people who believe in evolution move out of the USA that will just make the problem worse.

[dapdupdap]

The question must be " Do you know, what is Evolution Theory? "

How many people can reply to this question in this countries?

[CanadaAotS]

nah, the current poll is better. Thats what the "I Don't Know" section is for.

 

They could've made "I dont know which to believe" or "I dont know what evolution theory is" as two seperate sections to make it a bit more specific I guess

[Rasori]

I really do think this poll is badly worded. I am a diehard believer in evolution here in the US, and I really don't like creationists, but the number of believers doesn't really matter.

 

In fact, it would be wise to realize that Iceland's population is only one tenth of the population of the US. We have a MUCH larger number of people who do believe, just a smaller percentage. Considering how many people we have spreading their own ideas around and influencing others, the percentage isn't all that important.

 

Even the UK only has about 1/5th of our population. I understand percentage is the best way to show this data, but really, when you think about it, we have about 2 times the entire UK's POPULATION believing in evolution. (5 times total population, about half of the UK's believing percentage, and a little room for the UK non-believing).

 

Americans also face a difficulty in the mix of cultures and religions. Even amongst ourselves, there is a limit to who we listen to and why. We will listen and learn, but we will not often be influenced just because a teacher says so. So finding a convincing person to teach all of our vastly different upcoming citizens to believe in evolution is very understandably difficult, and so our low percentage is very understandable from my view.

 

To be honest, I've not once had a school teacher who openly supported creationism. One who was very liberal and wanted us to look at it seriously, but we outright laughed when she suggested it was a theory.

[Dr. Dalek]

The question must be " Do you know' date=' what is Evolution Theory? "

How many people can reply to this question in this countries?[/quote']

 

Actualy the question was ;

 

Here are the results of a poll of several nations which asked if humans share a common ancestor with all other life on earth:

[lucaspa]

Here are the results of a poll of several nations which asked if humans share a common ancestor with all other life on earth:

 

 

The title of the thread should have been: Who accepts evolution? You don't "believe" scientific theories. You accept them as (provisionally) true becauuse of the data.

 

And yes, the US is very low. Shows the effectiveness and strength of Fundamentalism.

[lucaspa]

Actualy the question was: "Here are the results of a poll of several nations which asked if humans share a common ancestor with all other life on earth:"

 

I think we have our own poll on reading comprehension. "Who believes in evolution?" is the title of the thread. Not, as you so accurately pointed out, the question of the poll. And we can see that, even in a science forum, that several people did not realize this.

[Severian]

You need to be a bit more careful when reporting these things.

 

bascule described it as "a poll of several nations which asked if humans share a common ancestor with all other life on earth".

 

If this really had been the question, I would have been inclined to say 'not sure' because I don't know whether all other life on Earth comes from the same abiogenesis event. (It probably does, but I don't think I would say it does without more evidence - there could be some obscure silicon based life living in a volcano for example.)

 

 

But what Fox claims the poll was asking is:

 

Adults in each country were asked whether they thought the statement, "Human beings, as we know them, developed from earlier species of animals," was true or false, or if they were unsure.

 

I would definitely have answered 'true' to this one.

 

Edit: What are you doing reading Fox 'news' anyway?