Freakish Fact

[pikatore]

Pulled from NCSE.com

Roughly 45% of the United States are Young Earth Creationists and this number has stayed roughly constant for the last 20 years.

That is quite a scary fact I think. Why do so many Americans believe this, most probably knowing about scientific data saying otherwise?

[Chris]

no, most -probably dismissing overwhelming scientific proof as being bunk.

This is because science and "faith" as it were look at the world in two different ways.

[Autolykos]

I didn't realize that the percentage was so high. Did the study explain their methods?

Assuming that it is true, then I agree that it's quite scary. Such people obviously prefer faith over science -- at least when it suits them.

- Rob

[Zhavric]

Quote by: pikatore Pulled from NCSE.com That is quite a scary fact I think. Why do so many Americans believe this, most probably knowing about scientific data saying otherwise?

Because that 45% is going to church / temple / mosque once a week or more and being told a happy lie that contradicts the truth. They're also being taught that it's meritous to reject the truth for the happy lie.

[ZNFYRH]

I'd suggest that that number probably doesn't reflect those who truly believe it. It probably contains many who stated they believed that ideology because it is part of their overall religious belief. Similar to saying that you are pro-choice because you are Democrat.

[Lotharia]

I would like more information regarding that 45% statistic. Who did they ask? Where? What was the exact question?
I personally do not believe that 45% number at all.

[Praxius]

Bible Belt..... need I say more?

[Captain Chaos]

Quote by: Praxius Bible Belt..... need I say more?

I live in Bible belt central...

It is scary sometimes.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Quote by: Zhavric Because that 45% is going to church / temple / mosque once a week or more and being told a happy lie that contradicts the truth. They're also being taught that it's meritous to reject the truth for the happy lie.

I really wouldn't think that going to church has much to do with denying evolution (other than being religious) churches I've been to accepted evolution, and it was taught in my catholic school. rather type of church is probably more important.

[Nono]

Yes, it ain't the Catholics (why the Vatican took Copernicus off the Index way back in the 19th century already LOL) but the loonier Protestant sects which abound in the Bible Belt.

Don't forget that many of the original European settlers coming to what is now the US were Protestant loonies who were oppressed back in England and elsewhere. (Think Puritan -- I rest my case.)

To some extent the Englightenment passed the Americas by, and just as vestiges of older English survive in the North America ("dove" instead of "dived" for example) so does a Bible-banging strain of fundamentalist "thought".

[sevendogs]

It tells me that something is wrong with the education system.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Quote by: Nono Yes, it ain't the Catholics (why the Vatican took Copernicus off the Index way back in the 19th century already LOL) but the loonier Protestant sects which abound in the Bible Belt. Don't forget that many of the original European settlers coming to what is now the US were Protestant loonies who were oppressed back in England and elsewhere. (Think Puritan -- I rest my case.) To some extent the Englightenment passed the Americas by, and just as vestiges of older English survive in the North America ("dove" instead of "dived" for example) so does a Bible-banging strain of fundamentalist "thought".

America was based on the enlightenment, Our constitution is practicaly verbatim Locke and Voltaire's ideas. Unfortunately, people seem to be under the impression that the country was based on fundementalist protestantism instead of the ideas of the philosophes.

[Pockets]

Roughly 45% of the United States are Young Earth Creationists and this number has stayed roughly constant for the last 20 years

I think this is due to the mistrust of technology. Mistrust from a generation that takes the ease with which we walk, talk, live and breath for granted.

[Nono]

Well, Pockets, how do you explain the absence of such zany zealotry in other countries where the younger generation takes the same ease for granted?

[Nono]

Quote by: Gawd America was based on the enlightenment, Our constitution is practicaly verbatim Locke and Voltaire's ideas. Unfortunately, people seem to be under the impression that the country was based on fundementalist protestantism instead of the ideas of the philosophes.

In my post I said "to some extent". Of course the framers of the US constitution were Enlightenment men. But one hell of a huge sector of the population has never been.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Same with any country, really. The enlightenment was a movement of a few guys, basically. it changed how everyone thought, but it really wasn't a uge movement.

[Nono]

Then I ask you the same question I asked Pockets three posts up.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Quote by: Nono Well, Pockets, how do you explain the absence of such zany zealotry in other countries where the younger generation takes the same ease for granted?

First of all, much of europe is catholic in religious origins, and it has not experienced a religious "revival" (if that's the term) like the U.S. has. You guys don't have typically american fundementalist protestant sects like evangelicals and other, even wierder people. You still mainly have the more moderate, clerical based forms. (correct me if I'm wrong on any of this.) It's really a cultural thing, where religion is all or nothing here.

[loser]

What's really scary is that more than half of humanity has been brainwashed into accepting the fantasy that man evolved from lower species even though science has clearly shown this to be false. The amount of evidence that disproves evolution is staggering and yet this fallacy prevails.

How can this be explained? Obviously, part of the problem lies in the education system. But why would so many believe an obvious lie...espcially after they grow up to know better?

There can be only one answer: they don't want there to be a God!

If they can deceive themselves into believing in evolution, then they can shut God out of their hearts and minds.

That is scary...and the ones that are scared of God don't even realize just how deluded they are.

Oh, well...that's what devolution does.

[Jack]

The amount of evidence that disproves evolution is staggering and yet this fallacy prevails. How can this be explained? Obviously, part of the problem lies in the education system.

Education is only at fault in that it fails to persuade students that evolution, supported by scientific research and supporting all the biological sciences, trumps baseless superstitions as taught by the churches. It's also the student's fault for not learning with open minds. When you approach the study of science with a mind that filters everything through the screen of religious belief, you cannot properly learn. Nor can you properly believe by faith if you approach religion through science. Believing by faith and learning through the scientific method are incompatible.