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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 01/04/2007 : 05:17:05
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I'm afraid I'll have agree with this gentleman: quote:
01.01.2007
25% of the Country is Certifiably Insane (169 comments )
The Associated Press and AOL recently did a year end poll where they asked people to make predictions on 2007. There were some interesting findings, like the fact that there are more Americans who think that the draft will be reinstated next year (35%) than those who think we will withdraw our forces from Iraq (29%).
There are also numbers that showed how well the public is attuned to the current political and economic climate, with eighty percent predicting an increase in the minimum wage and ninety percent predicting higher gas prices.
But there is one number that stands out among the rest as absolutely unbelievable. Twenty-five percent of Americans believe that Jesus Christ will return to earth in 2007. TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT! IN 2007!
These people are nuts. There's no polite way of saying it. If I sound superior, too bad. Sanity has its advantages.
So, is they crazy or is they not? And who cares? "Easily deluded" might be a better description, but 25% is a large percentage of rabid reality-denyers. But of course, denying reality is nothing new.
Twenty five.... I've got some of them living about a mile from me. Yeah, they're crazy; the whole family is, but they're still pretty good neighbors (they leave me alone and I don't bother them).
25 percent....... 
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
 Posted - 01/04/2007 : 05:20:51 [Permalink]
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That is fucking howlingly insane.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Denwash
New Member
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2007 : 13:53:55 [Permalink]
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| I agree, but it doesn't surprise me. Back in the '70s when I was active, everybody was convinced that the return of Jesus was coming any minute - there was a guy named Hal Lindsey (not sure of spelling), who had a best-seller which essentially said "Pack your bags...". Just recently, i saw a commercial with this guy John Clute (?) who has a best-seller saying the same stuff. The players have changed, but the game remains the same. These guys have been recycling the same old prophecies and arguments since the 1st century. Lessee, in the '70s, the Ayatollah was the anti-christ, later Michael Gorbachev, now Osama, (among others). In the '70s, it was the World bank, now it's the European Union. (Or the UN) In the '70s, it was the Soviet Union, now it's the middle-east. In a way it's interesting to watch all of the activity when something changes. Lots of shuffling and reinterpretation going on. The Mother of all Post Hoc fallacies. |
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2007 : 22:56:53 [Permalink]
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Rapture Index
quote:
The record high in the index transpired as a result of the Gulf War conflict.
The Rapture Index Oct 26 1990:
Rapture Index 182
Updated: 24 Sept 01 164
The Rapture Index Dec 12 1993: Record low 57
"The Rapture Index requires constant input in order to maintain high levels. In late 1993, just about every indicator either went dormant or had positive news."
Ever wonder if some of these guys actually voted for Bush to bring on the 'return'?
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Chippewa
SFN Regular
USA
1496 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 01:01:20 [Permalink]
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Who's Jesus? Is that anything like our true Lord, Xavier Cugat? (Blessed be his golden tones.)  |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 02:38:48 [Permalink]
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The Rapture Index requires constant input in order to maintain high levels.
If i didn't knew better, I'd guess they believe a high index would hasten the rapture... |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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Original_Intent
SFN Regular
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 06:54:39 [Permalink]
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250 people hardly (less then one millionth of the US population) hardly qualifies as a sampling of the US population. 2-3% margin of error? I could duplicate those numbers using the post offices zip code finder and refrencing the zip code to phonefinder.com to find the phone numbers in that zip code I think will give me the results I want.
Peace
Joe |
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tomk80
SFN Regular
Netherlands
1278 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 07:56:08 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Original_Intent
250 people hardly (less then one millionth of the US population) hardly qualifies as a sampling of the US population. 2-3% margin of error? I could duplicate those numbers using the post offices zip code finder and refrencing the zip code to phonefinder.com to find the phone numbers in that zip code I think will give me the results I want.
Peace
Joe
This is not quite true. 1000 people, if selected randomly and representative of the US population (that means, the randomly selected sample needs to have the same general structure as the US population in things age, race and social structure) can very well be a good representation. Generally, especially for effects as large as here (like 25% of the population, that is quite a big effect) sample sizes do not have to be extremely large. The bigger question needs to be how representative the sample population is of the US population, not necessarily how big the sample is in the first place. A rule of thumb is that, with large effects like these, getting more then 1000 people generally will not increase the accuracy of your results, even though it is only one millionth of the population. Populations are more predictable then you might think at first glance. |
Tom
`Contrariwise,' continued Tweedledee, `if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic.'
-Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Caroll- |
| Edited by - tomk80 on 01/05/2007 07:59:46 |
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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 09:30:52 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by filthy
<snip> So, is they crazy or is they not? And who cares? "Easily deluded" might be a better description, but 25% is a large percentage of rabid reality-denyers. But of course, denying reality is nothing new.
Twenty five.... I've got some of them living about a mile from me. Yeah, they're crazy; the whole family is, but they're still pretty good neighbors (they leave me alone and I don't bother them).
25 percent.......
My 2 Cents:
They are not insane, but deluded, misguided and dangerous might apply. Why dangerous? Well...because:
A. Jesus is NOT coming in 2007 or ever.
B. These people may be living in ways one would if there were no tomorrow. Some examples: 1. Not saving for their retirement and/or piling on personal debt. 2. Not taking care of their personal health. 3. Not concerning themselves with long term environmental issues. 4. Supporting crazy political agendas, like the Iraq war.
C. A + B means bad things are going to happen to them (further straining our already drastically anemic social safety nets) and they support bad things happening to the rest of us.
D. This might be part of B, but it bears emphasis. These people, who are so fracking out of touch with reality and any sense of responsibility for the future welfare of country and humanity, can (and do) vote. |
-Chaloobi
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 09:46:21 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by chaloobi
They are not insane, but deluded, misguided and dangerous might apply. Why dangerous? Well...because:
A. Jesus is NOT coming in 2007 or ever.
As a skeptic, shouldn't we say that there is a possibility (however slight) that this could happen? 
quote:
B. These people may be living in ways one would if there were no tomorrow. Some examples: 1. Not saving for their retirement and/or piling on personal debt. 2. Not taking care of their personal health. 3. Not concerning themselves with long term environmental issues. 4. Supporting crazy political agendas, like the Iraq war.
My family believes the Jesus is coming back, but they do save for retirement, have managable debt, and take care of the health. Of course they are conservatives, so politically they follow their party...
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by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 10:36:25 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by pleco
quote:
Originally posted by chaloobi
They are not insane, but deluded, misguided and dangerous might apply. Why dangerous? Well...because:
A. Jesus is NOT coming in 2007 or ever.
As a skeptic, shouldn't we say that there is a possibility (however slight) that this could happen?
Strictly speaking, I'm agnostic. I think even the little 'f' faith in no god is still too much faith, as far as cosmology is concerned anyway. So yes, it's technically correct to say there is a chance that Christian mythology is in fact real.
Note that by the same logic, there's a chance that Lovecraftian Cthulhu mythos may also be real (among many other mythologies). I'm much more concerned about that possibility as Satan can't hold a candle to Dead Cthulhu.
quote:
quote:
B. These people may be living in ways one would if there were no tomorrow. Some examples: 1. Not saving for their retirement and/or piling on personal debt. 2. Not taking care of their personal health. 3. Not concerning themselves with long term environmental issues. 4. Supporting crazy political agendas, like the Iraq war.
My family believes the Jesus is coming back, but they do save for retirement, have managable debt, and take care of the health. Of course they are conservatives, so politically they follow their party...
But do they really believe Jesus is coming in 2007? Do they believe it enough to declare it publicly? Strictly speaking, anyone who calls themself a Christian should believe that Jesus is going to return, but to believe enough to declare that he's coming this year is different.
Also, a funny thing I noticed: Americans routinely do what I outlined in examples 1-4 above, regardless of their Faith. |
-Chaloobi
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 10:56:53 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by chaloobi
But do they really believe Jesus is coming in 2007? Do they believe it enough to declare it publicly? Strictly speaking, anyone who calls themself a Christian should believe that Jesus is going to return, but to believe enough to declare that he's coming this year is different.
Also, a funny thing I noticed: Americans routinely do what I outlined in examples 1-4 above, regardless of their Faith.
My grandmother believes it could happen any time, like a surprise party.
Others beleive it will eventually, go give no time since, according to the bible, no human knows the time and it is folly to try to guess it. |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 11:35:21 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by pleco
quote:
Originally posted by chaloobi
But do they really believe Jesus is coming in 2007? Do they believe it enough to declare it publicly? Strictly speaking, anyone who calls themself a Christian should believe that Jesus is going to return, but to believe enough to declare that he's coming this year is different.
Also, a funny thing I noticed: Americans routinely do what I outlined in examples 1-4 above, regardless of their Faith.
My grandmother believes it could happen any time, like a surprise party.
Others beleive it will eventually, go give no time since, according to the bible, no human knows the time and it is folly to try to guess it.
Right, and with the 'you never know' thought, you can't afford not to plan responsibly for the future. Right? Now, if I TRUELY believed that Jesus was coming in 2007, why would I add to my retirement savings? Or my kid's college funds? Further, why would I not take that money and A. give it to charity to score some god points or B. spend it on debauchery, if I were so inclined? |
-Chaloobi
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 11:40:09 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by chaloobi
Right, and with the 'you never know' thought, you can't afford not to plan responsibly for the future. Right? Now, if I TRUELY believed that Jesus was coming in 2007, why would I add to my retirement savings? Or my kid's college funds? Further, why would I not take that money and A. give it to charity to score some god points or B. spend it on debauchery, if I were so inclined?
I think this shows that most people who say the believe Jesus is Coming(tm), and even some who say it may happen this year have some part of their brain which is still pragmatic.
I see the same when someone dies and christians are sad. I don't understand why they are sad.
Or why christians wear seat belts, or even why christians get upset about abortion (after all, all those little souls are going straight to heaven, which is a far better place (so I've been told)).
I think deep down they have doubt, but instead of being truthful with themselves, the doubt expresses itself in behavior. |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 11:55:16 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by pleco
quote:
Originally posted by chaloobi
Right, and with the 'you never know' thought, you can't afford not to plan responsibly for the future. Right? Now, if I TRUELY believed that Jesus was coming in 2007, why would I add to my retirement savings? Or my kid's college funds? Further, why would I not take that money and A. give it to charity to score some god points or B. spend it on debauchery, if I were so inclined?
I think this shows that most people who say the believe Jesus is Coming(tm), and even some who say it may happen this year have some part of their brain which is still pragmatic.
I see the same when someone dies and christians are sad. I don't understand why they are sad.
Or why christians wear seat belts, or even why christians get upset about abortion (after all, all those little souls are going straight to heaven, which is a far better place (so I've been told)).
I think deep down they have doubt, but instead of being truthful with themselves, the doubt expresses itself in behavior.
I think it comes down to talking the talk vs. walking the walk. And essentially, down to Faith. If you REALLY had Faith, then why concern yourself with self-preservation at all? Afterall, Jesus specifically advised his followers not to be concerned about providing for themselves materially as "the Lord shall Provide." I've never personally observed a self-described Christian actually behave like a Chrstian as prescribed in the NT. |
-Chaloobi
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Chippewa
SFN Regular
USA
1496 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 12:29:43 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by chaloobi
[quote]...4. Supporting crazy political agendas, like the Iraq war...
This is the main reason why fundies are cultivated and encouraged as one of Bush's political bases as well as within the Bush administration. Rove early-on realized that these groups could be used for votes.
The larger point is that this fundamentalism is not a religion but part of a political movement. Its average citizen believers aren't savvy enough to grasp that. They are deluded in their religious legends and beliefs and manipulated by inane appeals to pseudo-patriotism to support policies which, behind the scenes, are actually motivated to bring wealth or profits to Bush and his corporate supporters and oil cronies (including his Saudi masters). All at the expense of many diverse things ranging from Bush appointees editing and negating NASA science papers on environmental issues to Bush ignoramuses administering Baghdad without any knowledge of Islamic factions, and Bush forgetting about Ben Laden while ignoring young soldiers lives in Iraq.
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Diversity, independence, innovation and imagination are progressive concepts ultimately alien to the conservative mind.
"TAX AND SPEND" IS GOOD! (TAX: Wealthy corporations who won't go poor even after taxes. SPEND: On public works programs, education, the environment, improvements.) |
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