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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
 Posted - 05/03/2005 : 16:40:17
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7231603/
From an NBC telephone poll....
quote:
Which do you think is more likely to actually be the explanation for the origin of human life on earth: evolution or the biblical account of creation? * 0 web responses
RESPONSES WEB NBC POLL
Evolution 0% 33%
Total biblical account of creation 0% 57%
Don't know/none of the above 0% 10%
Some days I hate my fellow Americans.
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2005 : 16:47:54 [Permalink]
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I wonder if some of the people who answered bible account were thinking more that bible-god created homo sapiens as opposed to the literal 6 day account.
Because the creationists seem to have had sucess in framing the argument as evolution = atheism = communism = very bad, which is anathema to a lot of people.
I'm an evolution lovin' atheist, fwiw (but not a communist).
First post, and I really like this site and this forum. Very educational and informative. |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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| Edited by - pleco on 05/03/2005 16:49:33 |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2005 : 17:07:55 [Permalink]
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Well, considering how bad the question is (evolution doesn't explain the origin of life), it's nice to see evolution get better than the 20% (or less) it usually does in these sorts of polls.
On the other hand, this poll would have you believe that 57% of the population are strict six-day creationists, when a multitude of other polls have shown them to comprise 45% or so of US citizens (and that figure has held steady for 20+ years). |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2005 : 17:23:14 [Permalink]
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Interesting poll. Over all, I think pretty accurate.
Sadly, it shows yet again that not enough people make the effort to inform themselves.
Welcome to SFN, pleco. Looking forward to your input.
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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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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2005 : 17:45:20 [Permalink]
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quote:
Well, considering how bad the question is (evolution doesn't explain the origin of life)
The question isn't a good one, I agree. But, it does specify "human" life. Not the origin of life overall.
The fact that even 45%, from other polling, believe the biblical account to be true is disturbing to me.
And welcome to the SFN pelco.
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2005 : 18:41:42 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dude
The fact that even 45%, from other polling, believe the biblical account to be true is disturbing to me.
Exactly. That number should hover somewhere around .05%, but 45%????
How is that possible? How is that acceptable? Is there any way not to consider that number a reason for dire alarm?
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2005 : 18:52:07 [Permalink]
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Actually, the poll is quite revealing. Note some of the other questions:quote:
Do you think religion is increasing its influence on American life or losing its influence on American life?
RESPONSES
Increasing 40%
Losing 50%
Same 5%
Don't know 5%
Despite that fact that a large majority hold that life's origins on earth are due to a divine being, most people think that religion is losing influence! The power of the right wing media machine is impressive!
And speaking of horrible questions:quote:
What is your religion?
RESPONSES
Protestant 52%
Catholic 23%
Jewish 2%
Muslim 0%
Other 9%
Not sure/refused 14%
Not even an option for none! The also feature a large series of questions which start "Do your religious beliefs play a major role, a minor role, or no role at all in . . ." again, leaving out-- or at least not being entirely hospitable to atheists!
I plan on writing them (feedback@msnbc.com) to let them know what I think of the flaws in their poll. I encourage the rest of you all to do the same.
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| Edited by - Cuneiformist on 05/03/2005 18:53:40 |
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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2005 : 20:02:06 [Permalink]
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quote:
Exactly. That number should hover somewhere around .05%, but 45%????
How is that possible? How is that acceptable? Is there any way not to consider that number a reason for dire alarm?
Learning to think is hard. It is much easier for people to just let their preacher think for them.
Until we can devise a way to convince people to think for themselves, I think this will persist.
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2005 : 06:52:44 [Permalink]
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Thanks all!
As to the topic, did MSNBC put up a margin of error or a geopgraphic representation of where the pollees came from? I am located in the Deep South (imagine a 7 foot tall man smoking cigs since child birth saying that) and those numbers seem a little low to me.
Truly sad stats - but not surprising in the least. And I would not be surprised to see it get worse before it gets better...as those bronze age institutions continue to lose significance in everyday life, they will be held onto more tightly by the faithful - especially given the instability in the economy and world politics. |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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Hawks
SFN Regular
Canada
1383 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2005 : 19:12:52 [Permalink]
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quote:
...most people think that religion is losing influence!
This is what should happen according to the second law of thermodynamics, after all. |
METHINKS IT IS LIKE A WEASEL
It's a small, off-duty czechoslovakian traffic warden! |
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2005 : 09:05:38 [Permalink]
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Weird results tell you the results are not all there. Why would only 6% never pray while 15% are not religious or spiritual?
Choices of a lot, not a lot or none leave the person with almost none trying to figure out if they should mark none or not a lot.
The majority who responded were Christian. That certainly means the results only apply to a fraction of Americans.
I was encouraged by the political answers, though.  |
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