Latest Newsweek Religion Poll

V1per41
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Latest Newsweek Religion Poll

Latest Newsweek Poll

If you don't feel like reading it, here are the details:

91% of Adults say they believe in God

-82% Christian

- 5% Non-Christian

- 4% Non-Religious but still believe

- 3% Atheist

- 6% Agnostic/No Religion

48% of Americans reject evolution

49% report knowing an atheist

62% of registered voters would not vote for an atheist candidate

26% Think it's not possible to be a moral atheist.

There are some good and bad numbers in here. From the polls that I've seen in the past the evolution number is an improvement, but the atheist candidate number got much worse.

On another note. Why is it that people say "believe in God" instead of "believe in a god"?

"It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring." - Carl Sagan


MattShizzle
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Sucks how they wouldn't vote

Sucks how they wouldn't vote on someone because of that. Imagine if the majority of Americans wouldn't vote for someone who believes Elvis is realy dead, or that doesn't believe in psychics?

The trouble with born again Christians is they're even more annoying the second time around.


aiia
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It indicates one thing. That

It indicates one thing. That few atheists took the poll. Perhaps it is because few atheists read Newsweek.


MattShizzle
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Doesn't Newsweek have a

Doesn't Newsweek have a somewhat conservative slant?

The trouble with born again Christians is they're even more annoying the second time around.


V1per41
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MattShizzle wrote:

MattShizzle wrote:
Doesn't Newsweek have a somewhat conservative slant?

Possibly, but nothing here says to me that they ran the poll poorly. I've seen very similar numbers over the last year from a whole series of studies/polls.

The one number that I was most surprised about was the atheist candidate.  All the polls I've seen recently had the number close to 50%.  A month ago Gallup put the number at 55%

Apparently America would rather vote for a Black Jewish Woman who's been married 3 times. Than one of us. Frown

"It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring." - Carl Sagan


22jesus22
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Didn't newsweek just do an

Didn't newsweek just do an article on 'Is God Real' and brought in Harris and Pastor Warren (I believe it was) to have a debate?  I just read it last night, and I'm pretty sure it was in Newsweek.  Well what ever it was in, it was a good read.  Typical responses from both sides though.

I wonder what those poll results would like if they were takin by Canadians, which I am. 


MrRage
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MattShizzle wrote: Doesn't

MattShizzle wrote:
Doesn't Newsweek have a somewhat conservative slant?

Here's the actual poll. It looks like a standard poll to me. The sample size was 1004, which is normal for a national poll. The margin of error is 4%, which isn't bad. So the number of people who wouldn't vote for an atheist is really anywhere between 58% and 66%. If the figures V1per41 gave were good, then it looks like this has gone up.

“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” -- George Orwell


zarathustra
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If they broke the 91%

It would a little more accurate (and a lot less impressive) if they broke the 91% christians down by denomination.


Voiderest
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I know a theist probably

I know a theist probably wouldn't vote for me, but I think that is more me then being atheist. I mean come on when it comes out (it would since google exists) I'd probably say something like, "Sure I don't believe in your god, but on the plus side I don't believe in the other guys god either." With that others would realize atheist doesn't mean anti-christian....

Yes there are people who think that.... :: points to fan-mail :: 


V1per41
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Looking at the results a

Looking at the results a little closer (question 12) it appears that only 13% of the people in this country actually agree with the theory of evolution. And what is even more surprising is that only 45% of atheists/agnostics agree with the theory. Those numbers totally floor me.

 I'm also confused as to how 48% of the people think that it is a well supported by evidence and accepted in the scientific community, yet only 13% actually agree with it.

"It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring." - Carl Sagan


SassyDevil
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V1per41 wrote: On another

V1per41 wrote:

On another note. Why is it that people say "believe in God" instead of "believe in a god"?

Because, no matter how much they deny it, they expect you to believe in their god. Furthermore, they believe "all gods are one god," which actually goes against The Ten Commandments. How can you worship a "false god" or "have no other gods" if all are the same?


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Yeah, Sam Harris did do an

Yeah, Sam Harris did do an article for Newsweek, here it is:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15566391/site/newsweek/ 

Reason has always been a part of religion, ever since two nudists took dietary advice from a talking snake....


BenfromCanada
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22jesus22 wrote: I wonder

22jesus22 wrote:

I wonder what those poll results would like if they were takin by Canadians, which I am.

Last I heard, non-religious folks made up roundabouts 20% of Canada, with about 70% being christian and the rest being made up of various other faiths (hinduism, buddhism and islam being the biggest ones, in that order).
I don't have a source, though. Sorry.


Vastet
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Wiki's not the greatest

Wiki's not the greatest source for controvercial subjects, but simple numbers are less likely to be fictionalized.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Canada

16% - no religion. 77% roman catholic or protestant. Though various areas fluctuate. Alberta tends to be more religious, while B.C. tends to be less religious. We do have some work to do.

Proud Canadian, Enlightened Atheist, & Gaming God.