World Events
Topic: New Survey: What Americans believe

#	Author	Message
1	alexbook Tue 6/24/2008 10:20a	Interesting new survey from the Pew Research Center: http://religions.pewforum.org/ Lots and lots of data that all sides can use to make whatever point they want, of course. Here's the overall religious breakdown: 26.3% Evangelical Protestant Churches 23.9% Catholic 18.1% Mainline Protestant Churches 6.9% Historically Black Churches 1.7% Mormon 0.7% Jehovah's Witnesses 0.6% Orthodox Christian 0.3% Other Christian 1.7% Jewish 0.7% Buddhist 0.6% Muslim 0.4% Hindu <0.3% Other World Religions 1.2% Other Faiths (incl. Unitarians) 16.1% Unaffiliated (incl. "Nothing in particular"?!) 0.8% Don't Know/Refused ----- Some other numbers: 92% of Americans believe in God, but only 71% say they're absolutely certain. 72% attend religious services. 80% pray. 49% report receiving answers to prayer. 33% believe the Bible is literally the word of God. Another 30% believe it was divinely inspired. Only 24% believe their religion is the only true faith leading to eternal life. Pluralities of Evangelical Christians, those associated with Historically Black Churches, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons said that homosexuality should be discouraged by society. A plurality of Americans (50%-40%) disagreed.
2	X-san Tue 6/24/2008 10:22a	Wow. Muslims and atheists are INCREDIBLY under-represented in the U.S., compared to worldwide.
3	X-san Tue 6/24/2008 10:23a	***49% report receiving answers to prayer.*** If this doesn't qualify as "mass delusion", I don't know what does.
4	X-san Tue 6/24/2008 10:26a	***Only 24% believe their religion is the only true faith leading to eternal life.*** This is extremely encouraging. I believe the number will grow progressively smaller over the upcoming months and years... ***Pluralities of Evangelical Christians, those associated with Historically Black Churches, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons said that homosexuality should be discouraged by society. A plurality of Americans (50%-40%) disagreed.*** Also encouraging, and pointing the direction we are heading in quite well. Times they are a-changing folks...get ready for it!
5	alexbook Tue 6/24/2008 10:32a	>>***49% report receiving answers to prayer.*** If this doesn't qualify as "mass delusion", I don't know what does.<< I'm wondering if it's significant that the Dakotas have the largest percentage of people who pray but "seldom or never" receive answers to their prayers. Perhaps the answer to their prayers would be a ticket out of the Dakotas? ;-) (Then there's Alaska, which has the largest percentage of people who don't pray at all. Perhaps they've given up?)
6	dshyates Tue 6/24/2008 11:08a	"(Then there's Alaska, which has the largest percentage of people who don't pray at all. Perhaps they've given up?)" Well, you know, when you're that cold, a lake of fire doesn't look that bed.
7	fkurucz Tue 6/24/2008 11:38a	<<Wow. Muslims .... are INCREDIBLY under-represented in the U.S., compared to worldwide.>> Being that you are pro homosexual rights, you should be quite glad about that. I believe that Sharia law specifies that homosexuals are to be stoned to death.
8	fkurucz Tue 6/24/2008 11:39a	<<Well, you know, when you're that cold, a lake of fire doesn't look that bed.>> There was a Simpsons episode where the heating breaks down and the church is freezing cold. While the Rev. Lovejoy preaches about the fires of Hell, his congregation starts to get interesting thoughts...
9	EighthDwarf Tue 6/24/2008 3:54p	"92% of Americans believe in God, but only 71% say they're absolutely certain." 71% are absolutley certain?? How?? "33% believe the Bible is literally the word of God." Wow, I find this terrifying. Talk about mass delusion.
10	alexbook Tue 6/24/2008 4:13p	Just noticed a typo: >>Pluralities of Evangelical Christians, those associated with Historically Black Churches, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons said that homosexuality should be discouraged by society. A plurality of Americans (50%-40%) disagreed.<< "Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons"? That should have read "...and Muslims."

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