Americans don't know Jack about Religion

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

A survey was recently done around the country to see what Americans know about religion. Not a particular religion, mind you, but just the subject of the major religions. And it appears that most Americans have a rather poor education in the subject. Most, for instance, didn't know about Martin Luther's role in the Protestant movement.

The folks who scored highest in religious literacy? Atheists and agnostics, followed by Mormons and Jews.

Myself, I don not find this at all surprising. It follows pretty much along the lines of my personal experience, as well as the experience related to me by my mother from her life. She told me that she used to love arguing with door-knocking preachers and confuse them with passages from the Bibles they carried in their hands. I've done that a few times myself, and really, it is rather an easy game to play.

But it is rather interesting, that this most vehemently religious of developed countries has such a big problem about religious knowledge. Of course, as discussed in other threads, it has problems with ALL realms of knowledge. So perhaps this just points to a larger problem: We are increasingly a dim-witted people. And that can't be good news for anyone.

[Jamy]

And it appears that most Americans have a rather poor education.

Period.

I'd say that sums up a lot of the problems in this country.

Edited to add an appropriate article that appeared right below this one: http://greensboring.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=12869

[Serendipitous]

Perhaps this is directly related to indoctrination - "This is it. Believe without questioning." That may lend to the action of not questioning the faith one is being taught, but also to the attitude of, "Everything else is wrong any way. I need not learn more about that junk, so I can focus on my faith." I dunno. Just a thought.

I took the quiz.... 10 out of 10. But I think most of those answers I learned from news/current events and literature. Literature classes are wonderful courses. That was the only way I could learn history - what was going on when the author wrote the piece or what was going on in the time when the story takes place.

[thesumofyourfears]

A survey was recently done around the country to see what Americans know about religion. Not a particular religion, mind you, but just the subject of the major religions. And it appears that most Americans have a rather poor education in the subject. Most, for instance, didn't know about Martin Luther's role in the Protestant movement.

The folks who scored highest in religious literacy? Atheists and agnostics, followed by Mormons and Jews.

Myself, I don not find this at all surprising. It follows pretty much along the lines of my personal experience, as well as the experience related to me by my mother from her life. She told me that she used to love arguing with door-knocking preachers and confuse them with passages from the Bibles they carried in their hands. I've done that a few times myself, and really, it is rather an easy game to play.

But it is rather interesting, that this most vehemently religious of developed countries has such a big problem about religious knowledge. Of course, as discussed in other threads, it has problems with ALL realms of knowledge. So perhaps this just points to a larger problem: We are increasingly a dim-witted people. And that can't be good news for anyone.

Are you included?

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

A survey was recently done around the country to see what Americans know about religion. Not a particular religion, mind you, but just the subject of the major religions. And it appears that most Americans have a rather poor education in the subject. Most, for instance, didn't know about Martin Luther's role in the Protestant movement.

The folks who scored highest in religious literacy? Atheists and agnostics, followed by Mormons and Jews.

Myself, I don not find this at all surprising. It follows pretty much along the lines of my personal experience, as well as the experience related to me by my mother from her life. She told me that she used to love arguing with door-knocking preachers and confuse them with passages from the Bibles they carried in their hands. I've done that a few times myself, and really, it is rather an easy game to play.

But it is rather interesting, that this most vehemently religious of developed countries has such a big problem about religious knowledge. Of course, as discussed in other threads, it has problems with ALL realms of knowledge. So perhaps this just points to a larger problem: We are increasingly a dim-witted people. And that can't be good news for anyone.

Are you included?

I'm included in the population. But I'm self-reflective enough to know that I have more to learn and I work at improving my knowledge. What about you?

[A Person]

It's the pride with which 'elites' are denigrated that is so disturbing.

[thesumofyourfears]

I'm included in the population. But I'm self-reflective enough to know that I have more to learn and I work at improving my knowledge. What about you?

You did not answer my question.

[Liv]

Hell, I always love the simplest of questions: "Mr 40 year old Christian, have you ever read the Bible front to back?"

their response (generally) is a bumbling "no".

How can you believe all that crazy ass crap without even reading your own Holy book?

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

I'm included in the population. But I'm self-reflective enough to know that I have more to learn and I work at improving my knowledge. What about you?

You did not answer my question.

Yes, I did. If you couldn't understand my response, then perhaps you ought to go back to studying.

[Sanjuro]

"Unlike Atheists, I don't question my religion. I don't need to know what it says in some old book written by some know-it-all."

Brilliant.
Worth a watch:

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/360640/september-30-2010/stat-of-the-union

[Serendipitous]

i was seriously LMFAO on the couch last night.

[A Person]

The Pew questionaire is here if you want to play

http://features.pewforum.org/quiz/us-re ... /index.php

My score:

[Sanjuro]

I got 14/15. I laughed when I realized the one I got wrong was so obvious.

[A Person]

I must admit I guessed the last question.

The 'First Great Awakening' is largely American history and while I could rule out one name, it was a toss up between the other two.

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

I got all 15 correct. And I even knew the last question, thanks to my listening to NPR, actually. So I'm in the 99th percentile on that quiz. Woo hoo, I guess.

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

Daniel Dennett has an interesting article regarding this poll and its results.

The age of the Earth, the existence of billions of galaxies, the detailed confirmation of evolutionary biology, including our demonstrated close kinship to chimpanzees and indeed all other mammals - all these discoveries and many more have taken their toll on any literal understanding of the holy texts. Scholarship about the history of those texts has also made it more and more obvious that they are imperfect human artifacts with a long history of revision and adjustment, not eternal and unchanging gifts from God.

So what's a religion to do? There are two main tactics.

Plan A: Treat the long, steady retreat into metaphor and mystery as a process of increasing wisdom, and try to educate the congregation to the new sophisticated understandings.

Plan B: Cloak all the doctrines in a convenient fog and then not just excuse the faithful from trying to penetrate the fog, but celebrate the policy of not looking too closely at anyone's creed - not even your own.

I think we know who went with which option...

[A Person]

Another Quiz on religion

1. Which holy book stipulates that a girl who does not bleed on her wedding night should be stoned to death?
a. Koran
b. Old Testament
c. (Hindu) Upanishads

2. Which holy text declares: “Let there be no compulsion in religion”?
a. Koran
b. Gospel of Matthew
c. Letter of Paul to the Romans

3. The terrorists who pioneered the suicide vest in modern times, and the use of women in terror attacks, were affiliated with which major religion?
a. Islam
b. Christianity
c. Hinduism

4. "Every child is touched by the devil as soon as he is born and this contact makes him cry. Excepted are Mary and her Son.” This verse is from:
a. Letters of Paul to the Corinthians
b. The Book of Revelation
c. An Islamic hadith, or religious tale

5. Which holy text is sympathetic to slavery?
a. Old Testament
b. New Testament
c. Koran

6. In the New Testament, Jesus’ views of homosexuality are:
a. strongly condemnatory
b. forgiving
c. never mentioned

7. Which holy text urges responding to evil with kindness, saying: “repel the evil deed with one which is better.”
a. Gospel of Luke
b. Book of Isaiah
c. Koran

8. Which religious figure preaches tolerance by suggesting that God looks after all peoples and leads them all to their promised lands?
a. Muhammad
b. Amos
c. Jesus

9. Which of these religious leaders was a polygamist?
a. Jacob
b. King David
c. Muhammad

10. What characterizes Muhammad’s behavior toward the Jews of his time?
a. He killed them.
b. He married one.
c. He praised them as a chosen people.

11. Which holy scripture urges that the "little ones" of the enemy be dashed against the stones?
a. Book of Psalms
b. Koran
c. Leviticus

12. Which holy scripture suggests beating wives who misbehave?
a. Koran
b. Letters of Paul to the Corinthians
c. Book of Judges

13. Which religious leader is quoted as commanding women to be silent during services?
a. The first Dalai Lama
b. St. Paul
c. Muhammad

Answers here

You probably already have got the point

[Serendipitous]

[quote="A Person"]Another Quiz on religion

I took this one over the weekend. 'Twas a bit tougher, but when I looked at the answers at the end, I had a couple "Hmm, well I'll be" moments.