Gallup: In U.S., 46% Hold Creationist View of Human Origins

[alexey]

http://www.gallup.com/poll/155003/Hold-Creationist-View-Human-Origins.aspx

In U.S., 46% Hold Creationist View of Human Origins

Highly religious Americans most likely to believe in creationism

by Frank Newport

PRINCETON, NJ -- Forty-six percent of Americans believe in the creationist view that God created humans in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years. The prevalence of this creationist view of the origin of humans is essentially unchanged from 30 years ago, when Gallup first asked the question. About a third of Americans believe that humans evolved, but with God's guidance; 15% say humans evolved, but that God had no part in the process.

Gallup has asked Americans to choose among these three explanations for the origin and development of human beings 11 times since 1982. Although the percentages choosing each view have varied from survey to survey, the 46% who today choose the creationist explanation is virtually the same as the 45% average over that period -- and very similar to the 44% who chose that explanation in 1982. The 32% who choose the "theistic evolution" view that humans evolved under God's guidance is slightly below the 30-year average of 37%, while the 15% choosing the secular evolution view is slightly higher (12%).

The Most Religious Americans Are Most Likely to Be Creationists

Gallup's question wording explicitly frames the three alternatives in terms of God's involvement in the process of human development, making it less than surprising to find that the more religious the American, the more likely he or she is to choose the creationist viewpoint.

Two-thirds of Americans who attend religious services weekly choose the creationist alternative, compared with 25% of those who say they seldom or never attend church. The views of Americans who attend almost every week or monthly fall in between those of the other two groups. Still, those who seldom or never attend church are more likely to believe that God guided the evolutionary process than to believe that humans evolved with no input from God.

Majority of Republicans Are Creationists

Highly religious Americans are more likely to be Republican than those who are less religious, which helps explain the relationship between partisanship and beliefs about human origins. The major distinction is between Republicans and everyone else. While 58% of Republicans believe that God created humans in their present form within the last 10,000 years, 39% of independents and 41% of Democrats agree.

Those With Postgraduate Education Least Likely to Believe in Creationist Explanation

Americans with postgraduate education are most likely of all the educational groups to say humans evolved without God's guidance, and least likely to say God created humans in their present form within the last 10,000 years. The creationist viewpoint "wins" among Americans with less than a postgraduate education.

...

Religion appears to be the main driver behind these shocking levels of scientific ignorance.

People like to defend religion by saying that "bad" religion is the problem. That argument does not seem convincing in light of data showing "bad" religion being so dominant. It seems that religion itself is the problem.

It seems that once you train your brain to take things on "faith", you automatically create yourself some wiggle room against reason and evidence.

[Chew]

I think I've been inside a church five times in my life. Three times was to watch my cousins sing in the choir, and twice for weddings.

No way you can convince me to devote my entire life to something nobody can prove is real. An old book and "faith" isn't enough.

[alexey]

I think I've been inside a church five times in my life. Three times was to watch my cousins sing in the choir, and twice for weddings.

No way you can convince me to devote my entire life to something nobody can prove is real. An old book and "faith" isn't enough.

I think we need to do more than just decide that "this is not for me". Such shocking levels of scientific ignorance are not good for our country. It is our patriotic duty to push back against it.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I would like to see a breakdown of this between Protestants and Catholics.

[mjah]

Idiocracy.

Studies indicate that faith-based thinkers, when presented with factual or logic-based arguments, often become more entrenched in their own beliefs.

Perhaps the key is to educate people properly from a young age, before they get cross-wired in the first place. But of course any successful education system requires substantial parent involvement, and we've already seen what 46% of the folks in the adult pool believe...

[Dan T.]

Looking at the chart, I'm wondering about the sudden 2011-2012 uptick in "God did it by himself" (from 40 to 46%) and corresponding drop in "Humans evolved, but God helped" (from 38 to 32%). It looks to be more than a statistical anomaly.

Anybody care to posit an explanation?

[elkabong82]

I swear 90% or more of TN are creationists. I know college grads who are creationists. It boggles the mind. The ability to adapt seems more of an explanation of creative purpose than does everything being created at once.

[twa]

I'm curious why belief in evolution is so important in the vast scale of science and life?

I can understand religious fundamentalists making a big deal out of it,but why the secularists?

[alexey]

Looking at the chart, I'm wondering about the sudden 2011-2012 uptick in "God did it by himself" (from 40 to 46%) and corresponding drop in "Humans evolved, but God helped" (from 38 to 32%). It looks to be more than a statistical anomaly.

Anybody care to posit an explanation?

One possibility is that political polarization led to entrenchment of beliefs.

Unfortunately neither our society nor our education system have measures to backstop such developments. Perhaps open conversation and ridicule ccould help.

[HOF44]

I'm curious why belief in evolution is so important in the vast scale of science and life?

I can understand religious fundamentalists making a big deal out of it,but why the secularists?

To me the amazing thing is young earth creationist. Humans evolved but god had a hand I can understand believing if you are religious. The way the poll is worded I can't tell if the "god created us in our present form" is a young earth thing or not.

[Dan T.]

One possibility is that political polarization led to entrenchment of beliefs.

That's a possibility. And that's almost as sad as the up/downtick itself.

[alexey]

I'm curious why belief in evolution is so important in the vast scale of science and life?

I can understand religious fundamentalists making a big deal out of it,but why the secularists?

Good try sneaking a word "belief" in there.

46% of our fellow Americans have fundamental ignorance about science and reject reason when it comes in conflict with their religion. Hopefully that phrasing makes the answer to your own question unnecessary.

[Chew]

I think we need to do more than just decide that "this is not for me". Such shocking levels of scientific ignorance are not good for our country. It is our patriotic duty to push back against it.

You make a lot of sense there.

Bill Maher ripped Romney a new one last Friday. Bill maher quoted one of Romney's closest church friends, which had quoted Romney. The church friend said that Mitt Romney said something to the effect of "I often base decisions on fact and merit. But then I'll pray on it, and have sometimes changed my mind."

Now THAT is some scary stuff, I don't care who you are or what religion you follow. If you're the president of the states, and you make important decisions based on prayer? Oh hell nah.

[twa]

To me the amazing thing is young earth creationist. Humans evolved but god had a hand I can understand believing if you are religious. The way the poll is worded I can't tell if the "god created us in our present form" is a young earth thing or not.

I noticed that as well, but in the end,what does it really matter to most of the population

[alexey]

To me the amazing thing is young earth creationist. Humans evolved but god had a hand I can understand believing if you are religious. The way the poll is worded I can't tell if the "god created us in our present form" is a young earth thing or not.

http://www.gallup.com/file/poll/155006/Creationism_120601.pdf

The actual poll question is:

3) God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so

So the Earth could have been around for more than 10,000 years, but without humans in pretty much their present form.

[Dan T.]

The way the poll is worded I can't tell if the "god created us in our present form" is a young earth thing or not.

"God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time in the last 10,000 years or so." That's the option the poll offered... doesn't that strongly imply the young Earth response?

[ACW]

Well, this would explain the popularity of Bieber, Twilight, and Jersey Shore.

[HOF44]

"God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time in the last 10,000 years or so." That's the option the poll offered... so 46% chose the young Earth response.

Still not real clear on the young earth thing. The people that believe that are the most scary to me.

[Kilmer17]

You make a lot of sense there.

Bill Maher ripped Romney a new one last Friday. Bill maher quoted one of Romney's closest church friends, which had quoted Romney. The church friend said that Mitt Romney said something to the effect of "I often base decisions on fact and merit. But then I'll pray on it, and have sometimes changed my mind."

Now THAT is some scary stuff, I don't care who you are or what religion you follow. If you're the president of the states, and you make important decisions based on prayer? Oh hell nah.

From the National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 3, 2011

"And like all of us, my faith journey has had its twists and turns. It hasn't always been a straight line. I have thanked God for the joys of parenthood and Michelle's willingness to put up with me. In the wake of failures and disappointments I've questioned what God had in store for me and been reminded that God's plans for us may not always match our own short-sighted desires.

"And let me tell you, these past two years, they have deepened my faith. The presidency has a funny way of making a person feel the need to pray. Abe Lincoln said, as many of you know, 'I have been driven to my knees many times by the overwhelming conviction that I had no place else to go.'"

[PeterMP]

"God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time in the last 10,000 years or so." That's the option the poll offered... doesn't that strongly imply the young Earth response?

I know people that are old Earth that still believe that humans were essentially plunked down on the old Earth.

[Destino]

Oh goody another addition to the Alexey's Rage Against Religion series of threads! This one shines a light on the stunning discovery that religion plays a role in the belief that God has a hand in human existence. I really would have never believed it but sure enough the data seems to support it. Amazing!

Can we get a link where we can learn more about atheism please? I'd like to sign up for a newsletter.

Full disclosure: I'd choose humans evolved with God being involved in some way. In fact, I think the biblical story of Adam and Eve strongly supports evolution and isn't meant to be taken literally.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

As economies collapse, fundamentalist religious beliefs go up.

The church I grew up in was relatively affluent - at least affluent compared to everyone else in my hometown. Our ministers tended to be college educated and did not delve into this type of subject matter.

I haven't goen to that chruch in 20 years but still get their newsletter. The economy in my home town has completely collapsed and is filled with low-income workers. And they now do things like youth group trips to the Creationist Museum. It blows my mind.

[PeterMP]

Good try sneaking a word "belief" in there.

46% of our fellow Americans have fundamental ignorance about science and reject reason when it comes in conflict with their religion. Hopefully that phrasing makes the answer to your own question unnecessary.

1. I don't think this poll shows anybody has a fundamental ignorance of science. Maybe if they asked the question does science generally support the idea that humans evolved from other organisms, we could make that sort of statement.

2. Science isn't coming into conflict with their religious beliefs. Science is completely silent on the possiblity that humans were plunked down on the Earth 10,000 years ago by a super powerful being.

I'm betting on a statistical anomally in terms of the up-tick.

[alexey]

You make a lot of sense there.

Bill Maher ripped Romney a new one last Friday. Bill maher quoted one of Romney's closest church friends, which had quoted Romney. The church friend said that Mitt Romney said something to the effect of "I often base decisions on fact and merit. But then I'll pray on it, and have sometimes changed my mind."

Now THAT is some scary stuff, I don't care who you are or what religion you follow. If you're the president of the states, and you make important decisions based on prayer? Oh hell nah.

Well at least it shows some kind of a deliberative process

Romney probably referred to thinking about it for a while, sleeping on it, etc. I am actually not very concerned about Romney's faith playing an outsized role in his decision making. However, I do see him doing a lip service to scientific ignorance rather than pushing back against it. This is obviously a problem for me.

[Kilmer17]

Well at least it shows some kind of a deliberative process

Romney probably referred to thinking about it for a while, sleeping on it, etc. I am actually not very concerned about Romney's faith playing an outsized role in his decision making. However, I do see him doing a lip service to scientific ignorance rather than pushing back against it. This is obviously a problem for me.

Can person believe in God and NOT believe in creationism in some form?