Another 4th of July Classic repost from the original done in Novemeber of 2004. Great list of comments.
new math skills
The CBS announcement here. Americans FAVOR Creationism
Chart from CBS News Website
Now here’s the problem I’m having with CBS. Knowing that I personally think creationism is a quaint but dangerous anti-scientific superstition, I wonder what CBS is up to here because the numbers do not reflect a 100-percent sum in any case. Tell me how, for example, 71-percent of Bush voters think that evolution AND creationism should be taught in schools while 45-percent of Bush voters think that ONLY creationism should be taught in school. That adds up to 116-percent!! The question is exclusive, you can’t say yes or no to both questions. Seems that once again CBS has a lot of ‘splainin’ to do. Either that or this is a pro-creationism poll done by someone on the inside. And the math and the inability to add 2+2 is a mere reflection of where we are headed with this hogwash. We’re headed to being one of the dumbest countries in the world.
That said, I suspect that, in fact, the charts are misrepresented and the lower chart is some sort of subset and the top chart should have benn cited with “and/or” rather than “and.”
I was also amused by the CBS comment that none of this was a big deal because “only” 37-percent of all Americans think that evolution should be scrapped in schools and replaced by biblical creationism. Only 37-percent? Only??! With a population just about to hit 300 million we’re talking about 100 million people! Yeah, no big deal.
Now this news from last June makes more sense:
Bush plans to screen whole US population for mental illness
related essay:
Public Opinion: Creationism Tops Evolution – By Joseph Grant Swank — – I was unaware of the fact that Hillary is now on this bandwagon too. It’s unbelieveable.
And the latest report poll comes from none other than CBS! The question: Can we believe it? Can we believe anything coming out of CBS with the recent “document scandal”?
Yet the CBS headline reads: POLL: CREATIONISM TRUMPS EVOLUTION.
Now the thought comes to mind. Is this a Hillary parallel or is this poll fact?
Just days ago Hillary told that she is an “evangelical conservative” particularly in her daily devotions. Well, do tell. If that’s so, then Putin just became President of the United States.
That said, I suspect that, in fact, the charts are misrepresented and the lower chart is some sort of subset and the top chart should have benn cited with “and/or” rather than “and.”
I also wonder if it might be a sign of pragmatism on the part of some Christians, with the hard-core 45% wanting Creationism only, while the total rises to 71% when you add the pragmatists who want Creation taught, but know they can’t eliminate the teaching of Evolution.
The original article seems to back the idea that the two questions were asked seperately, not as an either/or choice.
“Bush voters are much more willing to want creationism to replace evolution altogether in a curriculum (just under half favor that), and 71 percent want it at least included. “
Yes, the masses are pretty stupid and uninformed. John, you’re not helping the situation at ALL with the horoscope advertisement on your page.
John Dvorak Benefits from the Public Stupidity he Decries
The “invalid” figures are easy to explain as the article states. The less educated people tend to believe in “magic” as opposed to taking on the difficult process of learning. This is a direct result of the deteriorating educational system in this country and a result of intense levels of immigration from poor uneducated countries.
It’s pretty sad that so many people would choose to told that something was done “magically” for everything that they couldn’t explain. The real question is why so many people are willing to believe other ignorant people who believe they have all the (one) answers?
I really hope this creacionism thing stays in the US ……
71 + 45… It all makes sense now! Bush voters, vote early and often! That’s how he keeps winning elections.
So the religious right in the US now wants to push Creationism to the top of the political agenda… Sorta like those radical Muslims tend to do with their Anti-Amercian beliefs.
Amercians JUST DON’T GET IT!
They call A young man who picks up a gun for his religion in IRAQ is called a terrorist
but
A young man who picks up a gun for his country (who believes that “their” god created man) in the USA is called a patriot!
Yup can’t understand why half the planet is pissed at the the USA!?
I don’t believe the statistics. The small group I have informally discussed this with would seem to support evolution alone in schools by at least 90 %. Among the people I know there seems to be little support for teaching creationism in schools.
Those that don’t believe in quantum mechanics must also not believe in the existence of neon lights, mercury lights, sodium vapor lights, lasers, LEDs, electronics (TVs, computers, etc.) and other common technologies that work because of quantum mechanics.
I believe the Bible has some wisdom in it, but it certainly wasn’t written by . In many cases the original author’s name is also the name of the book he wrote. Fundamentalism is thus a logical fallacy.
it should also be noted here that many Christian religions do not consider the Bible to be a source of good science, as the authors of those books knew almost nothing about science or the scientific method.
A “Christian scientist” falls in the same oxymoron category as “Military Intelligence.”
And besides, the only reason these religious activists don’t support evolution is not because it attempts against their Bible but for the sole reason all churches hate each other: They don’t like it because the preacher/reverend/priest of the church they attend did not invented it.
Remember the immortal words of Karl Marx “Religion is to society as masturbation is to sex.”
The most pathetic thing about most people that have the nerve to call themselves a Christian or Catholic in this country is that everyone that I have spoken with somehow believes that they can pick & choose the aspects of “their” religion that they believe (kinda like a smorgasboard) and ignore the things that sound a little “far-fetched” to them. That’s like someone calling themselves a “white supremist” but wants to make exceptions for a few of their black and jewish friends. You either believe ALL the teachings that make an organization what it is or you are NOT a member nor follower (not to mention whom are void of true and full faith)! BTW, you are also not a “member” of a belief system simply by birth! I don’t understand how “non-practicing Christians” can call themselves that simply because their parents are (believers of) Christians!? Oh…the insanity of needing to belong!
End Of Daily Savings Blogospheric Links
I’m currently reading Dr. Barnett’s Blueprint for Action: A Future Worth Creating and finishing up a literature review. While Mark’s got that done already and has moved on to other books, some of us are slower… So expect light blogging for the ne…
Regardless of whether humanity truly evolved from blobs of jelly and monkeys, Creationists cannot prevail in the ongoing debate about our origins. Their position is fatally flawed. You see, the Creationist position fundamentally relies upon the premise that the Judeo-Christian Bible is the Word of God. If it’s not; if the Bible is just a book, then there is no Creationist position. Recently, a lawyer embarked upon a mission to become the greatest Christian on the planet. In his quest he made a profound discovery. He discovered that the Bible is unequivocally not the Word of God. His argument is compelling. After reading his thesis, I am both shocked and embarrassed that I spent my whole life as a Christian and a Creationist. And while his thesis does not invalidate the so-called theory of “Intelligent Design,” it absolutely dismantles the theory of Biblical Creationism. You can read his Thesis at http://www.InDefenseOfGod.com/
I have been pondering for a long time why people have the belief that all humans came from Adam and Eve, that the Earth is only 6,000 years old. Then it just occurred to me. It’s complete and utter ignorance. Ignorance comes from uncertainty. People fear the unknown. With this belief system they have everything mapped out. It’s all black and white. If you believe this you will be saved and go to heaven. Everyone else will go to hell. They like to think they have everything crystal clear. That is why they are often ignorant to geological facts, evolutionary finds and so forth. They choose to ignore any evidence that the Earth is indeed older than 6,000 years because they are comfortable where they are. They don’t want to step into uncertainty. The perfect example is Galileo, he claimed the Earth was round and was banished by the church. The simple and obvious reason, is because people are afraid.