Chad3232132 Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 This is one of several scientific polls taken over the past few years about belief of Americans in superstitions. Just incase anyone thinks this is all left-wing propaganda I posted the results of the Fox-News survey from late 2003. I've seen several other similar poll results on similar beliefs and these numbers seem to be solid. The 1st column is % that believe, 2nd column Don't believe, 3rd column Not Sure. Yep... that's right, 29% of Americans believe in Astrology, 24% in Witches (guess Salem could happen again!), and 71% believe there is a red guy with horns waiting for us non-believers to die. And people wonder why I don't take life too seriously... "Do you personally believe in the existence of each of the following? . . . " . God 92 5 3 Heaven 85 10 5 Miracles 82 14 4 Angels 78 15 7 Hell 74 20 6 The Devil 71 24 5 UFOs 34 55 11 Ghosts 34 60 6 Astrology 29 64 7 Reincarnation 25 62 13 Witches 24 69 7 Source: http://pollingreport.com/religion.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianka Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Yeah, the astrology thing is really upsetting. How stupid. The thought that a supreme being controls all of life is absurd to me, but can't imagine the kind of person that believes in the existence of angels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunar Shadow Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I was just at your source and I was reading some of the poll numbers.... It is quite depressing. people ovbiously have no respect for our county (at least based on what they think about the supreme court) I think I need to go have a cigarette after reading that steaming pile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skankboy Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Interesting how superstition in america seems to be growing in direct proportion to the decline in educational standards... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Yep... that's right, 29% of Americans believe in Astrology, 24% in Witches (guess Salem could happen again!), and 71% believe there is a red guy with horns waiting for us non-believers to die. And people wonder why I don't take life too seriously... Well, there are Wiccans. But they are not the same as the fairy tales. People get them mixed up. The fact that Christians believe in black magic and consider anything outside their belief system "evil and Satanic" does not help. I am afraid these days that something like the Inquisition could happen again, if the fundies are allowed to turn the U.S., Canada, and Europe into theocracies like they wish. We can't let this happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skankboy Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 No doubt. I don't believe in witches, I know they exist. Hell, I had one as a roommate for 2 years, and I'm pretty sure she existed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsmoke Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I don't know, I'm actually mildly pleased with the results of this poll. Things like God, the Christian Devil, angels, Heaven and Hell clearly have a majority of believers, but I was expecting the percentages of non-believers to be much lower than they were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad3232132 Posted October 17, 2005 Author Share Posted October 17, 2005 I don't know, I'm actually mildly pleased with the results of this poll. Things like God, the Christian Devil, angels, Heaven and Hell clearly have a majority of believers, but I was expecting the percentages of non-believers to be much lower than they were. It seems as though you can automatically deduct a sizable percentage from polls in which Americans claim to be religious, believe in certain things like Heaven and Hell, etc. While you cannot get into a person's head and find out what they really think of religious matters, there is a good deal of research done that has shown that Americans tend to claim to be more religious than they really are. For example, in recent years polls tend to show that something like 60% of Amercans go to church on a weekly basis, yet actual empirical research consistently shows the real number to be more like 1/3rd at best go to church each week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 While you cannot get into a person's head and find out what they really think of religious matters, there is a good deal of research done that has shown that Americans tend to claim to be more religious than they really are. True. And I wonder how many of these people were polled while a fundy spouse/relative/friend was in the room with them. You cannot trust self-reporting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad3232132 Posted October 18, 2005 Author Share Posted October 18, 2005 True. And I wonder how many of these people were polled while a fundy spouse/relative/friend was in the room with them. You cannot trust self-reporting. Sadly the same influence that can cause a person to answer a polling question against what they truely believe, can also influence them to vote for whichever religious right wacko is running for office in their district. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MQTA Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 People answer questions to give the Right answer, the asker is like their teacher, they just want to get them Right. They don't have to believe it, they say what they think the other Wants to hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 I think a lot of the answers are what people really think, not that they are trying to get it right. The questions are just kind of shallow. Like a while ago I read a stat that said 85% of americans consider themselves Christians. The thing is if asked my parents would say they were Christians, but they do not believe in hell, they do not believe in the bible, they only go to chuch for weddings and funerals, not even Easter or Christmas. They are culturally Christian, they celebrate Christmas, with a manger decoration AND Santa, and probably put about as much stock in both, it's all just tradition. As for angels, astrology, witches etc. A person just saying "yes" I believe in, doesn't mean you'd notice in their day to day life. Plus, I promise you at least half of those that said "yes, I believe in witches" were not thinking of Samantha of Bewitched, but of Wiccans, who do exist. There are a lot of peopel who believe in angels and astrology but do not live lives full of superstition and fear, and most probably would not agree to witch trials. Just out of curiosity I asked the poll questions to my daughter (she's 17 and will be 18 in 16 days) and she answered no to all of the questions, but... She really really really wants for there to be mermaids, not that she really believes there are, she just wants there to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizard Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 I polled my husband. Here's his responses: God-of course Heaven-in a sense Miracles-yes Angels-yes Hell=in a sense The Devil-yes, but not a little red man in hell UFOs-I've seen one with my own eyes! Ghosts-yes Astrology-no Reincarnation-never got off on that, I don't think so Witches-no.. Ok, his views are different than most anyway. Without going into detail, his thoughts on heaven/hell and the afterlife are definately not Christian, even though he was raised in a Pentecostal Oneness type church.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad3232132 Posted October 19, 2005 Author Share Posted October 19, 2005 Plus, I promise you at least half of those that said "yes, I believe in witches" were not thinking of Samantha of Bewitched, but of Wiccans, who do exist. There are a lot of peopel who believe in angels and astrology but do not live lives full of superstition and fear, and most probably would not agree to witch trials. Yes, but even if only half those who said yes to believing in witches didn't mean Wiccans or "real" witches, that still means more than 10% believe in the mythical kind... which is scary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 Yes, but even if only half those who said yes to believing in witches didn't mean Wiccans or "real" witches, that still means more than 10% believe in the mythical kind... which is scary. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Okay first of all my at least half was far from scientific, it could very well be that none of the people that clicked "yes" I believe in witches were thinking of the fairy tale kind. But lets say half, therefore 10% of those polled believe in fairy tale witches, why is that scary? That means 90% do not believe in such things which in any poll is a huge majority. The shallowness of this poll leaves me thinking interesting but truly meaningless and nothing to get upset about. The fact is when asked "Do you believe in witches?" we do not know what the people answering mean by witch, or angel or even UFO;s for that matter. By the same token you could say that those that said no are saying that real people who practice Wicca or other religions where they call themselves witches do not exist. That's kinda scary. Most people who go around saying "I believe in____" are harmless non-fundy human beings, that are not overly superstitious and who would be shocked and dismayed if some state somewhere tried to re-inact witch trail type laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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