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Statistical Evidence that Evolution and Religion are Accepted

Willamena

Just me
Premium Member
"The survey, presented yesterday at the World Conference of Science Journalists in London by the British Council as part of its international program Darwin Now, asked more than 10,000 adults across Argentina, China, Egypt, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Great Britain, and the United States about their knowledge and acceptance of Darwin's theory of evolution. Across all countries, 70% of the adults surveyed felt somewhat familiar with Darwin and his work, with the highest levels of awareness being found in the United States and the United Kingdom (71% in both), Mexico (68%), and Argentina (65%). Seventy-three percent of the adults surveyed in South Africa and 62% in Egypt had never heard of Charles Darwin or of his theory of evolution, however."

"In spite of the cultural differences, what could be found in all of the 10 countries was acceptance of evolution and religion. In India, 85% of the adults surveyed saw nothing wrong with both believing in a god and accepting Darwin's theory of evolution. The same pattern was found in Mexico (65%), Argentina (62%), the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Russia (54%), the United States (53%), Spain (46%), Egypt (45%), and China (39%)."

Evolution Theory and Religious Beliefs: Not Necessarily in Conflict - Origins

Thoughts?
 

Apex

Somewhere Around Nothing

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
It does not surprise me that Indians overwhelmingly tend to think that evolution and religion are compatible. Hinduism's myths in some ways parallel evolution.
 

Apex

Somewhere Around Nothing
the United States (53%),

This means an astounding 47% of Americans DON'T accept evolution.
Actually it sounds more like that 47% is made up of both people who do not accept evolution or who do not accept evolution.
 
I've been told that more USA Christians believe in the literal virgin birth of Jesus than believe in evolution. I think that's a sign of both misplaced faith and trouble ahead.

George
 

Apex

Somewhere Around Nothing
fantôme profane;1623647 said:
Logician said that the 47% group was only made up of those who do not believe in evolution. It appears that the 47% is not only made up of those people but also includes people who do not believe in religion.
 

Alceste

Vagabond
Not surprising. There is no conflict between the study of biology and the practice of religion, unless your religion is the one that tells you you must believe the world was created whole, critters and all, 6000 years ago. That's a pretty small group, frankly.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
I think it makes since that the two would, and can go together. In my own believes, it makes alot of since, in that whatever God's that be use physical matter and energies to cause what little manipulations they do.
 

Nepenthe

Tu Stultus Es
The survey isn't too surprising, particularly when scientists (even devout ones) studying evolution are really not too concerned about the role religion plays in their observations. Science is predicated on observations, evidence and research, not an appeal to one's religion.

What I find even more interesting is the huge divide between scientists and the public about specific ideas like evolution: 97% of all scientists accept evolution, with 87% saying it occurred solely by natural means (so that roughly 10% is probably some variation of ID). Yet only 32% of the public evolution occurred by natural means, with 22% accepting evolution as guided by a God. I suspect the difference is that the public gets their scientific information from the media, and their religious community, while scientists are elbow deep in the actual process.

There's little conflict between biology and evolution mainly in that there's no need to add the "god" component to any of the sciences. They've explained things just fine so far without adding that additional requisite. If someone wants to insert their personal ideaology into it then that's fine as long as it doesn't interfere with empirical studies.


eta: the data I included was for the U.S. specifically.
 
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Tiapan

Grumpy Old Man
The above statistics simply mean that most people have not had enough interest for a critical examination of the 2 perspectives, with an inclination to believe what ever they have been told. It is not important enough to effect their day to day lives, so a cursory look is all that is necessary for acceptance. If we cut to the chase and get right to the bottom of the key issue is the diametrical opposed axioms they are based on. If one is right the other is wrong.

I think the heated debate can be boiled down to the following simple difference between science and religion.

One is top down, the other is bottom up.

I believe that religion is loosing the battle of logic. When life is examined I think most rational humans would see quite clearly that the universe and life is built from the bottom up, not top down. Single cells grow into multicells organisms, simple groups of cells work in a symbiotic co-operation to create more complex structures over time culminating presently at humans and their higher biological co-operative systems. Contrary to this all the major institutional religions are built on the yet to be proved top down premise that some super creature eg god skillfully made all these nifty little gadgets wound them up with a little clockwork key, and let them all loose to see what would happen like a kid in a very large sand pit.

More importantly many of the "Big Questions" once the domain of only theologians are now, more and more being comprehended and answered with reason instead.

Today modern religions are institutionalized glossy corporate plastic wrapped theology marketed to consumers just like Mc Donalds or Amway or football. They have little semblance to the concept of the original noble conceivers. With 2 for 1 offers and promises of things such as an afterlife which can never be proven. they are all hype. They prey on our fears and weaknesses and condemn us as sinners sending us on a guilt trip because we are normal? And remember they are funded by some of the biggest billionaire multinationals on the planet eg the Vatican, that's a lot of bureaucrats and infrastructure to pull down if some one proves their reason to exist is a pure fabrication. Do I hear vested interest from the back of the crowd. Because they sure feel threatened by simple reason.

Early societies worshiped many gods, later societies invented reasons why all these polytheistic cultures where wrong and the new way of thinking meant that now there was only one real god, monotheism. It seems completely logical that currently humans looking at religion have decided in increasing numbers that this last supergod should get the boot, for exactly the same reason used to get rid of the early ones, atheistic.

For example if we believe in God and Jesus, do we therefore have to believe in Satan and angels and cherubim, and succubus, and witches, and fairys, and goblins, and werewolves, and where does it end. Or is there a gray area some where between angels and the easter bunny. Are you telling me father christmas is not real? (sigh of disappointment).

The simple solution is none of them exist, except in your mind.

Rational religious people is therefore an oxymoron.

So until the new rational religion is sociologically engineered, I don't think any of the current religious choices are any where near rational because they are all based on an incorrect interpretation of the facts. The only one that comes close is Buddhism, no super gurus, just the perfectly reasonable concept that "S**t Happens".

In my opinion the next big thing, will be when the earths super neural network (the Internet) gains sentience and decides whether humans have a place in history any more. And I reckon that will happen before the second coming. What does Jesus say about neural networks and the internet?

Cheers
 

Tiapan

Grumpy Old Man
Quote: from Storm above
Originally Posted by Tiapan
Rational religious people is therefore an oxymoron.

Oh, joy. Another bigot. Because we didn't have enough already.


I am sorry you feel that way. I am simply stating my opinion. You are welcome to take it or leave it. But the word Bigot would imply one eyed. Yet I believe I gave a balanced account of why a rationalism and religion are contradictory.

I tried to make the point that as they are based on diametrically opposed axiomatically basis only one can be rationally based because ipso facto the other is debunked. Its either top down creator stuff or bottom up science/evolution stuff.

So I apologize if I have offended you in some way.
 
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Storm

ThrUU the Looking Glass
I am sorry you feel that way. I am simply stating my opinion. You are welcome to take it or leave it. But the word Bigot would imply one eyed. Yet I believe I gave a balanced account of why a rationalism and religion are contradictory.
A good litmus test: replace the word "religious" with "black" or "Jewish."

"Rational black people is therefore an oxymoron."

It's not about what I feel, which is no more than mild annoyance, it's about what you said.

I tried to make the pint that as they are based on diametrically opposed axiomatically basis only one can be rationally based because ipso facto the other is debunked.
Problem is, they're not.

Its either top down creator stuff or bottom up science/evolution stuff.
Wrong again. The world is not black and white.
 
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