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News & General Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: josephpalazzo on July 23, 2013, 11:47:01 AM

Title: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: josephpalazzo on July 23, 2013, 11:47:01 AM
– and that's an upswing.

On another issue: Double that number want creationism or intelligent design taught in public schools.

Read and weep: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/07/23 ... thout_god/ (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/07/23/on_in_five_americans_believe_in_scientific_evolution_without_god/)
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: Youssuf Ramadan on July 23, 2013, 11:49:41 AM
It always seems weird to me how the USA seems so very much like the middle eastern theocracies they so despise in some ways....  :-s
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: GSOgymrat on July 23, 2013, 12:18:28 PM
I find the need to use the phrase "pure evolution" distressing.
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: Solitary on July 23, 2013, 12:26:02 PM
Would the people that favor Creationism be taught in a science class, favor evolution being taught in a religious class? I think not.  :roll:  To claim Creationism is science is ludicrous, as would teaching evolution in a religious class.  :roll:  Solitary
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: Hydra009 on July 23, 2013, 12:30:01 PM
Quote from: "GSOgymrat"I find the need to use the phrase "pure evolution" distressing.
Same here.  Imagine "pure gravity" or "pure plate tectonics".

It's crazy that the subject is so rife with Goddidit that such terms are necessary.
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: Hydra009 on July 23, 2013, 12:43:23 PM
Quote from: "Youssuf Ramadan"It always seems weird to me how the USA seems so very much like the middle eastern theocracies they so despise in some ways....  :-s
Yeah.  And we despise their fundamentalism but largely turn a blind eye to (or support) our own.  It's like an exterminator who's own house is teeming with roaches.  *shudders*
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: ApostateLois on July 23, 2013, 01:14:06 PM
Quote from: "Hydra009"
Quote from: "GSOgymrat"I find the need to use the phrase "pure evolution" distressing.
Same here.  Imagine "pure gravity" or "pure plate tectonics".

It's crazy that the subject is so rife with Goddidit that such terms are necessary.

Well, I guess some people think it's possible that God holds things down with magic so they won't go flying off into space; and he also pushes the continents about really, really slowly because it amuses him when he's bored. :lol:
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: Hydra009 on July 23, 2013, 01:22:21 PM
Quote from: "ApostateLois"Well, I guess some people think it's possible that God holds things down with magic so they won't go flying off into space; and he also pushes the continents about really, really slowly because it amuses him when he's bored. :lol:
:lol:  Now all we have to do is get enough people to subscribe to those ideas and try to teach the controversy about it in schools and ruthlessly demonize scientists for teaching "atheistic" gravity.
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: Colanth on July 23, 2013, 05:02:51 PM
Quote from: "Youssuf Ramadan"It always seems weird to me how the USA seems so very much like the middle eastern theocracies they so despise in some ways....  :-s
A secular society would see militant Islam as dangerous and silly.  A theocracy, whether de jure or de facto (especially one that's still fighting to establish itself) sees it as dangerous competition.
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: FrankDK on July 23, 2013, 06:13:59 PM
Quote from: "GSOgymrat"I find the need to use the phrase "pure evolution" distressing.

I suspect the OP means evolution by natural selection, with no supernatural interference.

Frank
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: Jutter on July 23, 2013, 08:20:56 PM
Goddidit!
How else do you expect US citizens to explain something as bananas as the USA?
(Working on my new forgiving sunnier disposition)
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: Triple Nine on July 23, 2013, 09:30:04 PM
This crap has been around for over a century and people STILL can't accept. No wonder racism is still alive and well, if people can't accept something as basic to biology as evolution.
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: Jutter on August 11, 2013, 09:28:23 PM
Greatest nation or earth.
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: Eric1958 on August 11, 2013, 10:42:07 PM
Hey, at least it's up 8 percentage points in 8 years. I'm betting that those same folks that made those numbers go up are also responsible for a similar rise in the upswing in people in favor of same sex marriage.

And a quick "right on Buddhists" for falling in with the atheists.
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: Jason Harvestdancer on August 12, 2013, 12:25:45 PM
Quote from: "FrankDK"
Quote from: "GSOgymrat"I find the need to use the phrase "pure evolution" distressing.

I suspect the OP means evolution by natural selection, with no supernatural interference.

Frank

So even Theistic Evolution is out?  That's actually an extreme view.  TE isn't ID after all.
Title: Re: Only 1 in 5 Americans believe in pure evolution
Post by: Hydra009 on August 12, 2013, 01:07:01 PM
Quote from: "Jason_Harvestdancer"So even Theistic Evolution is out?  That's actually an extreme view.  TE isn't ID after all.
True, but it is science with a dollop of religion.  And aside from BB, not a whole lot of scientific theories get that disservice.  We don't subscribe to plate tectonics with the additional claim that Poseidon's enraged thrashing causes plate movement.  Such an injection of religion into secular science (aka science) would strike one as ridiculous on any other topic.