On Basic Religion Test, Many Doth Not Pass

[Ayaan]

By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: September 28, 2010

Researchers from the independent Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life phoned more than 3,400 Americans and asked them 32 questions about the Bible, Christianity and other world religions, famous religious figures and the constitutional principles governing religion in public life.

On average, people who took the survey answered half the questions incorrectly, and many flubbed even questions about their own faith.

Those who scored the highest were atheists and agnostics, as well as two religious minorities: Jews and Mormons. The results were the same even after the researchers controlled for factors like age and racial differences.

Rest of article here

[Gawdzilla Sama]

And to show that we're winning in the trenches here:

Atheists and agnostics -- those who believe there is no God or who aren't sure -- were more likely to answer the survey's questions correctly. Jews and Mormons ranked just below them in the survey's measurement of religious knowledge -- so close as to be statistically tied.

So why would an atheist know more about religion than a Christian?

American atheists and agnostics tend to be people who grew up in a religious tradition and consciously gave it up, often after a great deal of reflection and study, said Alan Cooperman, associate director for research at the Pew Forum.

"These are people who thought a lot about religion," he said. "They're not indifferent. They care about it."

Atheists and agnostics also tend to be relatively well educated, and the survey found, not surprisingly, that the most knowledgeable people were also the best educated. However, it said that atheists and agnostics also outperformed believers who had a similar level of education.

[klr]

And Jesus wept.



But not really surprising.

...
“I have heard many times that atheists know more about religion than religious people,” Mr. Silverman said. “Atheism is an effect of that knowledge, not a lack of knowledge. I gave a Bible to my daughter. That’s how you make atheists.”
...

[klr]

...
Forty-five percent of Catholics did not know that their church teaches that the consecrated bread and wine in holy communion are not merely symbols, but actually become the body and blood of Christ.
...

Boy, getting that wrong in catechism class would have led to sore knuckles in my day.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

...
Forty-five percent of Catholics did not know that their church teaches that the consecrated bread and wine in holy communion are not merely symbols, but actually become the body and blood of Christ.
...

Boy, getting that wrong in catechism class would have led to sore knuckles in my day.

I was suspended for three days once for threatening to take a paddle away from a teacher and use on him. (Actually, I wasn't suspended until my mother said she thought I had the right idea.)

[Pappa]

They have a quiz too....

http://features.pewforum.org/quiz/us-re ... knowledge/

15/15 for me.

(I scored better than 99% of the public.)

[klr]

They have a quiz too....

http://features.pewforum.org/quiz/us-re ... knowledge/

15/15 for me.

(I scored better than 99% of the public.)

I only got 14 out of 15 - WTF is the Great Awakening?*


*They wouldn't teach young Irish Catholics about such things.

And I thought Jonathan Edwards was the world record holder in the triple jump.

[Feck]

I got the last question wrong ......meh

Atheists know more than god botherers we knew that .

[klr]

...
Forty-five percent of Catholics did not know that their church teaches that the consecrated bread and wine in holy communion are not merely symbols, but actually become the body and blood of Christ.
...

Boy, getting that wrong in catechism class would have led to sore knuckles in my day.

I was suspended for three days once for threatening to take a paddle away from a teacher and use on him. (Actually, I wasn't suspended until my mother said she thought I had the right idea.)

Why do so many of your stories about your formative years end up in violence, or threats of violence?

[Svartalf]

And Jesus wept.

But did Atlas shrug?

[Svartalf]

...
Forty-five percent of Catholics did not know that their church teaches that the consecrated bread and wine in holy communion are not merely symbols, but actually become the body and blood of Christ.
...

Boy, getting that wrong in catechism class would have led to sore knuckles in my day.

Well, I must admit that the transsubstantiation dogma would be grounds enough to get out of the Catholic church... Symbols and remembrance are OK, but actual theophagy is icky.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

...
Forty-five percent of Catholics did not know that their church teaches that the consecrated bread and wine in holy communion are not merely symbols, but actually become the body and blood of Christ.
...

Boy, getting that wrong in catechism class would have led to sore knuckles in my day.

I was suspended for three days once for threatening to take a paddle away from a teacher and use on him. (Actually, I wasn't suspended until my mother said she thought I had the right idea.)

Why do so many of your stories about your formative years end up in violence, or threats of violence?

I blame Darwin.

[Robert_S]

Where are stats on the Muslims?

[Tero]

Well, this Jesus dude seems to have impressed a lot of people. I read a book a couple of years ago which strips away most of the miracles. This is pretty much all you need to know, and you can throw it back in their faces. They can ignore you.

My book was shorter but it was this guy
http://www.amazon.com/Historical-Jesus- ... t_edpp_url

[Robert_S]

They have a quiz too....

http://features.pewforum.org/quiz/us-re ... knowledge/

15/15 for me.

(I scored better than 99% of the public.)

I only got 14 out of 15 - WTF is the Great Awakening?*


*They wouldn't teach young Irish Catholics about such things.

And I thought Jonathan Edwards was the world record holder in the triple jump.

The "Great Awakening" was the backlash against the Enlightenment.

Johnathan Edwards perfected the art of pious self satisfaction at the thought of others going to hell.