Poll: almost a third of Americans believe bible is literal word of God

say it ain't so

it's information like this that makes me feel we are done for. If the USA, with public education and ample access to information via the media, is full of ignorati, there is no way in hell that we will (as a nation) ever get away from our simple-minded thinking, that we will believe in science enough to deal with global warming effectively (for example).
  The BIBLE????

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by: CathyG @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 07:08:53 AM CDT

Homeschooling and Regent U, et al., are having their effect

I worked with a guy once who was very adamant about the bible being abosolutely and literally the inerrant word of his deity.  When I tried interjecting reality (read: what he knows as the bible dates not from 2000 years ago and the so-called holy land but from roughly 400 years ago and a king of England who was rampantly bisexual), he just retorted that 'the word of god is the word of god.'

Whatever King James's men wrote = Inerrant word of god

That's about as close to science as this crowd comes.  And, yes, if this trend of proliferation of the "ignorati" continues, "we are done for."

I just hope Mars will grant political asylum to transsexual women.

Kat

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 07:40:16 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Whoa!

Don't paint homeschoolers with such a broad brush, please.  Not everyone who homeschools is a Christian desperately trying to keep their children from being tainted by the humanist agenda.

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by: Zorya @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 10:17:09 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Whoa!

Don't paint homeschoolers with such a broad brush, please.  Not everyone who homeschools is a Christian desperately trying to keep their children from being tainted by the humanist agenda.

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by: Zorya @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 10:18:22 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Sorry about the double post

My internet access was acting up I guess. 

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by: Zorya @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 13:43:05 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

10 - 15% of homeschoolers are non-fundies

and the kids are being homeschooled for a variety of reasons. Children with special talents (high level showbiz or sports or musical performers), children with special needs, children in sucky school districts with well-educated parent who can't get a well-paying job for some reason. I knew an immigrant family from Taiwan where the mother's degree (something scientific/ engineering) was compatible with decent employment, but the father's degree was not (lawyer in Taiwan). Dad stayed home and taught and cared for the 5 kids. All of them have graduate degrees of some kind. The one I know is a gastroenterologist.

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by: NancyP @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 18:06:03 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Sucky-Fundie School Districts

  That is what we have here, but it is changing slowly.  My daughter's are home schooled, but do take a few classes at the school.  It is part of "Socialization Skills" as part of the requirements needed as they say.

  So at home they learn how to do research in history and science. Fulfill and surpass the mathmatic requirements. 

  My oldest is set on being a veterinarian and I give her the tools to get the best she can.  She works with a two animal rescues, along with a Dr. here in town.  To where she has helped dying animals. and she excelles at it.

  All her grades are wonderful, and she is encouraged to do it best, learning for her (Stacie) this is the best.

  She is getting straight "A" on all and it is fun for her to learn.  So that is covered,  But than comes the social classes as school.  She is reguired to bring in current events,  she brings in articals off of PHB. Everyone she turns in has something to do with GLBT rights.

  This is where she gets challenged, but comes away with an "A", and a small run of the GOP clown car, and the DEM Bus,  This last grading period, all "A"s, 

  Yes I am proud of her, and she is proud of herself as well, she wins the debate without beating it in to them physically.  And than takes the required tests and blows them away.

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Sun May 27, 2007 at 02:14:25 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

oops, posted three times more

don't know why sorry

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Sun May 27, 2007 at 02:19:45 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Knuckledraggers

...the late Empire is in steep decline; just like the Romans, all the credulous cults and sects are cropping up.

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by: steerpike66 @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 07:48:47 AM CDT

PS: That comment about education eroding faith

...is all you need to know; education equals progression from gullibility to logical awareness. Of course, the ignorantly faithful are FAR easier to manipulate for votes. People really are turning into some form of livestock.

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by: steerpike66 @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 07:53:01 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

The alleged believers are lying.

They say they believe that the Bible is the literal word of God, but they'd don't.  They say it because they believe that that's what they're expected to say, but they behave otherwise.  If a person truly believed that there is a God and the Bible contains God's words, then women would be cast out of cities once a month and Ronald Reagan, the adulterer, would have been stoned, for the Bible defines second marriages as adultery, and proscribes stoning for adultery.  The fundies didn't want to stone the adulterer.  They want to deify him.  Thus, they don't believe that the Bible is the literal word of God.

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by: Holly Capote @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 08:17:14 AM CDT

I second this

I think many people would choose that answer because they grew up in "Bible-believing", as a Baptist friend of mine says, churches.  They were taught that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, so they nominally believe that, but many of them haven't actually opened a Bible since childhood and no longer go to church.  They don't even know what's in there.  Only fundamentalists believe the "inerrancy" doctrine, and I just can't believe that a third of Americans actually subscribe to that belief system.  It takes only the slightest bit of logical thinking to realize that it can't be true.  It's awfully hard to be an educated person and remain a fundamentalist...I guess that's where Liberty and Regent step in...they're making it possible for people to keep their childish beliefs into adulthood.

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by: Heidi @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 10:35:47 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Maybe they don't understand the word "literal"

They eat shellfish and wear blended fabrics, too.

____________________

Donate to Carmen's Place

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by: jackalope @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 10:51:32 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

"I ate some chilli and my mouth was literally on fire"

I actually heard this on the train a few days ago..

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by: steerpike66 @ Sun May 27, 2007 at 06:26:35 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

The 47% give their answer for the same reason, I think

It's what they think they're supposed to say.  It's nice and vague and doesn't really mean anything.

"Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain" -- Iowa state motto

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by: Sportin' Life @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 11:07:37 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

It's In the Bible

90% of those who claim the Bible is literally true do not even know what the Bible claims. Do they stone to death their rebellious sons? Those caught in adultery, too? Do they scrupulously avoid judging others? Do they give to the poor without asked, and when asked, give more? Etc. Want to bet?

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by: The Gay Species @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 12:42:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Ignorance

90% of all people believe that, "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need," is either in the Bible or in the Constitution or in both. Wouldn't Marx and Engels be surprised that their Communist Manifesto is so widely prized by Americans?

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by: The Gay Species @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 12:46:01 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Over at Pandagon

MA Jeff wrote:As I recall, I was told that God was guiding the translation process and the rewriting so it would be accurate.

My response: I guess God hasn't hashed out all the conflict within religious circles about which translations are OK and which are simply EVIL, lol:

As David Cloud explained, "The popularity of the Today's English Version is frightful in light of its perverted renderings of key passages dealing with Christ's deity, the inspiration and preservation of Scripture, the blood atonement, and many other doctrines."[1]

Others emphasise however that Bratcher was only part of a committee of translators, and that this attack is simply an attempt to support the view held by some that "Literal translations, especially the King James Version, are God's word, and all dynamic translations are evil" argument, typified by the King-James-Only Movement.

Did God oversee this paraphrased version, from The Message, lol (this must drive the literalists nuts):

This comparison of Psalm 23:1-4 demonstrates the difference between The Message and the NIV.

New International Version

1. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
· 2. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
· 3. he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name?s sake.
· 4. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

The Message
1. God, my shepherd! I don?t need a thing.

· 2. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from.
· 3. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.
· 4. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I?m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd?s crook makes me feel secure.

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 08:23:03 AM CDT

I'm cringing

This makes my Masters-in-Religious-Studies from a Jesuit university having self cringe and recoil and hiss. And I'm not even Christian. That's the most horrific mess of a 'translation' I've ever seen.

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by: Ailei @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 16:05:16 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

awful!

In both literal translation and in prosody.

Were you at St. Louis Univ.? (my univ., though on the medical side)

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by: NancyP @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 18:08:35 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Literal Reading

So, they're stupid and don't know how to read the Holy Scriptures.

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by: Holly in Cincinnati @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 08:24:13 AM CDT

Moderate Christians give ligitimacy to the SB nuts

To edit the bible and bring it up to date and say it is only about god's love and joy, is crazy.  All Abrahamic bibles have their roots in the bronze age.  We must choose scientific reason over superstition.  Can't get much of that in typical home schooling.  Many use fundamental bible talk to explain where "they came from" to their children's questions.

Make alot of noise. Life is short.

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by: Charley6 @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 11:53:06 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

At first I thought

that people must have been answering a question that could be internalized as "do you believe in god?"  But, I went to Gallup and I don't see how you can misinterpret what they asked:

Electricity's for light bulbs!

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by: n8nyc @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 09:32:10 AM CDT

At first I thought

that people must have been answering a question that could be internalized as "do you believe in god?"  But, I went to Gallup and I don't see how you can misinterpret what they asked:

Also, Biblegateway's a site for searching quite a few versions of the bible.  Good for cutting and pasting passages.

Electricity's for light bulbs!

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by: n8nyc @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 09:32:25 AM CDT

darn

thought the first comment was scrapped, so I resubmitted.

Electricity's for light bulbs!

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by: n8nyc @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 09:54:46 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

George Gallup tends to favor religion.

His background is highly religious - Amish/Mennonites in his ancestry.

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by: Peg @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 16:55:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

the glass is 70% full

i take this as actually good news.  70% of people see the bible as somewhere between inspirational and drivel.  that is great news!  the 30% who see it as tumbling right from god's mouth (even the verses proven to have been added by literary 12th century monks!) matches up well with the bush-approving percentage.  it wouldn't surprise me if they greatly overlap.  in any case, but groups are in the superminority.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 11:00:47 AM CDT

My thoughts exactly

Not only is it 70%, but the numbers are down for those who believe it literally (as the article states).

If I recall correctly, polls during the hey-day of the 1970's came out about the same. The difference is that the 30% are far better politically and financially organized than 30-35 years ago.

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by: queer agnosticus @ Mon May 28, 2007 at 20:19:58 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

As many of you have already stated (some more "graphically" than others)...

Anyone who says they believe in literalism either hasn't thought about question or hasn't read the Bible -- or at least not all of it.

Especially considering that there's a warning on the last page not to change it..

http://www.youtube.c...

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by: Emproph @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 11:22:18 AM CDT

Ignorance Masquerading as Religion

No, most people have NOT read the Bible!  Or they've read a poor translation like the King James Version.  If they actually had read and comprehended the Bible, they'd know that the prohibitions against male homosexual contact don't apply to Christians.  They'd know that there is no prohibition against Lesbian love in the Bible.  They'd know that there's no justification for "ex-Gay" ministries in Scripture.  They'd know there's a difference between the Old Covenant that God had with the ancient Israelites and the New Covenant that's been in effect since Jesus Christ died on the cross. 

There is more ignorance spoken about the Bible than any other book in existence!  It's "studied" constantly, but nobody seems to learn anything!  Fundamentalist congregations allow their ministers to tell them what the Bible means without investigating or questioning their word.  It's really no different from when most Christians were illiterate and had no choice but to depend on church leaders' explanations of scripture. 

What's really tragic is this: Not only do self-described Christians believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God, they actually WORSHIP it . . . a practice Holly Capote has perceptibly identified as "Bibliolatry."  They see no difference between God and the Bible.  And yet, any idolatry of an inanimate object is sinful!  It says so time and again in the Old Testament.  It's a violation of the Ten Commandments, which, unlike Levitican law, applies to Christians. What more proof do you need that a majority of people don't read and/or know what scripture actually says?

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by: Stuffed Animal @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 11:53:48 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Romans 1:26:

God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.

Oh come hither now Stuffed Animal, clearly you?re not suggesting that all lesbians DIDN?T make the conscious decision to exchange their "natural relations" for "unnatural ones," AND-THEN-ALSO make the conscious decision to forget all about ever having done so? ;)

~~
"Bibliolatry." They see no difference between God and the Bible.

Even worse, they see no difference between God and themselves ? and don?t realize it!

By deciding that the Bible is inerrant (without error, perfect, etc) they have decided that they are in a position to determine inerrancy. How can one determine inerrancy without first being inerrant?

To be fair though, I am a 'believer,' but NOT because of the Bible. The whole purpose of faith is to lead you to sight. ?The pure in heart shall see God,? ?Ask and you shall receive,? but they don?t tend to focus on those parts.

They?re children trapped in adult bodies, too afraid to admit even to themselves how afraid of death AND life they truly are.

Thus they worship their own Ego?s, that part of us that is constantly determining the difference between ?threat? and ?safety.? As though a God of infinite Love had to come down and teach us that.

It?s worse than unrepentant idolatry, it?s the denial of unrepentant idolatry.

The first commandment of the Old Testament is: You shall have no other gods before me
And if God is Love, then one?s own prideful ego is an idol.

The first commandment of the New Testament is:
"Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: ...the Lord is one.[as in all one, eh?]Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

Again, love God first, meaning love Love itself first. By doing so you automatically love your neighbor as yourself ? the second and last ?command? Jesus gave.

If someone has to break the commandments of their own religion in order to practice it, gays are the least of their problems.

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by: Emproph @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 13:36:16 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I KNEW I shouldn't have worshipped at the temple

of Isis, and Hestia, and Cybele, and ....

It done turned me lesbian!

(Guys, did you worship at temples of Baal, the Emperor, or Mars? Well, it serves you right. Now you have to go play bad disco music...)

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by: NancyP @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 18:13:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

The Inerrant Bible

Anyone who makes this claim can not have read not only the entire Bible, but the first CHAPTER!

Right off the bat in Genesis there are two, counte 'em two, different and contradictory stories about Adam and Eve.

They both can't be right, so where's that put inerrancy?

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by: DavidinPS @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 12:14:17 PM CDT

I think the trick is not to ask the question..

I'm still waiting to find out how we can be responsible for Original Sin when God knew the future.

God not only would have known that we would have eaten the "forbidden fruit" of knowledge (of good and evil), but also would have known that we'd be arguing about it today!

Yet they want to convince us that they know better...

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by: Emproph @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 13:55:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yes, and God designed us for that particular sin, therefore, we're...

...free of sin, thus negating the need for the Christ's crucifixion.

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by: Holly Capote @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 14:10:07 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

...or were you talking about the kind of crucifixion that just "happens?"

You pretty much nailed it there Holly.

Since when does a God who hates sin require us to commit the sin of murder in order to be free of sin?

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by: Emproph @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 16:26:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

The bible teaches illegal activity

Stoning to death for any reason is frowned upon by most judges in our civil judicial system.  (There is that nut Judge Moore who wants to bring the biblical law back)

Make alot of noise. Life is short.

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by: Charley6 @ Sun May 27, 2007 at 20:23:13 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

only two?

I thought there was one in which Adam first meets Eve just after she came back to Eden from a trip to Thailand (or was it Montreal?).

Kat

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 22:13:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

It was Thailand.

 

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Sun May 27, 2007 at 01:10:42 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thanx

Thanx! The mystery was killin' me :)

Kat

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Sun May 27, 2007 at 08:30:17 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Believers in 6000 year old Earth

Just whack em with a fossil....it's the kindest thing in the long run.

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by: underbear1 @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 14:58:03 PM CDT

You'd think that...

But as the "argument" goes, since we can't prove the past, we can't prove that the fossilization process was the same in the past as we know it today -- Therefore we should all assume that the known universe was created in six twenty-four hour time slots about 5000 years ago.

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by: Emproph @ Sat May 26, 2007 at 16:03:14 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Skeptics Annotated Bible

My favorite Bible site.  Just send 'em here.

"If people let government decide which foods they eat and medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." -- Thomas Jefferson

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by: RadicalRuss @ Sun May 27, 2007 at 14:03:54 PM CDT

Penn and Teller

Penn and Teller's Bullshit episode on the Bible.  I haven't watched through the whole thing yet, but the first few minutes are definitely entertaining.

Electricity's for light bulbs!

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by: n8nyc @ Mon May 28, 2007 at 17:29:09 PM CDT

I can't believe I ate the whole thing.

A little bit angry and not for the faith of heart, but some serious good points and info.

I especially enjoyed the 1 Corinthians 11:14 bit:

"Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,"

And then they showed a picture of Jesus.

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by: Emproph @ Tue May 29, 2007 at 10:07:42 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yeah, Emproph

I'm usually not up for such angry tv (if it tells you anything, my all-time favorite shows are Home Movies and MST3K), but I too found myself watching and watching.  The info coming out was too interesting to resist :)

Electricity's for light bulbs!

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by: n8nyc @ Tue May 29, 2007 at 17:36:47 PM CDT

[ Parent ]