http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39397251/ns/us_news-life/ Someone find this post a thread. Cause I couldn't.
Is the one where the results suggested that atheists and agnostics are genearlly more knowledgeable about religion than self-described believers?
probably so because atheists and agnostics get into religious debtates more often than most religious people, so in order to defend their views, they need to learn about different religions.
Also, very few agnostics and atheists arrive at that position because mommy and daddy told them from day one that it was the right position.
very true. most were probably born and raised with some kind of religion, and had to make a conscious decision to leave that behind - something which was probably not easy for them. on the other hand, many people who are religious are so not because of a conscious decision, but rather by default, so they've never really examined their beliefs.
Here's a link leading to the quiz. http://features.pewforum.org/quiz/us-religious-knowledge/index.php I got 100%. How anyone can come in under 50% is amazing to me.
Me too, but then I read "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" in a high school lit class*. Since 89% of people got that question wrong, I'm guessing that's not a common thing. *As literature, of course.
Yeah, a bit of a surprise there. I didn't read it until grad school (when I was TA'ing a survey class) but we covered the great awakening in 10th grade history. Luckily, the course was called "The Great March Toward Secular Humanism in America," so we weren't going to get in trouble with the law.
I got that one, but only because a fellow student did a presentation on it when I was in grad school, haven't thought about it before or since. I only missed the Jewish Sabbath question.
I got 100% But to be honest, I got a lucky guess on the "first great awakening" question. I didn't know anything about the subject, but I was sure that Billy Graham had nothing to do with it, so it was a 50/50 shot.
Burned on a technicality. That's what I get for reading the question about the Jewish sabbath too quickly.
People in American can be amazingly ignorant. Well people just about anywhere can. Incidentally I got 100% correct as well, and I think most of the believers I know would do quite well, but I attend a church with probably a higher average of college grads and above than most. Interesting anyway, but not sure what it really tells us about anything. I was thinking about if a Hispanic Catholic or Pentecostal believer would ever have any need or opportunity to know who Jonathon Edwards is, and by extension would I be able to answer a question about an important Latin American priest (even one working the USA) or other Latin American, or for that matter African American spiritual leader.
Yeah I think a lot of people would miss that one, even though they would know better. It is one of those gotcha questions which naturally plays to the strengths of those who are used to taking tests and looking for those kind of questions. Frankly, I don't see how this quiz really proves anything all that clearly about what people really do know, although I do tend to think atheists in the USA have a fairly good and broad depth of understanding of religion. Probably better than most believers. I don't see most of them (with some exceptions)having a true grasp of a lot of the faiths or that which lies under the gloss and unimportant details however.
That's not a fair accusation though. If the atheist has already rejected the fundamental premise of God, there's no need for him to have a good understading of Catholic dogma - its moot.
Exactly. Just because I don't believe in the existence of Balrogs or sorcerers doesn't mean I need to become a scholar of Tolkien's work.
Totally agree. Which I think is my point. But, then you have so many atheists getting into niggling theological discussions (some of who do know what they are talking about, which I do appreciate) or slamming particular beliefs which they don't completely grasp within their context and development. If you don't believe in God, fine.... full stop. Lets talk about God and whether he exists or not. Lets leave the particulars of what one thinks about the silliness or pertinence of Christianity, Islam, Bhuddism, etc., for another discussion. I am not saying that atheists can't enter into the theological or sociological discussion of religions, just that the arguments need to be more charitable and anodyne. Often I feel like much of the atheist critique of Christianity follows along the course of: "look at what you believe its silly and stupid;" when in fact it is not what people believe and not an indicative argument of the broader sweep of Christian faith, but said arguer will often hold to the position without equivocation.