Survey: Many Americans Know Little About Religion

[Gerald]

A new survey of Americans' knowledge of religion found that atheists, agnostics, Jews and Mormons outperformed Protestants and Roman Catholics in answering questions about major religions, while many respondents could not correctly give the most basic tenets of their own faiths.

Forty-five percent of Roman Catholics who participated in the study didn't know that, according to church teaching, the bread and wine used in Holy Communion is not just a symbol, but becomes the body and blood of Christ.

More than half of Protestants could not identify Martin Luther as the person who inspired the Protestant Reformation. And about four in 10 Jews did not know that Maimonides, one of the greatest rabbis and intellectuals in history, was Jewish.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/09/28...ttle-religion/


Note:Published September 28, 2010

[Takeda Shingen]

From experience, I find that most Christians know comparatively little about the theology and history of their faith.

[SteamWake]

Wait ... what faith is Obama again

Sorry couldent resist.

[Sailor Steve]

I live in Mormonland, and am constantly surprised at how many don't know the basic tenents of their own system.

I think that by-and-large, most people go to a church or claim to believe something for no other reason than it was how they were taught. Tradition can be a good thing, but it always pays to understand how it got there in the first place.

If you have ever watched Jay Leno on the street questions you know that questions regarding secular issues are even less known. But they know all about sports.

However, level of education was the best predictor of religious knowledge.

BTW I knew this one.......if one were to attend a mass once and pay attention it isn't a secret.

Forty-five percent of Roman Catholics who participated in the study didn't know that, according to church [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]teaching[/COLOR][/COLOR], the bread and wine used in Holy Communion is not just a symbol, but becomes the body and blood of Christ.

[Ducimus]

I have many gripes about christianity and organized religion in general as it exists here in America. But i'll only say that it is not lost on me, that religion, has become a business here. At least in california, i can't say for elsewhere. But here at least, it is most definatly a business. As such, i'm sure the "teachings" and interrpretations are done in a manner that is.... profitable?

I'll stop there. I love to rant about this topic entirely too much.

[Diopos]

Survey: Many Americans Know Little About Religion

Thank God!



.

[Takeda Shingen]

I am always amused by the hostility from certain elements of the atheist community. What end does it serve? Does one expect me to intimidated by mockery? Would my mockery intimidate others? Certainly not. Be and let-be.

[GoldenRivet]

I think that this "ignorance" stems from the fact that religious beliefs in most American's are a bit - pardon the expression - bastardized. you must remember that many people immigrated here originally so that they could practice their religions freely, so we have every known religion in the world here in the states and for us it has pretty much been that way from day one that Europeans set foot on this continent.

Here is an example of what i mean by "bastardized":

personally speaking, I was raised by a Methodist family yet I mostly attended baptist churches with my friends on Sundays... and i attended - for a while - a catholic school and married into a Baptist family which pretty much makes me Methbapcathodist.

my religious views are not what one might call "standardized" as i have seen things i have liked and not liked in each of those religions. I have seen the good and the bad in their teachings and ideals etc.

on paper I'm Methodist or "Christian" but my personal beliefs come from various schools of thought, ideology and theological principles.

personally i think that religion is a man made institution and therefore is subject to man-made flaws.

I also think that out of 100 churches along the street side... 1 of them might be sincerely concerned about saving your soul from the depths of hell while the other 99 are more worried about saving money from the depths of your pockets.

Personally i think that no matter what thought process you subscribe to theologically speaking, and no matter whether or not you wake up and go to church every sunday - God knows you as an individual. God knows what is inside of you.. whether or not you are a good or bad person.

Most Christian ideals teach you that God loves us, he knew us before we were formed.

Do i think that i am going to spend all eternity in a lake of hell fire if i choose to cheat on my wife or rob a bank?

no... i don't.

Do i believe there will be some sort of divine retribution or punishment for those transgressions?

yes... i do.

I think a lot of what you will sit in listen to on Sundays any more is more of a message of peace and good will toward your neighbor and a message of lending more wisdom, patience and ethics toward your making of life decisions... and LESS a message of traditions of why we ________ 's do things the way we do.

thats where a lot of the tradition and history is lost.

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

personally i think that religion is a man made institution and therefore is subject to man-made flaws.

I also think that out of 100 churches along the street side... 1 of them might be sincerely concerned about saving your soul from the depths of hell while the other 99 are more worried about saving money from the depths of your pockets.

Those are both unfortunate truths. Regarding the latter point, the larger and more 'modern' the church and it's setting, the greater the risk of being fleeced. I am fortunate in having a small, traditional Lutheran church to which I belong, along with my wife and daughter. It's rather quaint and enjoyable.

And many religions know little about America. Islam is just one example.

[Diopos]

Originally Posted by The Third Man

And many religions know little about America. Islam is just one example.

Yeap! That, too ...
I assume that their rationale would be not wanting to mingle with satan ...

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[GoldenRivet]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

Those are both unfortunate truths. Regarding the latter point, the larger and more 'modern' the church and it's setting, the greater the risk of being fleeced. I am fortunate in having a small, traditional Lutheran church to which I belong, along with my wife and daughter. It's rather quaint and enjoyable.

Living in the area in which i reside... there are a lot of massive churches.

these places are popping up like auto dealerships, and in fact auto dealerships are exactly what i think of when i see them.

One such church in my area 10 minutes drive from my home is like a Baptist Disney land. It's "campus" sprawls over an area similar in size to that of a community college.

not that i have anything against a large successful church... but that very thing has influenced my in laws to revert to "home-churching" the kids on Sunday mornings where they would study a bible passage. They have since found a church they enjoy again.

while i never participated in any of these "home church" sessions myself... i have to wonder how many other people are forced or influenced to make similar changes to cope with their religious needs.

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

Living in the area in which i reside... there are a lot of massive churches.

these places are popping up like auto dealerships, and in fact auto dealerships are exactly what i think of when i see them.

One such church in my area 10 minutes drive from my home is like a Baptist Disney land. It's "campus" sprawls over an area similar in size to that of a community college.

not that i have anything against a large successful church... but that very thing has influenced my in laws to revert to "home-churching" the kids on Sunday mornings where they would study a bible passage. They have since found a church they enjoy again.

while i never participated in any of these "home church" sessions myself... i have to wonder how many other people are forced or influenced to make similar changes to cope with their religious needs.

Are you sure you're not thinking of "Fletch Lives?"

[nikimcbee]

I'll just add to the thread theme, all those religions above spend most of their lives in church.

Meh. Lived with church and w/o. I haven't been in 2 years, more free time on sunday, w/o the guilt.

I think it is a head game to get into your wallet.