USA Among Most Bible Literate Nations

[Bud Struggle]

U.S. among most Bible-literate nations

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Americans are among the world's most 'Bible-literate' people...

...Poland had the highest percentage of those who said they attended religious services regularly (91 percent), followed by the United States with 77 percent and Russia with 75 percent.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSL2875626420080428

While I'm not suprised that Poland, a former Communist nation was high on the list of church going nations--I am somewhat suprised by Russia.

Good for them. :)

[RHIZOMES]

Yeah superstition is awesome!

[eyedrop]

U.S. among most Bible-literate nations

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Americans are among the world's most 'Bible-literate' people...

...Poland had the highest percentage of those who said they attended religious services regularly (91 percent), followed by the United States with 77 percent and Russia with 75 percent.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSL2875626420080428

While I'm not suprised that Poland, a former Communist nation was high on the list of church going nations--I am somewhat suprised by Russia.

Good for them. :)

While a former Communist country Czech is one of the most atheistic countries with 59% as non-religious. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_atheism

See, everyone can play this game.

There are some disrepancies beetween the 2 surveys though.


Russia has a high prevalence of atheism. According to a 2002 survey by the All-Russia Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM) 32% of those surveyed self-described as non-religious, agnostic or atheist. Of the 58% self-describing as Russian Orthodox Christian, 42% said they had never been in a church.


But the surveys there are a bit older though so it could have changed the last couple years. I'm not going to find the surveys so I'm just going to trust wiki on their authenticy.

[Bud Struggle]

It's just amazing to me that after all those years of state sponsored Atheism that religion exists in the former Communinst countries at all. It doesn't seem that the state propaganda did all that much good.

[eyedrop]

It's just amazing to me that after all those years of state sponsored Atheism that religion exists in the former Communinst countries at all. It doesn't seem that the state propaganda did all that much good.

I agree with your assesment that the that the state propaganda didn't do all that good. Just like the state propaganda in Norway didn't do all that good in keeping us from beeing atheists. (Yes we have a state church and everyone has to have loads of years of religious propaganda in religion classes in school.)

[Red_or_Dead]

It's just amazing to me that after all those years of state sponsored Atheism that religion exists in the former Communinst countries at all. It doesn't seem that the state propaganda did all that much good.

Old habbits die hard.



One thing that has to be considered with these statistics is that religion is also a cultural thing. Over here many people who declare themselves as Roman Catholic are not religious at all, and may only attend church at Christmas and Easter, but are otherwise indifferent to religion.

[Bud Struggle]

One thing that has to be considered with these statistics is that religion is also a cultural thing. Over here many people who declare themselves as Roman Catholic are not religious at all, and may only attend church at Christmas and Easter, but are otherwise indifferent to religion.

Well, they say they attend services "regularly". That may mean more than twice a year. And even the twice a year service people may not be praticularly indifferent to religion. It's pretty interesting how far "culture" goes. Even the post indifferent people get very interested in religion in both hospitals and in prisons. Nothing like a scare of death or a bit of malfortune to bring people back to belief. Actually, from what I've been told by my golfing partner (an oncologist) is that almost all of his patients seek some sort of spiritual guidence.

In Poland (which I'm pretty farmiliar with) and the US (where I live) religion is pretty popular with the great majority of people--discussions about God are fairly commonplace in daily life.

I was really suprised about Russia, though.

[Die Neue Zeit]

I'm not sure that Bible literacy itself is that high. I mean, given all the contextual distortions of the original and New Testament texts. I can safely say that I know a lot more Biblical material (including the "shocking" Biblical stance on abortion) than most Christian Righties do (sorry, that includes you, too).

[eyedrop]

Well, they say they attend services "regularly". That may mean more than twice a year. And even the twice a year service people may not be praticularly indifferent to religion. It's pretty interesting how far "culture" goes. Even the post indifferent people get very interested in religion in both hospitals and in prisons. Nothing like a scare of death or a bit of malfortune to bring people back to belief. Actually, from what I've been told by my golfing partner (an oncologist) is that almost all of his patients seek some sort of spiritual guidence.

In Poland (which I'm pretty farmiliar with) and the US (where I live) religion is pretty popular with the great majority of people--discussions about God are fairly commonplace in daily life.

I was really suprised about Russia, though.

I find myself agreeing with you. In prisons and hospitals it can be just a matter of them thinking "Well it couldn't hurt." An insurance by them. But yeah I agree tat it shows that they aren't entirely convinced atheists.

I'm not that surpriced about Russia though as many parts of it can resemble conditions found in prison for many of them. I've got an aunt and a half-cousin from there and by their accounts it sure doesn't sound fun living there.


Jacob
Just for clarification, the article explains what it means by bible literacy.

Asked if they had read a phrase from the Bible in the past 12 months, 75 percents of American respondents said yes, while between 20 percent and 38 percent of respondents in the other eight countries said yes.


And you can't expect journalists not too make the most sensation sounding headline.

[RedAnarchist]

According to that article, Britain scores between 28 and 38%, which in my opinion seems quite high, as Britain is quite a secular country (although most people still seem to believe in some sort of god/s), and most of the church-going Christians in this country tend to be Catholics, who according to the survey were in the minority in this country.

[Red_or_Dead]

Well, they say they attend services "regularly". That may mean more than twice a year. And even the twice a year service people may not be praticularly indifferent to religion. It's pretty interesting how far "culture" goes. Even the post indifferent people get very interested in religion in both hospitals and in prisons. Nothing like a scare of death or a bit of malfortune to bring people back to belief. Actually, from what I've been told by my golfing partner (an oncologist) is that almost all of his patients seek some sort of spiritual guidence.


If they attend it regulary, than its something else, but I cant help not
to bring up the second quote from eyedrops first post, about how many people who describe as Orthodox Christians actually go to church.

Anyway, when I was talking about the twice-a-year church goers, I meant the people from my country, since Im not familiar with the situation elsewhere. Im pretty sure that people in the US are generaly much more religious.

As for people who get religious when on deathbed or prison, that is unfortunate, really. Praying to the great fairy in the sky wont bring them back to life, or out of prison, so they are only delluding themselves.


I was really suprised about Russia, though.

On that at least, we can agree.

[Os Cangaceiros]

From what I've heard of Russia recently, I'd start praying if I lived there, too.

[al8]

It's also a matter of how strictly the ban was enforced. For how long, for what period in what regions. I'm not versed in the intricacies (but I'd like to be). It would not surprise me that atheism or non-theism would be high in areas where the ban on religion had been enforced consistently.

[Demogorgon]

It's just amazing to me that after all those years of state sponsored Atheism that religion exists in the former Communinst countries at all. It doesn't seem that the state propaganda did all that much good.

Most of the Eastern Block countries didn't put much effort into discouraging religion latterly. It was allowed to pretty much carry on as before provided it didn't rock the boat.

[Die Neue Zeit]

^^^ You can blame Dzerzhinsky for that. I mean, it's hilarious to see an ex-KGB agent pouring holy water on Russian bombers! :laugh:

[Bud Struggle]

As for people who get religious when... prison, that is unfortunate, really. Praying to the great fairy in the sky wont...or out of prison, so they are only delluding themselves.


That's an interesting thought, too. (I edited your post a bit...) About the prisoners. People that do get "religion" often do change their lives around and are both eligible for parole earlier and do lead a better life often than they had before they got religion. The Muslims are especially noted for the the job they do in prison ministry--getting people off of drugs and crime and into worthwhile lives and jobs.

If religion gets people to live better heathier lives free of drugs and violence what's the harm in it?

[Bud Struggle]

Most of the Eastern Block countries didn't put much effort into discouraging religion latterly. It was allowed to pretty much carry on as before provided it didn't rock the boat.

Yea, I saw that in Poland. Most of the Commissars were as devout Catholics as the general population. They did their jobs with a wink a nod when it came to denouncing religion.

[Red_or_Dead]

That's an interesting thought, too. (I edited your post a bit...) About the prisoners. People that do get "religion" often do change their lives around and are both eligible for parole earlier and do lead a better life often than they had before they got religion. The Muslims are especially noted for the the job they do in prison ministry--getting people off of drugs and crime and into worthwhile lives and jobs.


I have no reliable information that could confirm or refute that, so ill move on to the other part of your post:


If religion gets people to live better heathier lives free of drugs and violence what's the harm in it?

None. And if that is the case, then it is one of the few things that make sense as far as religion goes (to me, anyway). But that is where the line must be drawn. A man turning to religion could lead to more than just what you pointed out. He/she can just as well turn into a fanatical supporter of any given religion, or even worse, a religious cult.

If religion can get a person to give up crime, drugs, alcohol... ect. thats good, but thats all there is good about it. Because even if someone coverts to a certain religion for the above mentioned reasons... He/she is still religious.

[Demogorgon]

That's an interesting thought, too. (I edited your post a bit...) About the prisoners. People that do get "religion" often do change their lives around and are both eligible for parole earlier and do lead a better life often than they had before they got religion. The Muslims are especially noted for the the job they do in prison ministry--getting people off of drugs and crime and into worthwhile lives and jobs.

If religion gets people to live better heathier lives free of drugs and violence what's the harm in it?
That's true. However there is a problem that if said reformed people later lose interest in religion they can end up going off the rails quite badly. Still if it does have a tendency to help people sort themselves out then I have no problem.

Of course, I am not sure how comfortable I am with religions actively seeking converts in prison. It encourages parole seeking opportunists apart from anything else.

[Raúl Duke]

That's an interesting thought, too. (I edited your post a bit...) About the prisoners. People that do get "religion" often do change their lives around and are both eligible for parole earlier and do lead a better life often than they had before they got religion. The Muslims are especially noted for the the job they do in prison ministry--getting people off of drugs and crime and into worthwhile lives and jobs.

If religion gets people to live better heathier lives free of drugs and violence what's the harm in it?

This guy went to prison and found religion...

Link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Padilla_%28prisoner%29)

But he than became a pro-Al-Qaeda religious fundamentalist.

There are probably other cases of prison converts doing negative things in the name of religion.

People tend to generalize/assume that religion conversion in prison does wonders...but does it really?

There's also a long history of harm from religion: Inquisition, Witch burnings, being against progressive policies, supporting or staying mute in the holocaust, etc.

[The Advent of Anarchy]

It's funny how people use the wonderful progressive gift of literacy to read such regressive filth like the Bible. However, even the most conservative news shows release the information that religion is becoming less and less popular as time goes on.

Ah, I can't wait to see the day I am a grandparent, and my grandson says to me when it's bedtime: "Tell me the stories about when people used to believe in the Bible! Those are funny!"

[Bud Struggle]

There's also a long history of harm from religion: Inquisition, Witch burnings, being against progressive policies, supporting or staying mute in the holocaust, etc.

Of course there is a long history of harm from Communism--do you think that invalidates Communism?

Really, it's the individual decisions of people that do harm. Even the best causes could be used to hurt people.

[Raúl Duke]

Of course there is a long history of harm from Communism--do you think that invalidates Communism?

Really, it's the individual decisions of people that do harm. Even the best causes could be used to hurt people.

Although...which one is longer?

And which one is more valid? Many people did things for communism that would be flat-out not communist if you read communist literature. Marx had contempt for peasants and said that only one class was, in the end, revolutionary; yet Lenin created the "workers and peasants state" (although maybe for "stageist" reasons) and Mao's ideology is centered around peasants. Among other things.

But the things that the religious did came straight from the bible. Such as the witch burnings ("thou shalt not suffer to see a witch live" or something of that sort).

Not that this above line of argument disproves religion but instead I'm questioning this (probably fallacious; some form of ad hoc?) inconsistent line of logic that is: "If religion did x good thing ("get people to live better healthier lives free of drugs", which you said.) and that makes religion a good thing yet when it comes to the bad things (religious orientated atrocities) I, meaning you, prefer to attribute it to individuals solely."

Basically, you seem to attribute the good to, in this case, religion yet attribute a negative that is related to religion to something else, in this case, the individual instead.

While some might be more "moral" because of religion, we know that religion itself inspired "immoral", to our modern standards of ethics, behavior. While there are usually material/situational causes at play to these behaviors, one can say that religion can create an impetus towards such unethical behavior.

[Le Libérer]

If religion can get a person to give up crime, drugs, alcohol... ect. thats good, but thats all there is good about it.
Most 12 step programs involve looking to a higher power, a force outside themselves. IMO, this is a form of reconstructing a habit. Such like if you have a craving, think of something else until its gone. Many atheist have used a 12 step program without being religious.

In fact, I would argue that using a higher power in a 12 step program doesnt have to be God.

I seriously question most jail house religion, sure there may be the occasional conversion, but more than less prisoners end up back in jail.

[freakazoid]

And which one is more valid? Many people did things for communism that would be flat-out not communist if you read communist literature.

Same can be said of religion.