One Third of Americans don't believe in Evolution.

[Nedvia]

I personally see this as the sad result of decades of attempted Obscurantism in the nation's schools at the hands of Creationism advocates and the likes of that.

I attended public schools in the United States (South Carolina, Montana and Illinois) for twelve years and never heard a mention of Creationism. I never experienced any controversy in regard to the teaching of evolution. I think these sort of reports are largely exaggerated, and polls supporting such findings are probably skewed for political reasons.

[The Scientific States]

I attended public schools in the United States (South Carolina, Montana and Illinois) for twelve years and never heard a mention of Creationism. I never experienced any controversy in regard to the teaching of evolution. I think these sort of reports are largely exaggerated, and polls supporting such findings are probably skewed for political reasons.

Note that he said attempted.

[Imperial City-States]

I agree - I went to School in the boonies of Missouri and no one ever once spoke of creationism in School , it was only ever mentioned in college for a paper i had to write once

[Shofercia]

While nearly two-thirds of Americans say humans have evolved over time, a third of U.S. adults disagree, according to new survey results from the Pew Research Center.

The Pew Research Religion & Public Life Project report released Monday found that 33% think "humans and other living things have existed in their present form since the beginning of time." Sixty percent agreed with evolution.

Among those who agree with human evolution, about half attribute it to "natural processes such as natural selection." Whereas, 24% of adults say "a supreme being guided the evolution of living things."

The survey also found disagreement across political and religious lines.

Among white evangelical Protestants, 64% say that humans have existed in their present form since the beginning of time. The survey found that half of black Protestants responded the same way. Whereas 78% of white mainline Protestants say that humans and other living things have evolved over time.

Seventy-six percent of the religiously unaffiliated, 68% of white non-Hispanic Catholics and 53% of Hispanic Catholics agreed with evolution.

Republicans are less likely to say humans evolved compared to Democrats or independents, Less than half of conservatives or 43% agreed with evolution compared to 67% of liberals and 65% of independents.

The survey is based on telephone interviews conducted March 21-April 8, 2013, with a national sample of 1,983 adults. The margin of error for the results is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Source:http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2013/12/30/pew-research-human-evolution-survey/4258083/

I personally see this as the sad result of decades of attempted Obscurantism in the nation's schools at the hands of Creationism advocates and the likes of that.

And what say ye, NSG?

Quickly, grant more funding to drones, instead of raising school teacher salaries. That'll make the society enlightened! Or at least lit up

The problem isn't "hurr durr" Creationism. The problem is the schools, and school policies that don't do their jobs, and so people, quite understandably, turn elsewhere to learn. Hating Creationism is an easy train to hop on to, but the root of any problem dealing with ignorance is not enough proper education funding. And here, both, the Democrats and Republicans are at fault. One side for wanting to limit school funding, the other for having no issues with unions and administrators taking a much bigger share of the pie than they deserve. If someone can make $50k as a teacher, or $150k doing something else, there's no need to be shocked that an otherwise excellent teacher is doing something else, and you're stuck with... you get the idea. And teacher salaries are declining, even under Obama: http://www.nea.org/home/54597.htm

While total U.S. personal income increased nearly 4%, education revenue per student increased only 2% between 2009 and 2010; most recently for 2011-12, moreover, combined federal, state, and local school revenue per student increased less than one percent (0.6%)...Salaries are important for attracting, developing, and keeping a top-notch teaching force in place in each zip code, however over the years from 2001-02 through 2011-12, the buying power of teacher salaries has declined 2.8%.

Classroom Teacher Salaries: The U.S. average public school teacher salary for 2011–12 was $55,418. State average public school teacher salaries ranged from those in New York ($73,398), Massachusetts ($71,721), and Connecticut ($69,465) at the high end to South Dakota ($38,804), Mississippi ($41,646), and Oklahoma ($44,391) at the low end (C-11).

Hmm, I wonder, which states are more likely to not believe in evolution? Something tells me that more people in Connecticut are going to believe in evolution than Oklahoma. Of course these numbers should be adjusted for relative living standards, but once that occurs, it's fairly easy to make the connection.

Adjusting for inflation, thirty-two states saw real declines in average teacher salaries over those years. Those with average salaries declining 5 percent or more were: North Carolina (-15.7%), Indiana (-10.1%), Illinois (-8.7%), Virginia (-8.7%), Michigan (-8.1%), Florida (-7.3%), South Carolina (-6.9%), Georgia (-5.9%), Washington (-5.9%), and Colorado (-5.5%) (C-14).

But let's blame this on religion. After all, then the actual problem can be masked, because religion's always going to be around, and makes an easy scapegoat.

[Imperial City-States]

That think that has been the most educated post i've seen on this entire forum

[Mike the Progressive]

But let's blame this on religion. After all, then the actual problem can be masked, because religion's always going to be around, and makes an easy scapegoat.

Look if we just abolish religion, everything will be better! Kids will be smarter, people more tolerant, homosexuals more homosexulally. Everybody will have the same job with the same pay and everybody will get laid!

[Mike the Progressive]

That think that has been the most educated post i've seen on this entire forum

But mine was pretty good right?

[Imperial City-States]

That think that has been the most educated post i've seen on this entire forum

But mine was pretty good right?

I Do agree with what you said however the other guy had relevence to the conversation

[Vareiln]

I'm guessing the vast majority of them are elderly and live in either Florida or the rural parts of the Deep South, the Midwest, and California.

There are parts of Florida with a sizeable atheist population and outside of the older generations, creationism is fleeting.

[The Tundra]

i thought it would have been more!

well i have some faith in humanity again.

[Arumdaum]

Honestly, I was expecting only like a third of Americans to believe in it.

[Shofercia]

That think that has been the most educated post i've seen on this entire forum

Thank you

It's going to be a huge issue in California in 2014.

[Imperial City-States]

That think that has been the most educated post i've seen on this entire forum

Thank you

It's going to be a huge issue in California in 2014.

I have a very unfavorable opinion on California

[Shofercia]

Thank you

It's going to be a huge issue in California in 2014.

I have a very unfavorable opinion on California

Why? We're a sane state, for the most part *looks at Sacramento*

[Imperial City-States]

I have a very unfavorable opinion on California

Why? We're a sane state, for the most part *looks at Sacramento*

i disagree with about 99% of their politics and policies . But we are getting off track here

[Mike the Progressive]

Thank you

It's going to be a huge issue in California in 2014.

I have a very unfavorable opinion on California

So does the rest of the union.

[THE UNION OF FREE STATES OF AMERICA]

This is a good thing.

Having alternatives, and having a difference in opinion is a good thing.

Hell, I wouldn't care if it was 100%.

[Utceforp]

This is a good thing.

Having alternatives, and having a difference in opinion is a good thing.

Hell, I wouldn't care if it was 100%.

Aside from the inherent stupidity in encouraging people who are wrong to continue to be wrong, your second statement (that "alternatives" are a good thing) and third statement (that it would be okay if it was 100% of people) contradict each other.

[Big Jim P]

They have the right to remain stupid and ignorant if they so chose.

And people have a right to eat lentil burgers. It doesn't mean we have to serve them in schools though.

I did not say that it should, now did I?

[Shofercia]

Why? We're a sane state, for the most part *looks at Sacramento*

i disagree with about 99% of their politics and policies . But we are getting off track here

I doubt that it's 99%.

I have a very unfavorable opinion on California

So does the rest of the union.

We elected you as Congressman, Nixon. You saying that was a mistake?

[Big Jim P]

Let's not start a threadjack based upon "OMG, Obama is a ebul Kenyan socialist Muslim atheist fascist reptilian lizard!"

Let's not assume that just because somebody is not a fan of Obama automatically means he/she think he's a Kenyan, Muslim, socialist, atheist g-man.

Indeed. some of us have very real reasons to dislike Obama.

[Vitaphone Racing]

And people have a right to eat lentil burgers. It doesn't mean we have to serve them in schools though.

I did not say that it should, now did I?

Of course not. I just thought of, what was in my opinion, a reasonable analogy and quickly posted it before I changed my mind.

[Big Jim P]

I did not say that it should, now did I?

Of course not. I just thought of, what was in my opinion, a reasonable analogy and quickly posted it before I changed my mind.

I understand,and apologize for being a bit bristly. I have read "it's only a theory, not a fact" far too many times on this thread.

[Mavorpen]

Let's not assume that just because somebody is not a fan of Obama automatically means he/she think he's a Kenyan, Muslim, socialist, atheist g-man.

Indeed. some of us have very real reasons to dislike Obama.

Like the fact that he's black. *nods*

[Big Jim P]

Indeed. some of us have very real reasons to dislike Obama.

Like the fact that he's black. *nods*

Irrelevant. I said real reasons.