Greg Laden's Blog

Headline: Poll finds more Americans believe in devil than Darwin

DALLAS (Reuters Life!) - More Americans believe in a literal hell and the devil than Darwin's theory of evolution, according to a new Harris poll released on Thursday.

It is the latest survey to highlight America's deep level of religiosity, a cultural trait that sets it apart from much of the developed world.

It also helps explain many of its political battles which Europeans find bewildering, such as efforts to have "Intelligent Design" theory -- which holds life is too complex to have evolved by chance -- taught in schools alongside evolution.

According to the poll conducted earlier this month, 82 percent believe in God, 79 percent believe in miracles, 75 percent believe in heaven, and 72 percent believe that Jesus is God (or the Son of God).

Sixty two percent believe in hell and the devil.

Forty Two percent believe in Darwinian evolution.

"Born-again Christians are more likely to believe in the traditional elements of Christianity than are Catholics or Protestants. For example, 95 percent believe in miracles, compared to 87 percent and 89 percent among Catholics and Protestants," according to the poll.

"On the other hand only 16 percent of born-again Christians, compared to 43 percent of Catholics and 30 percent of Protestants, believe in Darwin's theory of evolution."

The poll also revealed that substantial numbers of Americans believe in spooky and strange stuff like UFOs, witches, astrology, and reincarnation. (Here's my take on UFOs.) A whopping 35 percent believe in UFOs and nearly a third believe in witches. Of special interest is that born-again Christians are more likely to believe in witches than regular Christians.

In a related matter, Richard Roberts, head of Oral Roberts University, "told students at Oral Roberts University that he did not want to resign as president of the scandal-plagued evangelical school, but that he did so because God insisted."

God insisted. I wonder exactly what the conversation was like...

The think is, there is a law suit against Roberts accusing him of financial mismanagement. Roberts has been talking to god about this off and on for some time. In fact, the week the law suit was filed, God told Roberts, and I quote ...

"We live in a litigious society. Anyone can get mad and file a lawsuit against another person whether they have a legitimate case or not. This lawsuit ... is about intimidation, blackmail and extortion."

...this is the word of the lord, praise be the lord...

More recently, God told Roberts, and I quote:

I will do something supernatural for the university if you step down from the job

...this is the word of the lord, praise be the lord...