Want to take a little quiz on religion?

[Archae]

I got one wrong, the question about the "First Great Awakening" US religious revival about a hundred years ago.

Are you smarter than an atheist? A religious quiz

Atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons are among the highest-scoring groups in a 32-question survey of religious knowledge by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. On average, Americans got 16 of the 32 questions correct. Atheists and agnostics got an average of 20.9 correct answers. Jews (20.5) and Mormons (20.3). Protestants got 16 correct answers on average, while Catholics got 14.7 questions right.

How will you do on the quiz?

My results:

Quiz results


31
Correct

1
Wrong

You answered 31 of 32 questions correctly for a total score of 97%.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0105/Are-you-smarter-than-an-atheist-A-religious-quiz/When-does-the-Jewish-Sabbath-begin

[Angry Dragon]

1. 4 wrong

[HarveyDarkey]

2. 30 of 32 here

Another non-believer checking in.

[RebelOne]

3. I thought I would do better, but oh well, I'm an atheist.

You answered 27 of 32 questions correctly for a total score of 84%.

[geardaddy]

4. This question is wrong.

4. Which of these religions aims at nirvana, the state of being free from suffering?

Islam

Buddhism

Hinduism

Don't know

It can be either Buddhism or Hinduism.

[nolabear]

5. Damned atheists. Always with the facts.

[HarveyDarkey]

9. I was perplexed at that one too

Although if you ask a Buddhist, they'll tell you it's not a religion.

[geardaddy]

10. Right!

It's a philosophy or way of life.

[Art_from_Ark]

73. In Japan, Zen Buddhists buy home altars called "butsudan",

put pictures of their deceased ancestors on these altars, burn incense and chant "nembutsu" to ensure that their ancestors can remain in "tengoku" ("heaven&quot . That sounds like a religion to me.

[OriginalGeek]

11. I had reservations on the definition of Agnostic too

but I went with what I knew they were looking for even though I don't agree that it's correct.

Actually, their given definition is one who is unsure whether or not there is a god. That would be correct (one who doesn't know) but they framed it with 2 multiple choice answers of "believes there is a good" and "doesn't believe there is a god" so it makes the correct answer look like agnostic is some midway point between believing and not believing.

But you can be a perfectly fine atheist and and be a proper agnostic. I don't believe there is a god but I can't know. Belief and knowledge are two different things.

Presented with knowledge, my belief might change.
Presented with belief, my knowledge should never change. (knowledge here being a proven fact. Facts shouldn't change)

[Bake]

24. This Southern Baptist Theological Seminary graduate agrees!

I would have scored 32 except for this WRONG question!!



Bake

[TM99]

35. No it is not

It is accurate.

In general in the West, we define the highest stages of 'enlightenment' in all of the Indian subcontinent religions as Nirvana, but that is technically wrong.

Nibbana is the Pali word that directly translates into Sanskrit as Nirvana and means the cessation of suffering and the attainment of Arahathood.

Moksha or Mukti is the Indian word that we erroneously lumped into 'Nirvana' as a concept yet it is different. It means the final liberation of the conscious self from samsara and the end of suffering from repeated reincarnations.

Only in Jainism is Mukti and Nibbana considered to be the same thing and therefore properly translated as Nirvana in general.

So a Buddhist aims for nirvana and a Hindu aims for Moksha/Mukti.

And yes, I scored 32 out of 32.

[geardaddy]

47. Thanks for the clarification!

[TM99]

54. You are welcome

I enjoy the study of religion. Ever since I read Huston Smith as a lad and then later minored in religious studies.

Are you Welsh? My partner is completing her Masters in Celtic Studies with the University of Wales at Trinity St. David.

Nos da.

[geardaddy]

67. I'm Welsh-American

Bore da!

My grandmother's parents were from South Wales and she grew up in a Welsh-speaking area of Scranton.

I spent three months in Bangor at an intensive Welsh-language course a few years ago. It was great. I love Wales.

[TM99]

72. Wonderful

I know just a few words and phrases as I have been helping her with vocabulary drills. She has taken two levels of Welsh and has a Welshman as a tutor her locally.

I love all the Celtic countries though I am predominantly Irish & Scots.

I look forward to future chats with you here.

[Honeycombe8]

36. Ahhhh, but Grasshopper, the question's definition given to nirvana restricts it to Buddhism, I think

Hinduism also has nirvana as a goal, but it doesn't strictly mean "the state of being free from suffering." It means a joining with the holy one, exalted status, etc. But in Buddhism, it means being free from suffering, specifically.

[geardaddy]

48. I should have looked closer at the question.

D'oh!

[caraher]

60. I thought so

In the end I went with Buddhism, but it seemed to me that Hinduism shares that idea as well.

[LNM]

6. This atheist got 3 wrong.

Although I have to add that I was raised Christian.

[OriginalGeek]

7. Athiest here and got 31 of 32

but I admit one I got right I just guessed based on the previous questions and the choice was one that hadn't been used yet.

The one I got wrong I actually had the right answer checked and then second guessed myself. Always go with your gut.

[geardaddy]

8. ...

You answered 31 of 32 questions correctly for a total score of 97.

[Kingofalldems]

12. 30

A couple guesses though.

[LiberalAndProud]

13. 82% As an atheist, I should have scored higher.

[hobbit709]

14. I is a genius

[Gidney N Cloyd]

15. 27 & agnostic

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

16. 32 of 32.

Agnostic (I can't call myself an atheist because the existence of kittens suggests there might be a God).

[edbermac]

17. 27/32 right

Kind of shocked as I gave up on religion decades ago.

[Archae]

18. I guess the old saying still is in effect.

"The more one knows, the less one believes."

And we agnostics/atheists are far more learned in religious matters than a lot of people, especially fundys.

[blueamy66]

19. I scored a 78%.

Not bad.

[mrmpa]

20. I'm a catholic educated agnostic and I aced this test..............

those nuns did something right. Oh, yeag, that's right, they taught me to read.

Quiz results


32
Correct

0
Wrong

You answered 32 of 32 questions correctly for a total score of 100%.

[Honeycombe8]

37. The nuns taught you about Hinduism, Buddhism, Protestantism, Mormonism? nt

[mrmpa]

40. No, what I was saying is ............

that the nuns taught me to read. Hence I had the answers in my head from reading anything, and everything I've been able to get my hands on.

[Honeycombe8]

41. Ahhhhh. Me, too. nt

[Grey]

21. You answered 29 of 32 questions correctly for a total score of 91%.

some of those were just to simple....

[GoneOffShore]

22. 32/32 for this atheist.

[Bake]

23. 31 of 32 here, but it actually was 32 of 32

The question about Nirvana was wrong. Both Buddhism and Hinduism have the concept of Nirvana.



Bake

[rusty fender]

29. I missed that one also...

I picked Hinduism.

[Bake]

30. What's the saying about "great minds ... think alike"

Bake

[nolabear]

25. 32 of 32. It's an odd test though. It's on religion not theism.

Buddhists don't believe in a God and many Jews don't.

[mzteris]

26. oh nooooooooo I'm going to hell!

I got two wrong!!!!

oh wait. I'm an atheist. I don't believe in hell.

Oh well. Better luck next time.

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

27. only one wrong on Job

most of this seems to be knowledge of history as I am an atheist

[Honeycombe8]

34. I got that one because I remembered the sentence by someone, "I have the patience of Job."

It's from the tv movie about the Green Beret who killed his family. The wife's father, acted by Karl Malden, goes after the husband, insisting that the authorities pursue him. The DA tells Malden that it could take a while to get the husband, if ever. Malden responds, "That's okay. I'm healthy. And I have the patience of Job." Something like that.

[rusty fender]

28. I missed 3 and I am an atheist!

That makes me as smart as an atheist!

[bluedigger]

31. 30 correct.

I'm just a good multiple guesser.

[rurallib]

32. 32 of 32 - seems like the atheists are doing well here.

Thought Nirvana was both Hindi and Buddhism, but went with Buddhism as that seems to be a more popular concept.

[Honeycombe8]

33. I got 29 out of 32 correct! 91% score. What a surprise! Me has been edumacated, I guess.

I am not an atheist or agnostic.

[ismnotwasm]

38. 29/32

Most of them were easy.

Agnostic

[Orrex]

39. In the name of meaningless metaphysical signifier, I hate that quiz format

Pain in the ass from start to finish. A pox on whoever came up with it.


29 out of 32, incidentally.

[Chellee]

42. Score

Quiz results

32
Correct

0
Wrong

You answered 32 of 32 questions correctly for a total score of 100%.

Yay, go me!

I wish I could do this well in Algebra.

[WilliamPitt]

43. Perfect score

My Jesuit education - the one that taught me to read and think about stuff besides Catholic doctrine - apparently screwed me pretty good.

Or something.

[XemaSab]

44. 100% right

100% pagan.

WINNAH!

[ashling]

45. OH. MY. GOD! (or not, depending)

First of all, it's a stupid test and doen't even provide choices for the answers that are actually correct.

Most of the questions are "Do you know ..." or "Would you tell me if..."

The answer to all of these questions is either "YES" or "NO"!

OK, I know that is beside the point (there was a point?), but I have bee working all evening creating questions for exams an/or editing exam questions for wording so as not to confuse my students . . . many of whom are easily confused ('You mean we can't use Fox News as a source, I always though they were good.&quot

And most of the answer provide "I don't know" as an option.

Having said all of that (and Two and a Half men is filth LOL) I scored:

Quiz results
32
Correct
0
Wrong
You answered 32 of 32 questions correctly for a total score of 100%.

[DebJ]

46. 32/32. Social studies major married to social studies major.

[Burma Jones]

49. 32/32

nyah nyah

[Still Blue in PDX]

50. I missed 4.

[Aerows]

51. This is rather interesting.

You answered 30 of 32 questions correctly for a total score of 94%.

Since I am very much an agnostic.

[trof]

52. 30. Jewish Sabbath was kind of a trick question. And Catholic Communion? Really?

Yes, it actually 'begins at midnight FRIDAY.


I was raised in the Christian church.
The 'bread and wine' ( a small cracker and grape juice) were 'symbols of the body and blood of JC.
Catholics believe "The bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus Christ?
I just don't understand how that is.


But this old atheist did pretty well.

[HERVEPA]

55. Nope. Sundown on Friday. Jewish atheist here. 31/32

[harmonicon]

56. The Sabbath one got me too.

I thought it might start on Friday night, but I generally think of it as Saturday... really, I just wasn't sure.

As for the Catholic thing, of course most Catholics don't actually think that, but that is the official position of the church.

[sarge43]

66. I thought the Sabbath begins at sunset Friday evening. n/t

[Moondog]

53. 32/32

[harmonicon]

57. 28/32

So much of it wasn't about religion. I got the questions about countries and things right. I just don't know too much about religion, I guess.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

58. You answered 26 of 32 questions correctly for a total score of 81%.

I am sad to say that 5 of the ones I got wrong Was a Protestant question! My dad was a Baptist Minister.

[Diclotican]

59. Arcahe

Archae

I got 30 out of 32 and the two i lost was about internal american Things where i doubt anyonr not livene in the states wil have a hold on... Easy to say it at least in all... Just commen knowlegde for the most part really

Diclotican

[caraher]

61. 31/32

Same answers as the OP. I didn't realize that the 1830s revivals were actually the second "Great Awakening" so I ruled out Edwards. And I wavered on the nirvana question, though I picked the answer they wanted.

[FloridaJudy]

62. This Buddhist got 31 correct

That one about "The Great Awakening" was the killer.

[tjwmason]

63. 32/32 from this Catholic

Most were pretty easy stuff. I had to pause for a moment over the Great Awakening one though - I ruled a couple of options out immediately and thought it was Jonathan Edwards but wasn't 100% certain (got it right though).

[swimboy]

71. I correctly predicted

I would find you in this thread!

[WCGreen]

64. 3 wrong and 29 correct....

One of the wrong choices was an accident.

I am an atheist and so I did pretty good for my....

[sarge43]

65. 32/32 from this agnostic n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

68. I missed some I should have gotten! And some I guessed right .......go figure!

28 Correct

4 Wrong

You answered 28 of 32 questions correctly for a total score of 88%.

[PaddyIrishman]

69. 31 out of 32 and me an atheist and all

Had never heard of Maimonides.

Learn a little bit every day with the help of Google

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

70. 32 out of 32

How will you do on the quiz?

- Staff

Quiz results
32
Correct 0
Wrong You answered 32of 32 questions correctly for a total score of 100%. Comment on this quiz. Share your results

Theology interests me greatly.

[pink-o]

74. Another Jewish atheist here. 30/32

Atheists tend to research a lot about global cultures and religions.

[dawg]

75. 100%

I counted three lucky guesses though.

For the record, I'm a Christian who has always had a fascination with other people's beliefs and faiths.

[thefool_wa]

76. 3 wrong

but I have to say "Are you smarter than an atheist" is about the kind of inflammatory, derogatory title I would expect out of the CSM. Couldn't it just have been called "Test you knowledge of world religions" or something else innocuous.

Just because one is an atheist, doesn't mean they have no knowledge of a variety of religions. In fact, most of the ones I know know more about a variety of religions than those that subscribe to only one.

Better yet...why does it matter? Just because you know trivia about religions, doesn't mean you know ANYTHING about God.

[madinmaryland]

77. "Want to take a little whiz on religion?" WTF??

Oh shit. It's late, I'm tired and need my blasses.

[mykpart]

78. I got 29 correct.

Missed 3. 91%