Poll: More Americans believe humans evolved without God

[warrior1]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/poll-americans-humans-evolved-god/

More Americans today believe that human beings developed without any involvement of a higher power, according to a new poll.

Gallup reported that since 1982, the number of Americans believing that humans evolved over millions of years increased by seven percentage points.

The current figure - 16 percent - has trended upwards since 2000.

Since 1982, Americans who believe that humans evolved with God guiding the process haven't changed (38 percent), while Americans who believe God created humans in present form has decreased four points to 40 percent.

snip

[gaspee]

1. I cannot believe these numbers.

Seriously? That many people don't believe in evolution? That's like not believing in gravity!

[RKP5637]

5. +1000 +++ That's like not believing in gravity! n/t

[salvorhardin]

7. About 54% believe in evolution in some form, 40% do not believe in evolution

The Gallup questions roughly correspond to the Creationist (40%), Intelligent Design (38%), and Scientific/Secular Evolutionist (16%) positions. About 6% answered "Other/No Opinion".

Since the margin of error is +/- 4%, I'm not sure that the small gain in the number of those accepting evolution is significant or not, although there does seem to be a slight though steady uptick over the last quarter century. Still, there is and probably always have been, about 40% of our country who are totally enthralled with religion. I'm betting they will always be there and in just about the same numbers.



Here are the full results: http://www.gallup.com/poll/21814/evolution-creationism-intelligent-design.aspx

[dkf]

2. 16% is pretty low.

I'm kind of shocked.

[Brickbat]

3. Only 16 percent believe in evolution wtihout God?

Oh wow.

[valerief]

6. I know. I wonder how real that number is. If it's totally true, I wonder how the question was framed

I wonder how it was sequenced with other questions.

[salvorhardin]

9. It's a stand alone phone poll. Cell phones were included.

Respondents are asked, "Which of the following statements comes closest to your views on the origin and development of human
beings:".

The order in which options 1-3 were presented was rotated. The options were:

1) Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process,

2) Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process,

3) God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so]?

4) Other/No opinion

Margin of error was +/- 4%.

[valerief]

12. Ah, yes, I just clicked on the Gallup link and see the question.

I didn't see that it was a standalone question. Where was that info?

16% is a pretty sorry percentage.

Thanks.

[obxhead]

13. There should have been a 5th question.

Do you believe people created god?

Thanks for posting the questions the poll asked. It gives a bit of clarity to the poll.

[FlyByNight]

4. 16%

Kind of explains a lot.

[warrior1]

8. Gravity

it's not just a theory, it's the law!

[Recursion]

10. I hate it when headlines use a comparative without a "than ..."

More Americans believe humans evolved without God.... than 28 years ago, apparently. But "more" by itself is meaningless. (This is journalism's fault; not the OP's)

[JoePhilly]

11. Teach creationism in school ... and that number will go UP.

Creationism and its mutant clone "intelligent Design" fail miserably when studied in any rational manner. Teach it in schools anywhere near evolution, and it dies a horrible death.

[Still a Democrat]

14. 16% - Disappointingly low

At least it's rising.

[Larry Ogg]

15. Psychopaths, Sociopaths and Narcissist who want a career in political manipulation…

get a big boost from the religious establishment who - in return for their support - flourish when the wolves run the government into the ground and wield it as a weapon against the sinners’ nonbelievers and those other worldviews. In other words, the religious views of a politician, candidate is “one key indicator” as to how conservative, or progressive their politics will be...