Atheists know more about the Bible than Christians do

[SailingCyclops]

In a recent U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, some very interesting statistics were revealed. Here are the results:

Executive Summary

Atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons are among the highest-scoring groups on a new survey of religious knowledge, outperforming evangelical Protestants, mainline Protestants and Catholics on questions about the core teachings, history and leading figures of major world religions.
[...]

Note in the chart above (ordered alphabetically) Atheists know more about the Bible and Christianity, World Religions, and Religion in Public Life than Jews and Christians. Mormons know more about Christianity than ALL Christian denominations do. WOW!

Questions: Does this data show how provincial, and insulated American Christians are? How is it that Atheist's knowledge of the Bible and Christianity is higher than that of Christians?

Bob

[McCulloch]

I didn't go seminary for nothing!!

I'm not convinced.

But seriously folks, there is no credible correlation between a lot of knowledge and loss of belief.

Not in this study. There have been some studies which negatively correlate level of education with religious beliefs.

There is IMO a correlation between a little and new knowledge and loss of belief, and between piss poor knowledge and strong simple belief.

I won't argue with that. I've seen too many examples.

but with lots and lots of knowledge, it can go either way.
Take that McColloch!

Yes. It seems to me that beyond a certain intelligence level, you really have to be smart to follow and accept the metaphysical and apologetic gymnastics required for religious faith.

This test seems to suggest that traditional believers are often short on knowledge. I hope that the dumber denominations will take this as a wake up call.

None needed.

No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.

[Slopeshoulder]

Not in this study. There have been some studies which negatively correlate level of education with religious beliefs.

I believe it. For sure. there are some though, who revisit it on a vastly changed playing field. Takes work, and it's not of interest to many.

but with lots and lots of knowledge, it can go either way.
Take that McColloch!

Yes. It seems to me that beyond a certain intelligence level, you really have to be smart to follow and accept the metaphysical and apologetic gymnastics required for religious faith.

Or take another path and get past them, reframe them, burn the boat they're in. You knew I was gonna say that!

This test seems to suggest that traditional believers are often short on knowledge. I hope that the dumber denominations will take this as a wake up call.

None needed.

No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.

[/quote]

So emigrate and get rich!!

[Goat]

Same here.
But I wish they had really tested me with whether I knew that Billy Grahem could bench 250 but only while listening to Pulman's His Dark Materials on tape, or that the Pope secretly listens to AC/DC, or that Mother Theresa's favorite food was Miracle Whip. I didn't go seminary for nothing!!

But seriously folks, there is no credible correlation between a lot of knowledge and loss of belief.
There is IMO a correlation between a little and new knowledge and loss of belief, and between piss poor knowledge and strong simple belief.
but with lots and lots of knowledge, it can go either way.
Take that McColloch!

This test seems to suggest that traditional believers are often short on knowledge. I hope that the dumber denominations will take this as a wake up call.

I disagree. I say that there is a correlation being brought up in a 'traditional believer environment', getting education , and then losing faith because you realize you have been misinformed and/or lied to about , well how the world works. When you are told the world is 6000 years old, and you find out that there is plenty of damn good evidence that the world is 4.5 billion years old, and you actually get to understand the evidence, you either take it in stride/modify your belief, deny the new evidence , or lose your faith. Many lose their faith, because much of the conservative mind set sees things in 'right/wrong , yes/no, and 'true/false'. Learning the facts does not free people from the binary thinking.. it just causes them to reject the whole kit and caboodle.

[McCulloch]

No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.

So emigrate and get rich!!

Can't I do it on-line? I've got this Nigerian uncle, who was high up in the government with a whole lot of money he needs to deposit ...

[Slopeshoulder]

Same here.
But I wish they had really tested me with whether I knew that Billy Grahem could bench 250 but only while listening to Pulman's His Dark Materials on tape, or that the Pope secretly listens to AC/DC, or that Mother Theresa's favorite food was Miracle Whip. I didn't go seminary for nothing!!

But seriously folks, there is no credible correlation between a lot of knowledge and loss of belief.
There is IMO a correlation between a little and new knowledge and loss of belief, and between piss poor knowledge and strong simple belief.
but with lots and lots of knowledge, it can go either way.
Take that McColloch!

This test seems to suggest that traditional believers are often short on knowledge. I hope that the dumber denominations will take this as a wake up call.

I disagree. I say that there is a correlation being brought up in a 'traditional believer environment', getting education , and then losing faith because you realize you have been misinformed and/or lied to about , well how the world works. When you are told the world is 6000 years old, and you find out that there is plenty of damn good evidence that the world is 4.5 billion years old, and you actually get to understand the evidence, you either take it in stride/modify your belief, deny the new evidence , or lose your faith. Many lose their faith, because much of the conservative mind set sees things in 'right/wrong , yes/no, and 'true/false'. Learning the facts does not free people from the binary thinking.. it just causes them to reject the whole kit and caboodle.

OK, I stand modified. I agree. Knowledge is, usually and fortunately, the enemy of both traditional and toxic belief. I am glad for it. Indeed, I wish it were something easier than knowledge, like breathing perhaps, but I'll take it. But I don't believe that there is a direct corellation between knowledge and rejection of more sopisticated belief options, although to your point re: kits and kaboodle's, this option is often missed. I think that's too bad. I wish the whole world could be reduced to three types: people like Furrowed Brow who disbelieve for "aesthetic" reasons, people like Theopoesis who believe for "aesthetic" reasons (both postmoderns), and secular and theistic Jews who say yes i've read the books too, who gives a crap, go do some good already! And some buddhists, oh and some sihks, and some taoists, and...

[j.mckenna]

Maybe Atheists do. That, however, proves nothing in and of itself. There's a good article written on PCULPA today about what the absence of a deity entails for society.
Its a good read, and fairly pertinent to this discussion:

http://pculpa.com/index.php/moderatesin ... ciety.html

[Goat]

Maybe Atheists do. That, however, proves nothing in and of itself. There's a good article written on PCULPA today about what the absence of a deity entails for society.
Its a good read, and fairly pertinent to this discussion:

http://pculpa.com/index.php/moderatesin ... ciety.html

I don't see how a blog entry from someone with an obvious chip on their shoulder could be considered an 'article'.

It might be a prejudiced rant, but it is not an article.