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July 27th, 2011
11:58 AM ET
Poll: 52 percent approve of God’s job performanceBy John Blake, CNN (CNN) - If you think voters are in cranky mood over politics, a new poll suggests that some of the dissatisfaction may run deeper. God’s job performance has trouble measuring up to many Americans' expectations, according to a poll by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic firm based in North Carolina. Only 52 percent of Americans approve of God’s job performance, the survey found, though just 9 percent disapprove.
The polling question that prompted this curious response was, "If God exists, do you approve or disapprove of its performance?" "When asked to evaluate God on some of the issues it is responsible for, voters give God its best rating on creating the universe, 71-5," the polling report said. "They also approve of its handling of the animal kingdom 56-11, and even its handling of natural disasters 50-13." Dino Grandoni cited the poll in a blog for the Atlantic Wire:
Public Policy Polling used automated telephone interviews to survey 928 American voters from July 15 to 17. The voters were represented by a mix of liberal, moderate and conservative voters. The poll's margin of error was +/-3.2%. |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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I used to be Muslim. Who da man!
"God is dead," some have said, and
This is their surmise,
But when I hear this senseless jeer
I wonder if they have eyes.
Have they seen on a night serene
The stars as they go by?
And seen them shine as they keep time
in their paths across the sky?
Do they think the One who created the Sun
and placed the stars in the sky,
and made them bright with blinding light,
They think He could die?
Look around and see the Life abound,
of His creations on land and sea,
and still you say that this mere clay
Could outlast He?
Oh, no, my friend it would be the end
for us who are but mortals
If He who caused us to be
Should pass through deaths portals.
"God is alive," some have said, and
This is their surmise,
But when I hear this senseless jeer
I wonder if they have eyes.
Have they seen on a night serene
The stars as they go by?
And seen them shine as they keep time
in their paths across the sky?
They are to small to know who created the Sun
and placed the stars in the sky,
and made them bright with blinding light,
They think He could be alive?
Look around and see the Life abound,
of natural selection on land and sea,
and still you say that this is magic?
Could out-evolve a tree?
Oh, no, my friend it would be the end
for us who are but mortals
If what caused us to be
Is nothing more than deaths portals.
Amazing to give a myth an approval rating.
Yes. How silly. You're the real God (in your own mind). We should join you in your worship of yourself.
Stan? Or SAtan???
I confess I have a very high approval of the Egyptian goddess Bast.
Amen brother!!!!!
Approval of God?? Really?? What this country lacks is humility. HOW ABOUT TRUSTING IN HIM? You do not approve of God now...LOL! ....wait until the worst parts of the bible. It will only be then that you wished you were "caught up" in the Second Coming as you will not want to be here then.
Yes, do trust in him. Just look at how well he has rewarded Howard Camping financaly for trusting in him. Telovangelests too. Though the christians in Egypt might be wondering a little
Stupid poll. We are here by the grace of God, not the other way around. He rates us, not us rating Him.
Really? Is that what you read in your book that was written thousands of years ago and reproduced by hand countless items by people who added/deleted whatever they wanted?
AMEN!!!!
@secularbear
where are you getting your info?A scribe in Israel was under extreme scrutiny, when it came to copying the scriptures.The Dead Sea scrolls have yielded,an almost complete cannon of Old Testament books(scrolls)that are incredibly detailed and accurate to the texts we have today.These Dead Sea copies date 1st century BCE and were found in caves surrounding the community at Qumran, Israel.Where do you have proof as to the changing you describe?
Which god? The one with the beard who's always mad, or the elephant one with the six arms? Or the one with the toga?
I wish people would clarify which god they are talking about and believing in. There are so many. Please be kind and clarify
The real God is invisible, and we do not know if He has any physical form, and why should He? He is not an angry being but the One who loves us so much, even though we do much to displease Him, that He send His son Jesus to take away our sins, giving us salvation from the death we deserve. This is a point that you will sniff at, but you had best be thinking hard about what happens upon your death. How sure are you?
Ken – you are a typical smug christian. You're trying to scare me into believing your silly fables. How can any thinking person believe that their god sent his own son – who is himself – to die a brutally painful death, in order to save humanity from himself? It doesn't even make sense. Your religion is quite stupid.
If you were a thinking person, you would understand. Really, it's quite simple, but I suppose you already know all things.
Kenneth Godfrey
The real God is invisible, and we do not know if He has any physical form, and why should He? He is not an angry being but the One who loves us so much, even though we do much to displease Him, that He send His son Jesus to take away our sins, giving us salvation from the death we deserve. This is a point that you will sniff at, but you had best be thinking hard about what happens upon your death. How sure are you?
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Your faith is in man and his written word....how sure are you. I don't put my faith in man.
Lets say a man really did exist name jesus 2000 years ago. Lets start with the birth. A woman becomes pregnant not by her husband but claims it to be a god. A child is born...by definiton is a bas ta rd because the mother couldn't keep her legs closed. The mother keeps the story going in her child's mind. Child groes up and thinks he can do magic. He thinks he has conversations with his father (a god). Creates a small cult with followers. He doesnt have any relations with women but sleeps and lives daily with men (good chance he was hom ose xu al). He goes to his death because of his "visions" and beliefs. His followers like others we have seen in cults go to their death because of the magic man. The writers of his "story" never met or knew jesus. 2000 years and people put their faith in these men. People have their own "self imposed" experiences liek we see in other religions and beliefs. Hmmm I think I will just accept the word direct from whatever gods are out there. Until then I won't sweat the end.
OK..we are asking the creature to judge his creator. Our creator is identified as TRUTH, LOVE and LIFE itself.
I think that saying anything negative about God ,says more about us and our spirituality than about Him.
Yes, God should be called HIM not "it ". Too many people judge God by their well being in this temporary earthly life.
While we may feel powerless to achieve happiness here ,God has given us control over our ultimate fate.
I say, ask me this question again in about 100 years from now.......
Or even ask that question as death approches. We must be sure, and I think that most people do not even consider this as being important. All live for today, and for themselves.
You're f@#$ing with me now aren't you!
CNN and all those poll-sters can suck my big, fat, hairy k0k. 100% grade "A" meat, with 100% public approval rate. Mm mm good!
100% approval?! AND all natural?! All of us here at CNN can learn a little something from this "Fat One." Ohhh, come now! Fill us with your juicy wisdom!!!
Anderson, be careful. Our studies show that most public approval polls can be easily manipulated by the polling body and, thus, are an untrustworthy source for credible public analysis. Looks like yet another 360 twist, brought to you by the spin doctors of American news broadcasting!
Ok, so what if my demogogue consisted only of employees at the ACLU? If 100% of these people happen to agree, then we have substantial evidence that 100% of the American population also approves of my massive (totally natural) member. This is not manipulation. No, this is truth as we know it, people. Hate to break it to you Fareed, but, in this world, majority always rules, however you may crunch the numbers!
Anderson, I'll meet you after the show 😉
Folks, I have one thing to say and one thing only...If CNN says it is true, then it is true. Do not question my authority.
Fat One, you've got a lot of balls. And It knows, Mother Earth could use more care-takers like you. You're hired!
This is, CNN.
Thank you, Ted. I am truly honored...now, down on you knees...
"zzzip"
Oh the irony. It just kills me. Now we're the ones sitting in judement on God?? What complete nonsense.
It's easy to get the idea (from reading many of the entries) that we as Americans have truly lost any reverence or respect for God. The truth of the matter is that those of us who identify with the "Christian" faith can point fingers and shift blame in a dozen different directions. The real facts are that WE as Christians bare much of the responsibility for our wayward nation. What right do we have to expect that "lost" people are going to have respect for God. For Pete's sake, that's why they're "lost". The "world' is only doing what comes naturally. The problem is that WE as Christians haven't kept the faith.
If the message repeated over and over from the lost is that they've never seen God, then who's to blame? Them? Nope. It's we as Christians who are to blame. Aren't they suppose to "see" God through us? Aren't we supposed to reflect God's character, love, patience, kindness, gentleness, self control....etc.
We as Christians have allowed ourselves to become indistiguishable to others around us. Rather than being "salt and light" to a lost and VERY unbelieving world, we've simply blended in and become unfruitful, irrelevent, and insignificant. We as Christians have allowed the line between right and wrong to become so fuzzy that we don't even seem to be able to distinguish the real thing. When preachers, pastors, evangelists can stand up in front of a congregation of people and not even mention the Cross, or Salvation, or Sin, or Repentence...but rather preach a whole sermon on how God wants you to get your house paid for, or how God desires that you have an airplane, or how God wants you to sow a seed of $50.00 in his kingdom and in return you'll get some holy water to "anoint" your unpaid bills....then something is terribly wrong. No wonder we're become a laughing stock to an unbelieving world. I wouldn't believe either.
When there's hypocrisy allowed, even condoned (I'm talking to you Catholic Church), when there's $exual scandal, when there's a fixation on money and weath, when the divorce rate among "church-goers" rivals that among non church-goers...then how do we as Christians have any right whatsoever to expect that among the masses there's nothing but contempt for Christians (and the God they worship).
Wow, you're Christian, and you admit it?
I respect your effort to improve yourself and your community, it's a noble endeavor, even if I disagree with the motivation and direction.
However, I don't agree that we non-believers, are lost and to treat us as such is one of the things that get so-called militant Atheists so militant. Discuss things rationally and we will all get along better.
Thank you.
The level of stupidity of the religious pleople is bigger than the universe itself.
There are only two religions in the world: the RIGHT one, which of couse is YOURS, and the others.
Nonimus – You have to understand that from the Christian perspective, we ARE lost. That's their view, and I respect that. Stop looking for things to be offended by.
To the original poster – I was uplifted to read your post even though I am agnostic. Just to see someone that actually evidences common sense in these trying times is refreshing. Honestly, religion or not, open-minded people should be able to have an intelligent mature discussion even when their views are diametrically opposed.
You seem open to that concept and I salute you.
Mark
It's easy to get the idea (from reading many of the entries) that we as Americans have truly lost any reverence or respect for God.
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Don't worry, Zues fell out of favor and now sits on the Mythology shelf. But don't worry, when Jesus and God lose their glitter, man will replace them with another. We always have since caveman.
@Dave in Portland,
I was trying to point out that referring to someone else as lost is a bit condescending and approaching people with more rational or non-emotional arguments might be a better approach.
But thank you for missing the point and stop being condescending yourself.
AMEN!!! What a breath of fresh air that was
How many gods are there people believe in?
God has angles, Satan has demons.
My god and religion are real and true.
YOUR religion is just a pile of bull poo.
They say there’s only ONE god to believe in.
If you don’t believe, it’s the ultimate sin.
No more Zeus, Odin, or Thor, MY hero.
We’re just one god away from the true number…. ZERO.
wonderful. Thank you.
Very clever. (... if you use it again, be sure to change 'angles' to 'angels' - and the first line needs polishing)
those who write upon these blogs
roll their crap in little logs
those who believe in oneones wit
eat those little logs of...
What's God's approval (or disapproval) rate of humanity?
I heard it was around... oops, nevermind.
I expected to see way more "RAWR! GOD IS REAL AND YOU ARE ALL GOING TO BURN IN HELL" responses. I am pleasantly surprised.
No, we have better things to do than argue with fools on CNN.
IT DOSN'T MATTER – YOU WILL SOON SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN YOU LEAVE THIS LIFE AND MEET HIM – WE WILL GET EVERYTHING WE DESERVE AND SOME WILL NOT LIKE WHAT THEY GET
if there is a GAWD, he is totally hands off on Earth, this is just an experience playground for our souls, totally wide open, chance be damned, good luck suckers!
Oh well, now that I've heard the facts I guess I'll turn atheist... oh wait a minute.
Figures that this poll was done by Dems. Not hard to figure out what's wrong in Washington.
Yeah, not enough Zeus. I agree.
Totally needs more Zeus.
I'm not brainwashed by religion, but I can't help but see the beauty of creation – if you will. Deep within us, at least with myself and others I know, there is something that cries out to a Supreme Being...hoping in His reality...to get some type of revelation to give one hope in a world that right now appears very hopeless. All these things going on in all the countries just boils down to "self"...we want our way...we want to feel good no matter what it does to others. It may be that if we thought about others first along with doing what is right even if it cost us something...things would be much better. The way things are now is not working for any of us.
The appropriate answer when you don't know is "I don't know".
Honestly, you nailed it. People should have the capacity for goodness regardless of whether you believe in a God or not.
Respect, integrity, responsibility, and empathy are HUMAN characteristics, not religiously inspired attributes. Those who are only good out of fear of damnation are not truly good. A truly good person is so because that is how they feel inside.
My point is being proven by every non believers post.... Keep it up! Don't you feel better? THEY JUST DON'T GET IT!! For us that do, to him be the glory.....
"Get it"? Get what, a bunch of silly Bronze Age fables passed down verbally by sheepherders?
I love how religious types act like they "know" something we don't.
Speaking on behalf of the "48%ers":
The Apostles' Creed 2011: (updated by yours truly based on the studies of NT historians and theologians during the past 200 years)
I might believe in a god whose existence cannot be proven
and said god if he/she/it exists resides in an unproven,
human-created, spirit state of bliss called heaven.
I believe there was a 1st century CE, Jewish, simple,
preacher-man who was conceived by a Jewish carpenter
named Joseph living in Nazareth and born of a young Jewish
girl named Mary. (Some say he was a mamzer.)
Jesus was summarily crucified for being a temple rabble-rouser by
the Roman troops in Jerusalem serving under Pontius Pilate,
He was buried in an unmarked grave and still lies
a-mouldering in the ground somewhere outside of
Jerusalem.
Said Jesus' story was embellished and "mythicized" by
many semi-fiction writers. A bodily resurrection and
ascension stories were promulgated to compete with the
Caesar myths. Said stories were so popular that they
grew into a religion known today as Catholicism/Christianity
and featuring dark-age, daily wine to blood and bread to body rituals
called the eucharistic sacrifice of the non-atoning Jesus.
Amen
Reality–you missed, however, one other crucial reality. The first apostles were killed because of their faith in the very same Jesus you (to your credit) admit existed and died in Jerusalem. They went to their grave knowing that if they simply rejected the story of the resurrection (to which they claimed to be first hand witnesses), their lives might have been spared–but they allowed themselves to be martyred anyway. Some (perhaps many) people might die because they believe in a lie, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find any one person (let alone 12) who would die knowing that their belief was a lie–that "testimony" alone (although there is more) is sufficient for me to accept the truth of the resurrection. If the only proof of the "bodily resurrection" and "ascension stories" were the words of the people who say they are witnesses, then the proof if hearsay (not necessarily wrong, just lacks complete credibility). But this wasn't simply words–it was deeds–to the point of death that credits the story. God Bless.
Sorry...is hearsay
The "martyred" apostles ran afoul of Roman political and religious authorities because they preached and baptized for the conversion (and profit) to a non-Roman way of life. This support of an anti-Roman cult resulted in the typical murder/crucifixion of the cult leaders. The apostles' conversions also caused a dramatic drop in Roman/Jewish temple appearances and contributions and just like Jesus' Jewish temple outburst, it resulted in added punishment to include crucifixion if you believe the martyr legends.
To wit:
Paul's death appears to be heavily embellished. See Professor JD Crossan's book, In Search of Paul, p. 401 for a good review of the history of his ma-rtyrdom i.e. Paul (as was Peter) was rounded up along with many Christians in Ne-ro's purge of the c-ult using the great fire of Rome as the pretext for the exec-utions. No special death wishes granted. It was a group execu-tion. (hyphens added to get around the secret word filter used on this blog).
.O.K. 82 Branch Davidians willingly chose to burn to death rather that give up their faith in David Koresh. Just because people die horrible agonizing deaths for something they believe in doesn’t prove it’s real
I disapprove, dammit! lol
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
From Raymond Brown’s, An Introduction to the New Testament, pp 761-772, 2 Peter was the last canonical work written i.e. ~ 130 AD, author unknown. Tis a bit dated for use in claiming reliable history plus the verse is not from Jesus or Peter but some possible remembrance of a scribe.
Got2,
The words and thoughts of the person(s) who wrote the Book of Peter - nothing more.
Sounds like a ploy to get his poll number up!
19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[e]
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:19-24
Interesting how this sample of scripture infers that even those who are inocent or good suffer and endure and that it is "commendable before God". So yes, people will suffer in this world, but God sees the suffering and will reward those who endure. Please do not assume that this means he causes suffering or that God takes pleasure in suffering.
So, in your view, god enjoys watching people suffer (with a smile) and then he rewards them. And you wonder why I don't believe your nasty gibberish.
For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. (Matt. 16:27–28)