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January 10th, 2012
04:18 PM ET
Survey: U.S. Protestant pastors reject evolution, split on Earth's ageBy Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor America’s Protestant pastors overwhelmingly reject the theory of evolution and are evenly split on whether the earth is 6,000 years old, according to a survey released Monday by the Southern Baptist Convention. When asked if “God used evolution to create people," 73% of pastors disagreed - 64% said they strongly disagreed - compared to 12% who said they agree. Asked whether the earth is approximately 6,000 years old, 46% agreed, compared to 43% who disagreed. A movement called Young Earth creationism promotes the 6,000-year-old figure, arguing that it is rooted in the Bible. Scientists say the earth is about 4.5 billion years old. The Southern Baptist Convention survey, which queried 1,000 American Protestant pastors, also found that 74% believe the biblical Adam and Eve were literal people. “Recently discussions have pointed to doubts about a literal Adam and Eve, the age of the earth and other origin issues," said Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, a division of the Southern Baptist Convention, in a report on LifeWay’s site. “But Protestant pastors are overwhelmingly Creationists and believe in a literal Adam and Eve.” The phone survey was conducted in May 2011, sampling ministers from randomly selected Protestant churches. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percent, LifeWay said. A 2010 Gallup poll found that 40% of Americans believe God created humans in their present form, versus 54% who said humans developed over millions of years. soundoff (6,504 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 Next »
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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 hope all relegious people are taken away by thier god soon...
Awesome! I totally agree
If I were asked if “God used evolution to create people", I would strongly disagree, too. But that would, of course, not be because I thing that evolution isn't real, but simply because there are no gods.
Evolution is farce??? Religion is consistent in its beliefs??? Let's review, pastors are split 50/50 on whether they think the earth is 6000 years old when there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary. People once were convinced the earth was flat and the sun revolved around the earth and at that time people "believed" it to be true because they wanted it to be true and they were skeptical of the scientists that had evidence that contradicted it. It took hundreds of years for people to accept it as fact instead of a theory. Just because you believe doesn't make it true and who says religion is consistent in its beliefs. There are countless religions out there with different beliefs. Are all of them true or are you arrogant enough to say outloud that your religion is right and all the others are wrong???
We had better hope that religion is not consistent in its beliefs. Otherwise these blaspheming protestant pastors (may they be touched by the light of His noodly appendage) would still be out there burning witches. I never could understand why they ducked them in the village pond first – it makes them so hard to light.
why do idiots intermix the THEORY (again the THEORY) of evolution with moronic teachings that the earth is only 6000 years old? 1) the Bible does not say the earth is 6000 years old and 2) there is intelligent design
You're obviously a little weak on the meaning of the word theory as used by the scientific community aren't you. You manage to use it as a form of a curse word..
Actually the bible does say that. It also says if you wear clothing of 2 fabrics or work on Saturday you must be put to death. Why do you hate god's word? Enjoy eternity in hell buddy. God doesn't like people lying about what he wrote in his book.
Looks at the idiot who doesn't understand the use of the word "theory"
Like "electronics theory"..... yea, just a theory.
If they believe in a literal Adam and Eve to be just as the Bible says, then they must believe that the snake back then could actually talk. If we all look the same as Eve and Adam today, why aren't all the snakes still speaking to us?
Who said you look like EVE?
The seven ministers who think we haven't changed since the Garden of Eden.
Does it matter if the serpent talked or if it was just Moses using language that his people could understand?
The visual of Eve is not in the Bible that I know of and was not mentioned.
snakes still talk only now they like to be called atheists
So Fred, you're admitting the Bible is a lie and is unreliable? Good to know. Hope your god didn't read that. You're gonna be a little toasty for a long time.
And this is why I no longer attend church services – I cannot relate to people who doubt the obvious and believe in the words of a book written long ago. Bishop John Shelby Spong has a book why religion must change or die – I think religion is on life support.
Some religions do not hold this view, so to stay out of churches for that reason is... Dare I say it? ...irrational. In technical terms, you've committed a hasty generalization (a logical fallacy).
kind of interesting that true faith has never died though many societies have tried to ban or eliminate through banning or even torture; i fact, tough times has always resulted in a stronger and more vigorous faith. You only need to look at countries like China to see what happens to a persecuted church
Religion survives due to ignorance and lack of education – people in China have no hope so they need something false to put their hope in – a reward that makes enduring worthwhile.
And that, Bill, is begging-the-question. Religion only survives due to ignorance, since all religious people are ignorant. (You're assuming what you're trying to prove.) The fact is that very many intelligent people have been, and are, believers also, and this includes many scientists. Your conclusions are far more universal than your evidence (not a good sign) and, to top it all off, it's a very unscientific way to argue.
Religion only survives due to ignorance
Exactly what are most Christians ignorant of? Just one please
(Fred, just to be sure you understand what I'm saying. I'm not saying Christians are ignorant. I'm pointing out the fallacy in Bill's reasoning.)
It is not ignorance when the evidence is visible . It is something else.
Philosopher , Thanks
@fred why are you using my name and why are you following me around the boards?
Philosopher, it's funny that you used religion and logic in the same sentence.
This only proves that 7 out 10 pastors are complete idiots. This is a political issue and only one of many planks in the religious right fanatic platform. Pastors need to stick to faith issues and leave science with scientists.
lol...sure I believe in evolution. I also believe If I wait long enough, the pile of rust in the junkyard will be a brand new car. Everything in nature decays as it progresses and you expect me to believe in evolution?
"""Everything in nature decays as it progresses and you expect me to believe in evolution?"""
The answer is: everything in nature does NOT decay as it progresses. And yes, if you had any understanding of science you WOULD accept the theory of evolution.
crazyvermont, Your basic error is not knowing the difference between a car and a live organism. Your second mistake is not knowing any biophysics.
Let me suggest;
"An Introduction to Entropy-and-Evolution and The Second Law of Thermodynamics"
http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/origins/thermo.htm
Don't bother Dr. His mind will just reject it, just like Neo realizing that he's been living in the Matrix and puking. Except in this guys case, he'll just run back to the chair and stick that plug back into his skull.
This shouldn't be a surprise. Most Protestant pastors know the Bible and Christian doctrine backwards and forwards, but a scant few know anything about the science proving human evolution took place. And there are very, very few books that present the evidence favoring human evolution in a way that is definitive and easy understand. The two books that really sealed the deal for me were Sean Carroll's "The Making of the Fittest" and Daniel Fairbanks' "Relics of Eden."
Also, "Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why it Matters" by Donald Prothero (no relation to Stephen Prothero that I know of) is very well done, clear and informative.
Those bible nuts should learn to read Chinese.
This should definitively answer the question of whether or not we want a religious fanatic sitting in the White House. NO THANK YOU.
That's truly frightening. For so many to think a super being created our universe and everything else our imagination can drum up goes to prove there are no free thinking human's, just zombies marching to the beat of the religious zealots.
But in genesis it says, first there were the plants, and then the insects, and then the beasts and then man. That's evolution.
That is stupid.
In other news....88% of Pastors live in the Bronze Age.
Right you are!
They not only live in the Bronze age, they have turned to Bronze.
we are a nation of idiots on the path to major decline.
Thanks to all the religions of the USA!!
God IS evolution. 'Nuff said.
And I am 550 years old!!!
See it's not that hard to randomly say things.
Religion is so easy – you don't have to think at all.
and I am Betty Crocker.
And which God – the Christen God or the Jewish God? And lets not forget the Muslim God. All descendants of Abraham. All kill each other in the name of their God. Whose God is it?
There is only one God for all; people have sliced his spirit into tiny segments. When we cross over we'll just all bang into each other. 🙂
There is one idea of God – there is really no God.
I don't find it hard to believe that 7 out of 10 pastors have not evolved.
Good one!!
I don't either, look who they are listening to for the Republican Presidential contenders.
Pathetic.
I wonder how the poll would have come out if it was entirely anonymous and there was no chance that they that answered the questions would be held to the fire of their perishoners for their answers? Or rather, if the pastors knew that there was no chance of it being a hoax poll or something that they'd get noted for answering.
This proves that ignorance abounds. Stupid, stupid sheep.
Christina Hendricks is the only proof I'd accept of Intelligent Design....