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1 in 4 Americans unaware that Earth circles Sun

Cardinal said:
Evolution, Creationism, Intelligent Design | Gallup Historical Trends -- 44% (we covered this one already)
Poll: Creationism Trumps Evolution - CBS News -- 55%
Public -- 33%
The Latest Polls on Creationism and Evolution | NCSE -- citing an earlier gallup poll with results of -- 35%
Belief in evolution up since 2004 -- 37"
Fox News Poll: Most Believe Prayer Heals, 45 Percent Believe in Creationism | Fox News -- 45%
Harris Interactive: Harris Polls > Americans -- 36%

See a pattern?
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I live in Georgia and I can tell you it isn't an all or nothing type of thing when it comes to creationism and evolution. To make it out that way seems wrong to me. A couple of very religious neighbors who live across the road from me truly believe god created the heavens and the earth. But as to the means, they also believe in evolution and the big bang theory. Now this isn't a whole lot of people to go by, but as religious as they are, I would assume their believe that god created everything and that evolution happened is the norm. But then again, I know what assumptions do to you.

As for how old the earth is, my old boss was also very religious. He once told me no where in the bible does it say how old it is. It doesn't matter how old the earth is as long as one has faith in god and Jesus. A man trying to count up generations to find out what only god knows will not be successful. Interesting aspects these religious folks have. But to me it tells me among them creationism and evolution definitely is not an all one and none of the other proposition. They can very easily exists side by side and together. In fact according to those I know, they do.
 
Perotista said:
I live in Georgia and I can tell you it isn't an all or nothing type of thing when it comes to creationism and evolution. To make it out that way seems wrong to me. A couple of very religious neighbors who live across the road from me truly believe god created the heavens and the earth. But as to the means, they also believe in evolution and the big bang theory. Now this isn't a whole lot of people to go by, but as religious as they are, I would assume their believe that god created everything and that evolution happened is the norm. But then again, I know what assumptions do to you.

As for how old the earth is, my old boss was also very religious. He once told me no where in the bible does it say how old it is. It doesn't matter how old the earth is as long as one has faith in god and Jesus. A man trying to count up generations to find out what only god knows will not be successful. Interesting aspects these religious folks have. But to me it tells me among them creationism and evolution definitely is not an all one and none of the other proposition. They can very easily exists side by side and together. In fact according to those I know, they do.
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And that's why trusting your own anecdotal evidence or "real life observation" only explains your personal experience of what is immediately around you, and not the larger truth.

I "knew" that Bush was going to be voted out in 2004 because "everyone" knew he was so awful, just as Republicans "knew" that Obama was going to be tossed out in 2012. Point is, you can't trust your own bubble.

I don't actually doubt that people are more complex irl than the simplified picture that polls often present, but somebody keeps picking the "Creationism" choice in all these polls, and the number of those somebodies always seems to be in the mid to high 30's.
 
APACHERAT said:
I believe the 2008 and 2012 Presidental elections showed that.
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The two elections before that might even be worse. ;)


Jerry said:
This is why teacher unions need to just STFU about their pay.
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I don't agree. What they pay soldiers, cops, firemen, nurses and teachers is abysmal for the amount of heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears they put in.
If I were a teacher, I'd want to beat every kid into submission because their parents spoil them rotten, telling them they can do no wrong.


lizzie said:
Yes indeed. Scary thought that so many Americans are that ignorant. It makes me wonder what they do indeed think- that the earth is just out here floating in space, and there is no relationship between the planets, sun, moon, stars, and everything else the universe consists of? Do they not think at all about where they are? That frankly just blows my mind.
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Their worlds are small and their general knowledge, not well rounded. I find young teenagers hyper intelligent in some areas or subjects (technology), but they struggle to spell properly or know about basic information. Society is failing these kids by giving them what they want, instead of structure and a foundation. Parents are afraid of their children, not liking them.


Kal'Stang said:
This don't surprise me any. I have a friend who's friend back east didn't even know what a star was and had never even seen one before...besides the obviousness of our sun being a star...but to him it wasn't a "star"..it was The Sun. (its what happens when you live in big cities your entire life I guess...)
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Some people who are street smart (NYC) are almost like Hillbillies, in a similar fashion of being knowledgable about their immediate surroundings. They don't have a lot of schooling but they can impress you about how well they survive in their jungle.
 
specklebang said:
I really question the validity of these supposed surveys. Even I know that the Sun revolves around the earth :roll:eek:r we would have days and nights.

I've read other surveys that claim 80% of Americans believe in Angels. So, tell me, does anyone here believe that there are Angels (I'm not asking about "God" - I'm asking about Angels who may or may not be servants of God).

I think these myths are created for shock value. This is how these Groups or Foundations apply for grants and donations, by "alarming" us that we are so very dumb. Sure, there are some incredibly dumb people but 25%? Really?
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Rotation of the earth causes Day and Night, not solar orbit. I assume you just misspoke.
 
No surprise here. The ultimate cynic, I would have guessed it to be higher. :mrgreen:
 
Cardinal said:
And that's why trusting your own anecdotal evidence or "real life observation" only explains your personal experience of what is immediately around you, and not the larger truth.

I "knew" that Bush was going to be voted out in 2004 because "everyone" knew he was so awful, just as Republicans "knew" that Obama was going to be tossed out in 2012. Point is, you can't trust your own bubble.

I don't actually doubt that people are more complex irl than the simplified picture that polls often present, but somebody keeps picking the "Creationism" choice in all these polls, and the number of those somebodies always seems to be in the mid to high 30's.
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True, pollsters want one or the other answers. Like most polls try to put the electorate in either the Republican camp or the Democratic one. You are either conservative or liberal, left or right. But most people are neither. Going by the latest Gallup results as of 8 January, 24% of Americans view themselves as Republicans, 29% as Democrats and the rest, 47% as neither or as they call them, independents.

But with this last group pollsters keep after them until they will identify with one or the other political party, it is probably the same with creationism and evolution, which one do you believe in the most, the least, but will not take an answer that says both and that evolution may even be part of the creationism theory. Like they will not take the answer of I dislike both parties.
 
jonny5 said:
Rotation of the earth causes Day and Night, not solar orbit. I assume you just misspoke.
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Actually, I was being facetious about the Sun orbiting the earth and the resulting creation of days and nights. I am actually aware that the earth rotates on its axis every day and orbits the sun in the course of a year. So, I deliberately "misspoke".

A lesser person might have used this to ridicule me. So, I wanted to acknowledge your classy way of letting me off the hook, by trying to correct me without trying to embarrass me.

Respect,
Specklebang
 
Perotista said:
True, pollsters want one or the other answers. Like most polls try to put the electorate in either the Republican camp or the Democratic one. You are either conservative or liberal, left or right. But most people are neither. Going by the latest Gallup results as of 8 January, 24% of Americans view themselves as Republicans, 29% as Democrats and the rest, 47% as neither or as they call them, independents.

But with this last group pollsters keep after them until they will identify with one or the other political party, it is probably the same with creationism and evolution, which one do you believe in the most, the least, but will not take an answer that says both and that evolution may even be part of the creationism theory. Like they will not take the answer of I dislike both parties.
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Most if not all of the polls I linked to distinguished between evolution, intelligent design and creationism as options. What's the point in denying that there is a sizable percentage of creationists?
 
Cardinal said:
Many more people are young earth creationists. I'm happily surprised that a percentage of those are willing to admit that the earth orbits the sun.
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Who knows, they could have been some of the liberal hipsters that are into the "organic" and "natural" craze and want to claim how vaccines harm children and that anything can be cured through herbs and "alternative" non-science based wives tales and traditional treatments.
 
Cardinal said:
Most if not all of the polls I linked to distinguished between evolution, intelligent design and creationism as options. What's the point in denying that there is a sizable percentage of creationists?
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I never said there's not. But most creationist or those who believe god created the heavens and the earth also do not dismiss evolution as a fancy. They embrace both. One or the other is not exclusionary. One doesn't have to believe one is right and the other wrong. In other words one can believe god created the earth and mankind, yet believe this process came about through the evolutionary process. The means of how everything was created is not mention, this leaves the gate open to all sorts of interpretations and either acceptance or not of all sorts of theories. But the the main theme not to be debunked, if that is the right word, is god created.

Evolution or creationism is not take one and leave the other proposition. But who knows what science will discover tomorrow that make a known theory and some call as fact today, yesterdays flat earth or the universe revolves around the earth theory. One can never be sure. The important thing is the quest of knowledge. That is all I am saying and all I have to say.
 
All in all I am not surprised. We have people here who worship Sarah Palin's political "career". There are people on DP who absolutely love the Koch brothers because...well, they can't actually articulate it, they just love them. There are people here who believe Obama is the best thing that could have happened to America at this point in time. There are people here who believe that God is opposed to mixed race marriages. I would venture to guess that at least a third of the people on DP can't name the Speaker of the House or the Sec. of State.

A hell of a lot of Democrats believe that everyone should be provided with a free college education. A hell of a lot of Republicans believe that prisons, police forces, and schools should be private entities funded by government.

Does the OP surprise me? Not a damn bit.
 
I call bull****.

People may seem stupid, but they can't be THAT dumb.


Right?

RIGHT?
 
Cardinal said:
Individually they certainly can be. But taken in tandem with multiple other polls you can actually get a pretty good picture of the truth. And this strategy will always give more accurate results than your "real life observation." If I did what you did, I could conclude that half of all people are Mexican and everyone wants to be in show business.
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Yep, nobody ever polls us and I can certainly see your point living in LA.
 
Perotista said:
True, pollsters want one or the other answers. Like most polls try to put the electorate in either the Republican camp or the Democratic one. You are either conservative or liberal, left or right. But most people are neither. Going by the latest Gallup results as of 8 January, 24% of Americans view themselves as Republicans, 29% as Democrats and the rest, 47% as neither or as they call them, independents.

But with this last group pollsters keep after them until they will identify with one or the other political party, it is probably the same with creationism and evolution, which one do you believe in the most, the least, but will not take an answer that says both and that evolution may even be part of the creationism theory. Like they will not take the answer of I dislike both parties.
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You have also factor in the folks that call themselves Republican, or Democrat, but don't have any idea what Right Wing and Left Wing are.
 
apdst said:
You have also factor in the folks that call themselves Republican, or Democrat, but don't have any idea what Right Wing and Left Wing are.
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True, but that was just an example.
 
Summerwind said:
Okay, I'm going to be an educated bitch now. In fact the earth does not "circle" the sun, it "orbits" around the sun, it might even "revolve" around the sun, but it isn't a "circle" and unfortunately in today's education-less level, it might give some the idea that orbits are circular, which they effectively are not.
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It is all relative.
Here is evidence for what you say.


 
digsbe said:
Who knows, they could have been some of the liberal hipsters that are into the "organic" and "natural" craze and want to claim how vaccines harm children and that anything can be cured through herbs and "alternative" non-science based wives tales and traditional treatments.
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If they do believe in Creationism it's probably to do with Gaia or a holographic universe.
 
Perotista said:
I never said there's not. But most creationist or those who believe god created the heavens and the earth also do not dismiss evolution as a fancy. They embrace both. One or the other is not exclusionary. One doesn't have to believe one is right and the other wrong. In other words one can believe god created the earth and mankind, yet believe this process came about through the evolutionary process. .
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That's intelligent design.


Perotista said:
The means of how everything was created is not mention, this leaves the gate open to all sorts of interpretations and either acceptance or not of all sorts of theories. But the the main theme not to be debunked, if that is the right word, is god created.

Evolution or creationism is not take one and leave the other proposition. But who knows what science will discover tomorrow that make a known theory and some call as fact today, yesterdays flat earth or the universe revolves around the earth theory. One can never be sure. The important thing is the quest of knowledge. That is all I am saying and all I have to say.
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No big surprise. This is why the government we have is such a mess, ventured so far from when it was built. I would guess that every person involved in writing the Constitution would know the facts of the day.

But we now have a government that is effectively the product of these morons that don't know what time it is. You tell them we are $17,000,000,000,000 in debt, and they go ahead and put people in office that will just make it worse.
 
grip said:
1 in 4 Americans unaware that Earth circles Sun




I thought this article was about America prior to Galileo? Scary.... :shock:
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Although I wouldn't put it past people to be this dumb, I have to wonder how accurate these results are. I know I frequently pay no attention whatsoever to surveys, and just give random answers. I wonder if that's also true of this one?
 
grip said:
Polls are meaningless, except the exit polls, which are about 100% correct. This wasn't an opinion poll, it was a knowledge poll.
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What evidence is there that no one lied? "100% correct" bwahaha were you trying to be funny?
 
molten_dragon said:
Although I wouldn't put it past people to be this dumb, I have to wonder how accurate these results are. I know I frequently pay no attention whatsoever to surveys, and just give random answers. I wonder if that's also true of this one?
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I often give stupid answers to stupid questions (especially if someone corners me in a mall wanting me to answer some questions for a survey)
 
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