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Religion
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Title: Americans believe in God -- and hell, UFOs, witches, astrology: poll (and miracles - we could use one)
Source: Raw Story
URL Source: http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Americ ... n_God_and_hell_U_12042007.html
Published: Dec 4, 2007
Author: AFP
Post Date: 2007-12-04 17:15:46 by robin
Keywords: None
Views: 4593
Comments: 110

An overwhelming majority of Americans believe in God and signicant numbers also think that UFOs, the devil and ghosts exist, a poll showed Tuesday.

The survey by Harris Online showed that 82 percent of adult Americans believe in God and a slightly smaller percentage -- 79 percent -- believe in miracles.

More than 70 percent of the 2,455 adults surveyed between November 7 and 13 said they believe in heaven and angels, while more than six in 10 said they believed in hell and the devil.

Almost equal numbers said they believe in Darwin's theory of evolution (42 percent) -- the belief that populations evolve over time through natural selection -- and creationism (39 percent) -- the theory that God created mankind.

Seventy percent of Americans said they were very (21 percent) or somewhat (49 percent) religious, while around one-third of those polled also said they believe in UFOs, witches and astrology.

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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 19.

#1. To: (#0)

The predilection toward belief in nonsense owes a great deal to both government schools and the church. Neither (especially the church) encourages critical thinking and analysis.

Michael Shermer of the Skeptic Society speculated that people ascribe to these kinds of beliefs to give their lives meaning.

Alan Chapman  posted on  2007-12-04   17:33:02 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

Michael Shermer of the Skeptic Society speculated that people ascribe to these kinds of beliefs to give their lives meaning.

And yet, when CSICOP was presented with statistically significant evidence of astrology, they refused to acknowledge it and half the board members quit in a huff.

Skeptics are just a different type of fanatic.

Indrid Cold  posted on  2007-12-04   17:55:12 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

Skeptics count the misses in addition to the hits. They don't count only the hits, discard the misses, and then conclude that the hits constitute compelling evidence. Skeptics use double-blind tests to validate claims.

Confusing correlation with causation is a common mistake. For example, take the claim that "strange behavior" takes place during a full moon. It certainly does, but it also takes place when there is no full moon. BTW, there is no statistical evidence than more strange behavior takes place during a full moon. People simply tend to notice it more because they expect to see it.

Statistically significant evidence of astrology? Let's see it.

Alan Chapman  posted on  2007-12-04   18:52:46 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

Statistically significant evidence of astrology? Let's see it.

Here ya go. A long read, but interesting. Written by one of the founders of CSICOP.

http://cura.free.fr/xv/14starbb.html

Indrid Cold  posted on  2007-12-04   19:11:43 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

I read the article. Unfortunately, most of it consists of accusations of a conspiracy rather than a presentation of scientific evidence.

The contention revolves around something called the Mars Effect. Advocates of the Mars Effect make the common mistake of concluding that two events that occur together share a causal relation. I could point out that there is more traffic on the roads when the sun occupies certain positions in the sky, but the events aren't causally related. It's just a coincidence. It's quite possible that countless other coincidences could be mistakenly attributed to the Mars Effect. For example, suppose it was shown that there is an increase in the number of pizza deliveries when Mars occupies certain sectors.

Alan Chapman  posted on  2007-12-05   11:59:18 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

Advocates of the Mars Effect make the common mistake of concluding that two events that occur together share a causal relation.

I think we all know that corellation does not equal causation. To prove causation, we must conduct an experiment and force babies born during those times and control times to become famous athletes, then see which group was more successful in achieving that end.

But you asked for an example of statistically significant astrology, so I sent you that. Doubtless you can find the original articles online, but it's probably a lot easier just to dismiss the thing out of hand as "coincidence".

Indrid Cold  posted on  2007-12-05   14:18:46 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

#20. To: Indrid Cold (#19)

I Googled "Mars Effect" after I read the article and didn't find any substantiation, only regurgitation of the original claims and refutation.

In order to prove causation it would be necessary to isolate the subjects from countless other potential causal factors which is logistically impossible. What happened is essentially this: somebody observed two events occurring together and concluded that they were causally related. That isn't how science is done.

People are, by nature, pattern-seeking animals and the more familiar the pattern the more frequent the recognition. Sightings of Jesus in tree trunks, burnt toast, mortar, etc. are good examples.

A person could spend a lifetime charting planets, moons, comets, and asteroids and find all kinds of coincidences which appear to be causalities. Why would a person want to squander his efforts on such foolishness when he could be working on something substantive and legitimate?

Alan Chapman  posted on  2007-12-05 15:15:43 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

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