Believe in evolution? You’re probably Catholic.
Results of a survey conducted by Harris Interactive finds that more Americans believe in the devil, Hell and angels than in Darwin’s theory of evolution.
“That very large majorities of the American public believe in God, miracles, the survival of the soul after death, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the Virgin birth will come as no great surprise,” according to the Harris Poll survey press release. “What may be more surprising is that substantial minorities believe in ghosts, UFOs, witches, astrology, and the belief that they themselves were once other people.”
Harris conducted its online nationwide survey of 2,126 U.S. adults between Nov. 10 and 17.
Findings of the survey include:
• 80% of adult Americans believe in God – unchanged since the last survey in 2005.
• Slightly more people – but both are minorities – believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution (47%) than in creationism (40%).
• Sizeable minorities believe in ghosts (44%), UFOs (36%), witches (31%), astrology (31%), and reincarnation (24%).
• Catholics are more likely than Protestants to believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution (by 52% to 32%), ghosts (by 57% to 41%), UFOs (by 43% to 31%), and astrology (by 40% to 28%). Protestants are slightly more likely than Catholics to believe in creationism (by 54% to 46%).
• A quarter (27%) of adult Americans claim that they attend church once a week or more often, compared with 36% who say they attend less than once a year or never (18% each).