Darwin who?

A new Harris Poll finds that 82% of American adults believe in God, exactly the same number as in two earlier Harris Polls in 2005 and 2007. Harris conducted its online survey of 2,303 adults between Nov. 2-11.

Only 45% of the respondents believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution, but that’s more than 40% who believe in creationism. Also, 76% believe in miracles, 75% believe in heaven, 72% say Jesus is the Son of God, and 70% believe in the resurrection of Christ.

“Many people consider themselves Christians without necessarily believing in some of the key beliefs of Christianity,” noted the Harris statement. “However, this is not true of born-again Christians. In addition to their religious beliefs, large minorities of adults, including many Christians, have ‘pagan’ or pre-Christian beliefs such as a belief in ghosts, astrology, witches and reincarnation.”

OTHER SURVEY FINDINGS
• 61% of adults believe in hell

• 61% believe in the virgin birth (Jesus born of Mary)

• 60% believe in the devil

• 42% believe in ghosts

• 32% believe in UFOs

• 26% believe in astrology

• 23% believe in witches

• 20% believe in reincarnation – that they were once another person. (None of the above percentages have changed much since previous surveys in 2005 and 2007, according to Harris.)

• Catholics are more likely than all adults to believe in: God (94% compared to 82%); heaven (86% vs. 75%); that Jesus is God or the Son of God (90% vs. 73%); angels (83% vs. 72%); the survival of the soul after death (82% vs. 71%); the resurrection of Jesus Christ (87% vs. 70%); hell (70% vs. 61%); and the virgin birth (by 74% vs. 61%).

• Catholics are also somewhat more likely than all adults to believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution (51% vs. 45%).

• Protestants are also more likely to believe in God (92%); that Jesus is God or the Son of God (91%); heaven (90%); angels (88%); the resurrection of Jesus (88%); miracles (87%); the survival of the soul (85%); the virgin birth (79%); the devil (77%) and hell (73%).

• Protestants are much less likely than all adults to believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution (32%), ghosts (33%); astrology (20%); and reincarnation (13%). They are more likely than all adults to believe in creationism (56% vs. 40%).

• Born-again Christians are much more likely than Catholics or all Protestants to believe in God (97%); heaven (97%); the Resurrection (97%); miracles (95%); angels (95%); the virgin birth (92%); the survival of the soul (91%); hell (89%); and the devil (89%).

• Born-again Christians are also much more likely to believe in creationism (68%), and much less likely to believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution (16%).

• Jews are, of course, very unlikely to believe in the basic elements of Christianity.  They are also less likely than all adults to believe in miracles (63%); heaven (48%); the survival of the soul (37%); angels (36%); hell (21%); and the devil (7%).

• Jews are by far the most likely to believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution (80%) and the least likely to believe in creationism (20%).  They are also less likely than all adults to believe in ghosts (10% vs. 42%), UFOs (20% vs. 32%), astrology (19% vs. 26%); and witches (8% vs. 23%).