David Attenborough spoke to Andrew Marr about his latest programme - a tribute to Charles Darwin.
He talked about receiving letters from people who were not happy with his opinions on creationism.
What shocked me was the commentator saying that 50% of the British public believe in creationism. I thought stupidity on this scale was limited to the US (at least among western countries), what is going on here?
The term "X% of people believe in creationism" is totally meaningless. It potentially covers everything from "I believe in an absolute literal interpretation of the bible" to "I am agnostic and open to the idea that there is a God". There are ways to define creationism such that I am a creationist.
I'd want to know what they mean by it before I start calling people stupid.
Gaze upon my works, ye mighty, and despair...
Havoc: "So basically if you side against him, he summons Cthulu."
Hotfoot: "Yes, which is reasonable."
Have to agree with Havoc here. I'm gonna have to wait until I'm home to watch the video (Curse you school computers!) but I remember awhile back there was a survey that said 80% of Americans believed in Creationism, which is absurd beyond all recognizable standards and I'm pretty sure boiled down to people saying "I believe that God had a hand in the creation of the universe".
While I'm probably mangling the translation, Churchill once said 'I refuse to believe statistics I haven't forged myself.'
ALL a poll saying 50% of britons believe in Creationism means is that, even BEFORE all the modifiers prior posters mentioned, 50% of people POLLED do so.
So how, exactly, was this 50% figure arrived at?
'I wonder how far the barometer sunk.'-'All der way. Trust me on dis.'
'Go ahead. Bake my quiche'.
'Undead or alive, you're coming with me.'
'Detritus?'-'Yessir?'-'Never go to Klatch'.-'Yessir.'
'Many fine old manuscripts in that place, I believe. Without price, I'm told.'-'Yes, sir. Certainly worthless, sir.'-'Is it possible you misunderstood what I just said, Commander?'
'Can't sing, can't dance, can handle a sword a little'
'Run away, and live to run away another day'-The Rincewind principle
'Hello, inner child. I'm the inner babysitter.'
I think a better question is "How was Creationism defined to those polled"
You will get drastically different answers to the following two poll questions:
A: Do you believe that God, as described in the Book of Genesis, created the world in seven literal days, and brought wholly into being all species living upon it?
B: Do you believe that God had a hand in the origins of life on Earth?
Gaze upon my works, ye mighty, and despair...
Havoc: "So basically if you side against him, he summons Cthulu."
Hotfoot: "Yes, which is reasonable."
'I wonder how far the barometer sunk.'-'All der way. Trust me on dis.'
'Go ahead. Bake my quiche'.
'Undead or alive, you're coming with me.'
'Detritus?'-'Yessir?'-'Never go to Klatch'.-'Yessir.'
'Many fine old manuscripts in that place, I believe. Without price, I'm told.'-'Yes, sir. Certainly worthless, sir.'-'Is it possible you misunderstood what I just said, Commander?'
'Can't sing, can't dance, can handle a sword a little'
'Run away, and live to run away another day'-The Rincewind principle
'Hello, inner child. I'm the inner babysitter.'
