The United States is the most religious nation in the developed world, if religiosity is measured by belief in all things supernatural -- from God and the Virgin Birth to the humbler workings of angels and demons. Americans are also the most religiously ignorant people in the Western world. Fewer than half of us can identify Genesis as the first book of the Bible, and only one third know that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. These are just two of the depressing statistics in Stephen Prothero's provocative and timely Religious Literacy. The author of American Jesus (2003) and the chair of the religion department at Boston University, Prothero sees America's religious illiteracy as even more dangerous than general cultural illiteracy "because religion is the most volatile constituent of culture, because religion has been, in addition to one of the greatest forces for good in world history, one of the greatest forces for evil." According to polls conducted by the National Constitution Center, only one third of Americans can name even one of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. Is it any more startling that only one third can identify the preacher of the Sermon on the Mount? A 2005 survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that nearly two-thirds of Americans endorse the simultaneous teaching of creationism and evolution in public schools. How can citizens know what creationism means, or make an informed decision about whether it belongs in classrooms, if fewer than half can identify Genesis? Approximately 75 percent of adults, according to polls cited by Prothero, mistakenly believe the Bible teaches that "God helps those who help themselves." More than 10 percent think that Noah's wife was Joan of Arc. Only half can name even one of the four Gospels, and -- a finding that will surprise many -- evangelical Christians are only slightly more knowledgeable than their non-evangelical counterparts. Prothero views the 20th century's much sharper decline in religious literacy as a product of changes in both religion and society. One ironic factor is an emphasis on a bland tolerance that, while vital to pluralistic American democracy, has also discouraged our awareness of religious distinctions. A politician may intone the phrase "Judeo-Christian" in every speech, but Jews still do not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, and Christians do. If no one knows what "Messiah" means, though, it hardly matters. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/01/AR2007030102073.html
I think the most important thing when believing in a religion is the heart. As long as one knows the essence of the religion and what is right and wrong, then that is fine. In fact, I think one does not even need to know about the details and the logicality of the basis for the religion. As long as the teachings are good, that is all that matters. I went to a christian school in HK. Because I studied a bit about christianity, it led me to not believe in it even more The more I read about it, the more I don't believe in it.
Is everyone in the US a Christian? I highly doubt it. So why should they know anything about the bible? (rhetorical questions) No it's not startling at all that they can't identify the preacher of the Sermon of the Mount. These are two completely different issues. One, which is the constitution, litterally has to do with everyone in the United States where as the other has to do with religion which is a personal issue. That's not even a logical comparison since the writter is implying that Chritianity should be as important to everyone in the US as the US Constitution is. Leave the first amendment alone. There's nothing wrong with it. The founding fathers were adamant in the seperation of church and state and this country from it's infancy has been this way. Just because there are alot of Christians in the US doesn't make it ok to integrate and force it on everyone.
Well, that's what Catholic school is for. If they want to preach about the religion, just use their own fund to built Christian schools... Really, public school system didn't say it's the ultimate school system, just that it provides the basic knowledge... If the parents seek schools which preaches about certain religion, they should push for them in that religion, not the public school system.
i just bursted out laughing when i read this. im sorry lol Noah's Arc, Joan of Arc? hahahhaha im so sorry XD
@MDD: If the people don't even know what they are believing in, why do they call themselves Christians? They may as well call themselves "good-believers"... *Sigh* Somehow I am reminded of Wicked the musical...
ive heard "God help those who help themselves" so much times from others and assumed it was biblical but today ive learnt that it is not in the bible. In actual fact the bible says God helps the Helpless. Isaiah 25:4 "For You have been a defence for the helpless, a defence for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat
the reason they teach this in school is because the want children to actually put effort in their school work. altho its lies, its to motivate the children into working.
Hey, it was just yesterday I saw a new Oprah show (we're 1 month behind the States) where this Prof. Prothero was saying the bible should be taught in all schools and he used some reasonable arguments. Yes, you read that right, it's me, an Atheist saying this. http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200704/20070406/slide_20070406_284_108.jhtml I agree with his arguments to teach the bible as a textual work to understand the Western culture and learn to think critically. In this Oprah show this Prof. Prothero said that lots of Americans don't know what politicians are saying when they quote a bible verse and people just agree with it "because it's something from the bible, so it must be good" and they stop thinking for themselves. (but other big religions should also be thought too ofcourse, even if it was only in big lines) If you know a bit more about the bible you can go in discussions with believers more easily. (and let them say things to contradict themselves...) -devil At my first Uni year I've reluctantly followed a 'Bible Theory' -don't remember the exact title- course at the beginning, because it was the only course worth 10 CETS (study points) and like many others I thought this was a fast way to collect the points you needed in your first year. And I remembered a highschool teacher once told me it's sometimes wise to open up for things you don't even like, so you can gain new insights on that subject to have a proper discussion, so I signed in for that course. Was afraid it would be just a conversion attempt but I it turned out it was really interesting and the Profs were only interested in lecturing the Bible as a text, historically and socially. They offered us new insights as how to view the work critically (that's how I learned to flame on boards about these topics at the time hehe) and afterwards I should have known because my Uni was the opposite of the other one in the city with a Christian signature. 'The Literary Guide to the Bible' by Robert Alter and Frank Kermode (editors) is the book we had to buy and I don't regret having this one in my house. It's non-offensive, interesting for both religious and non-religious people.
I just look at the bible like a fairytale. The important part is the moral of the story. Like the race with the rabbit and the turtle, it's most likely not true, but the moral about being persistent and not giving up is the important part. Just like the bible, I believe the writings are a fictitious story, but the teachings are more or less correct.
^ Prof Prothero definitely has some good points there. In order for ppl to be more tolerant, they should teach all religions as a textual subject so that students can gain more understanding on what's happening.
Yup, but now thinking of it, how to achieve this goal in the more deep religious States? Some Christians have a more open, modern mind and won't take the Bible literary but see it as a moral book with stories which they can learn from but others are hardcore believers and won't let it happen their kids will be given a different, more critical view on the Bible. :(
^ This is indeed a very good point. I would opt for first remodeling some of the preachers' teachings then. Generally speaking, the followers tend to pay close attention and follow what the preachers say, so if one can convince the leader, than it would be easier to work on the followers.
Yeah starting with the leaders is usually the best way although I honestly don't believe much of the leaders can be convinced as some subjects are really taboo for them. And mind you some of the leaders will see this as a potential treat for their authority if they allow a more critical view towards the Bible, people could really start thinking for themselves and who knows they'll lose churchmembers. (Personally I don't think they'll lose members but will contribute to a bit more tolerate society as not everything is just black or white in life)
I dont think the leaders will see much problems with those since the western society is ever shifting towards the eastern philosophical views. In order to retain them, me thinks that the leaders will not oppose much.
The more liberal ones yup, but not the hardcore ones in states like Texas and Missouri I'm afraid. -unsure
