For Those Who Believe That They Do Believe In A Fixed Belief System...

[kelticwizard]

From a poll of 900 registered voters in America. Exactly why it is necessary to be registered to vote to answer questions such as these was not explained.

PS: Humor is welcome, please try to keep it civil.

[dhaen]

Blimey , no wonder they went into Iraq...

[li_gangyi]

Perhaps God just left Iraq and they want to put "him" back...

[SY]

Do polytheists get more than one vote in the poll?

[li_gangyi]

Maybe....hehe

[Rob M]

How could you not "personally believe in the existence" of astrology? Whether you believe its claims or not is another question, but it certainly exists! And I myself know plenty of witches. I think they're goofy, but there's no doubt they exist.
And, every time someone looks up and doesn't recognize what's flying over them, there's a UFO.

It doesn't give me a lot of faith in the skills of the pollsters...

[kelticwizard]

Well, Rob, I think it is kind of implied that the poll is asking if they think that the claims of astrology are true, that UFO's are indeed spaceships from another planet, (or perhaps from Earth at a different time), and that witches have more supernatural power than, say, your local real estate agent.

A person who does not believe in the supernatural power of witches is unlikely to refer to one who claims these powers as a witch. He might call her a "witch" with quotes, or a "so-called witch", or otherwise do something that clues the listener or reader in to the fact that he does not buy the claims of these people.

By the way, I just selected the name "Kelticwizard" because of my (half) Irish-American heritage and the fact that I am into electronics, which I regard as the real wizardry of this world. I'm not into hocus-pocus at all, though I do respect the right of people to adopt whatever spiritual belief they wish. I thought the idea of a guy with a long pointy hat working on an amp or speaker was a humorous image.

[kelticwizard]

Personally, I would like to see a poll which tells us how many people believe in all of these things at once. That is, how many people believe in God, Heaven, miracles, angels, Hell, the Devil, ghosts, UFO's, astrology, reincarnation and witches. All of them at the same time.

[Rob M]

Originally posted by kelticwizard
Well, Rob, I think it is kind of implied that ...

Sure. But that kind of sloppiness means that a poll like this can't be interpreted in any meaningful way. Of the 92% of Americans who believe in god, what fraction believe in a personal god who cares what happens to them, and what fraction believe that god exists as a concept made up by primitive societies to explain the unexplainable? This poll is nothing but prejudices dressed up as a bar graph. But, then, I've been spending a lot of time reviewing journal articles lately, so I'm in a skeptical mood.

It would be interesting to find the people who believe in all of these -- I think I might have a business proposition for them.

[kelticwizard]

Rob:

I don't think the poll is as inaccurate as you say. I cannot imagine many people, when asked if they believe in God, will say "yes" meaning that they believe the concept of God exists.

I think it is highly possible that people who have alternative concepts of God-such as "God is within us" can answer "yes" to that question. I think there are few people indeed who would say, "yes, I believe in Heaven" if they meant that Heaven is a concept useful for other people.

As far as everyone believing everything all at once-well, it does appear contradictory. But there are some people, intelligent ones, who feel that there is some higher power and that all belief systems expose some part of it, but no belief system reveals all of it.

On the other hand, there are others who believe just about any idea that comes down the pike. There are magazines which have mixed Biblical prophecy and UFO's together, apparently without recognizing some inherent contradictions there.

Well, heck, my hat is off to anyone who can make a living in the highly competitive publishing world!