View Full Version : U.S. Faith Poll (Newsweek)
Hopefully this will work. This should link to an April 05 Poll conducted by Newsweek. I thought others may be interested.
Poll (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9014628/site/newsweek/)
Ser Clegane
08-31-2005, 10:04
The link works for me ~:)
Zalmoxis
08-31-2005, 10:30
Me too.
On a side note... 200 posts.
Adrian II
08-31-2005, 11:05
This should link to an April 05 Poll conducted by Newsweek. I thought others may be interested. Poll (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9014628/site/newsweek/)It works fine, though its purpose eludes me. What are we to make of a poll that is not representative of any statistical population except the total number of people who clicked that button at the bottom? I don't know what this poll says about Americans because I would not know what it says about me. Maybe we should enlist Gawain's expert help.
Regarding the very first question, I do not understand what the difference between religous and spiritual is supposed to be. The Encarta entry (http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/spiritual.html) for the adjective 'spiritual' sums up four possible meanings, of which 1. (of soul: relating to the soul or spirit, usually in contrast to material things, and 4. (refined: showing great refinement and concern with the higher things in life) somehow appeal to me. The latter would definitely be on the mark, I suppose, in light of my recent post about Kilimanjaro in the global warming thread.
I don't know -- Pindar, would you describe me as 'non-religous, yet spiritual' in a loose, Newsweeky sort of way? Tell me, where do I stand? ~:cool:
Spetulhu
08-31-2005, 11:20
What are we to make of a poll that is not representative of any statistical population except the total number of people who clicked that button at the bottom? I don't know what this poll says about Americans because I would not know what it says about me.
Hey, anyone can vote! They don't even know how many of the votes are made by the people supposedly polled! ~:eek:
Adrian II
08-31-2005, 11:45
Hey, anyone can vote! They don't even know how many of the votes are made by the people supposedly polled! ~:eek:As a matter of fact, the Newsweek poll seems to have been combined with a poll on Beliefnet. Has anyone heard of Beliefnet before? I have not. After negotiating offers of an Amy Grant ringtone on my mobile phone, a South Beach diet that helped 'Mindy lose 75 pounds' and a Dermastep Anti-Wrinkle Formula, I finally happened upon their webpage which contains eye-opening columns such as 'Nobody deserves lung cancer'. Spirituality according to Beliefnet comes in the form of an interview with the ebullient actress Goldie Hawn who tells us how the atomic bomb brought her into contact with God.
They also have a poll on the supposed intimacy of God and Katrina (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/173/story_17395_1.html) in which 49% of voters think Katrina is sent by God as a punishment, as a test, or with some unknown purpose. The other half don't buy this crap. Hey hey, I think I know where I stand after all. ~;)
bmolsson
08-31-2005, 13:00
Seems to confirm US as a religious and conservative state......
Adrian II
08-31-2005, 13:16
Seems to confirm US as a religious and conservative state......It merely confirms that the majority of the voters in that poll are religious. One-third are not religous, though. And it tells us little about their politics, or about those of the rest of the country. Or does it?
A.Saturnus
08-31-2005, 14:40
I had similar problems with the poll. I´m an atheist and a filthy reductionist, does that mean I can´t be spiritual?
KukriKhan
08-31-2005, 15:14
I had similar problems with the poll. I´m an atheist and a filthy reductionist, does that mean I can´t be spiritual?
Not 'til you wash your hands. :)
Hurin_Rules
08-31-2005, 16:12
Interesting, but very unscientific.
How is an atheist/agnostic like me supposed to answer the question, 'what is the most important purpose of prayer?' 'None of these/other' doesn't really seem to cut it.
I do find it interesting that even on a poll like this, which would seem to be geared more for 'believers', Atheists/agnostics make up 15%. We're even ahead of Catholics. I wonder, is the situation the same in America as it is in Canada? Atheists/agnostics being the fastest growing major religious/non-religious group?
Well look at who sponsored the poll and your question is answered.
Newsweek/Beliefnet
Slanted questions to support a particular view? Never happens. ~D
It works fine, though its purpose eludes me.
The purpose was to entertain.
Regarding the very first question, I do not understand what the difference between religous and spiritual is supposed to be.
In the States when people parse the two, the division is typically between organized devotion and personal notions of some transcendent reality. Thus, a devout Catholic would be seen as religious and a New Age advocate might describe themselves as spiritual only.
I don't know -- Pindar, would you describe me as 'non-religous, yet spiritual' in a loose, Newsweeky sort of way? Tell me, where do I stand? ~:cool:
No
Steppe Merc
08-31-2005, 17:26
Can I not answer some of the polls? I've never been married, so how can I say what religon my partner is?
::Nelson Munz voice::
Beliefnet? Ha-ha. ~:)
Might as well conduct the poll in the church since the questions have a religious incline.
Here's a recent poll at TWC: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=29830
There's also a recent poll here at the ORG:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=53199
bmolsson
09-01-2005, 04:15
And it tells us little about their politics, or about those of the rest of the country. Or does it?
Religion is a part of US politics, like it or not...... And I think I should use the word "indicate" rather than confirm..... :bow:
GodsPetMonkey
09-01-2005, 06:31
Spirituality according to Beliefnet comes in the form of an interview with the ebullient actress Goldie Hawn who tells us how the atomic bomb brought her into contact with God.
They also have a poll on the supposed intimacy of God and Katrina (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/173/story_17395_1.html) in which 49% of voters think Katrina is sent by God as a punishment, as a test, or with some unknown purpose. The other half don't buy this crap. Hey hey, I think I know where I stand after all. ~;)
Forget Katrina, Goldie Hawn is quite clearly a herald of the anti-Christ. No mere mortal gets to live that long with out turning to dust ~;)
Regardless, any site where nearly 50% of the readers think a nasty hurricane (even one as nasty as this) is punishment from God/sign of the apocalypse is not what I would consider targeting a rational audience.
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