A new study shows that many devout Americans know less about religion than do atheists...
I wonder how much that is down to a deliberate ignorance of other religious traditions? I've met Jehovah Witnesses who've never heard of Saint Francis. They're actively discouraged from finding out about other religions.
I came across this article yesterday about a boot camp that prepares children from evangelical families for missionary work...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/8022495/Teen-evangelists-next-stop-Iraq.html
'Just remember, the best philanthropist in the world doesnÂ’t qualify for eternal life. That includes Gandhi and, whatÂ’s her name, Mother Teresa. Not good enough.Â’
What utter arrogance! The instructor is saying that he's superior to Gandhi and whatshername because he can quote from the Bible!
According to polls one in five Americans think that Barack Obama is a Muslim! The number that think that has risen since last year and the belief seems to be linked to his popularity ratings. The researchers say that the less people like him the more likely they are to think that he's a Muslim!
I do know many very intelligent Americans, but this thread reminded me of a programme in which Americans on the street were asked questions on Geography. This clip (though not from that programme) gives an idea of the some of the answers given...
Is ignorance about the religious traditions of the wider world (and the world beyond America in general) a product of the American education system? Would the average Briton on the street be any more knowledgeable? Either way, it's scary.
(I had 13 out of 15 too :))
It's some years ago now, and I forget the details. Probably those who posted are no longer active on HP. But soon after Mother Teresa or whatshername passed on, more than one right here on HP also derided her. I seem to recall it was about her being Catholic, or she didn't really do so much hard work as she travelled a lot (it was said).
How come the ignorance of many Americans? (And I am not generally at all anti-American, I see flaws where they are IMHO in any culture.) I don't think it's down to American education. I think that - American education - is just a symptom of American (generalisation coming) culture, which is insular and not so wide-ranging in perspective.
In this, the USA is not strange, but actually like most nations. We often don't realise how well-travelled, how widely-cultured, and how (that term...) multi-cultural we are in Europe. We even just plain pick a lot of things up from good newspapers and from TV documentaries of a standard other nations don't have.
Most nations in the world are insular, sadly, and have strange ideas, or a lack of knowledge, about other places. I've met a number of students here from China, who arrived expecting all the men to be wearing bowler hats and carrying black brollies....
It's unsettling all the same that America of all nations, such an important nation, should have a population that believes such things, or doesn't know such things.
Er - what was the thread topic again...?
V
That the Christian Science monitor's managment is occupied with such nonsense, proofs
again, that they surly don't understand their own religion at all.
Regards Meta
That the Christian Science monitor's managment is occupied with such nonsense, proofs
again, that they surly don't understand their own religion at all.
Regards Meta
Why do you think it's 'nonsense' to be better acquainted with the religious beliefs of others? If more people had a better understanding of the sincerely held beliefs of their neighbour, then the world would be a better place. There's nothing more important in my opinion.
I thought after I posted the link above, that perhaps the boot camp instructor didn't realise that Mother Teresa was a Christian?
That the Christian Science monitor's managment is occupied with such nonsense, proofs
again, that they surly don't understand their own religion at all.
Regards Meta
You've lost me as to what is the nonesense, Meta, that surly proofs this. Not the quiz, I take it, as that is straight-forward. From a European's perspective albeit one who's lived in the USA and hosted many US tourists, it rings very true on that nation.
Anyway, it's no doubt well-edited (is it?!) but there's fun here:
:):)
V