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I wonder if some scholars/writers read something and just assume a person is what they think they are?

So many famous people have been mis-labeled due to articles written without substantiation and facts. Has there ever been an interview with these people that questions about their belief?

Phyliss commented: I wonder if some scholars/writers read something and just assume a person is what they think they are?

So many famous people have been mis-labeled due to articles written without substantiation and facts.

Here are some possible explanations for the mis-labeling regarding people's belief systems:

- sloppy and/or irresponsible "research"
- wanting to categorize someone because it fits ones own
beliefs, ideologies, perceptions
- quotes or statements taken out of context
- anachronisms as people's beliefs change over time
and may not reflect their most current/last belief system
- a lot of erroneous guesswork as some people never really
stated what they "were"
- misunderstanding of the terms- atheist, agnostic, deist,
secular humanist
- people composing the lists not really "scholars"
(euphemistically speaking)
- it is a form of stereotyping without full information

Do you have any other possible reasons/explanations?

I must terminate this speculation for now as I really should attend to and focus on more urgent matters like "researching" whether it is really true that Zac Efron is an agnostic as one list states. His body language in High School Musical 1, 2, and 3 could be interpreted as his being either a theist, a deist, an agnostic, or an atheist- watch how he moves his hands and feet and the spacing of his eyes! Such a conundrum!

According to a recent survey, where do you think the following "groups" in the USA ranked in terms of RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE and why?

Please use your freethinking and or critical thinking skills in determining who and why they ranked highest, lowest, or in the middle.

Mormon
White Evangelical Protestant
Agnostic/Atheist
Undeclared Religion
Hispanic Catholic
Jewish
Black Protestant
White Mainline Protestant
White Catholic

This will be discussed in an article that will be coming out I hope in early May.

I would think that the Jewish people are more knowledgeable about their religion. Why? I have always noted that the Jewish are very consistent in their traditions and ceremonies. Jewish children are taught early in life about the religion and the family follows guidelines of the religion faithfully and consistently.

Atheists and Agnostics I would think they also rank fairly high -- yet, because they do not believe in a god or bible/holy book, it is easier for these people to have knowledge of their belief system. Please correct me on this is I am wrong, Les -- If Atheists and Agnostics do not believe in any religion, there is not much to adhere to and no religious traditions to learn and remember. Well...let me correct that statement: They do "adhere" strongly to their belief, but not to a religion. I would appreciate your thoughts on my thoughts.

Lowest: I would say White Evangelical Protestant - only because they have so many TV shows to tell people what they should believe.

Middle: I am stuck on this one and would only make a wild guess. Undeclared Religion? Possible because those who do not declare a religion are not well informed on their religion.

Phyllis you thought it through really well and came close with some of your rankings and your rationale behind them. Bless your heart!
If any of you want the actual results, methodology, and conclusions of the survey just google PEW US Religious Knowledge Survey. There is oodles of other stuff on the Internet about the survey which was completed last year.
I will leave the possible reasons for the results for a later time. Below are the rankings with 1 being the highest and 9 being the lowest. Once you see the results (if you do not go to the Internet), now see if you can come up with perhaps WHY who scored the highest and so on...

Here ar the results:
3 Mormon
4 White Evangelical Protestant
1 Agnostic/Atheist
7 Undeclared Religion
9 Hispanic Catholic
2 Jewish
8 Black Protestant
6 White Mainline Protestant
5 White Catholic

Do any of these results surprise you?

The Hispanic Catholic really surprises me. I thought they would have a much higher rating.

One of the major reasons the Catholic Hispanics scored really low is that, compared to the other groups, their knowledge of "world religions" of which many of the 32 overall questions asked was really low.

For example (and I did let Maria know I was going to use her as an illustration as a population sample of one and got her ok) my wife who was brought up as a Catholic (although now she is New Age all of the way), had lived in the US since she was 12, has a bachelor's degree in psychology from a real university, to this day if asked to name one Protestant denomination could not do so. Truth is stranger than fiction!
Keep in mind as I wrote somewhere previously, there are many people in my poor, not very educated town that have signs on their houses saying that Protestant solicitors and other sects are not welcome! But then again, the survey was talking about Hispanics who had lived in the US- perhaps those individuals "culture" emigrated along with them

Anybody want to speculate why the Mormons were near the top of the list and very close to both the A/A's and the Jews?

The World is Too Much With Us by William Wordsworth (1807)

The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This sea that bares her bosom to the moon,
The winds that will be howling at all hours.
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
It moves us not- Great God! I'd rather be a
A pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.

No matter what your belief system is and how you perceive the source of NATURE, what do you think about Wordsworth's sentiments?

Imagine, he wrote this over 200 years ago!
What would he think about the "progress" that has taken place after he wrote this poem?
What would he think of humankind's future?
What would he think of nature's future?

Below you will find a version of the questions asked in the "Religious Knowledge" survey.

Do you think the survey had "face validity," meaning was it actually testing what it was supposed to be testing?
I think, in a broad sense, yes. What do you think?

After reading the questions, can you see why, across the belief system spectrum, those that had more education did better?

Overall, Atheists and Agnostics scored 20.9/32, Jews 20.5/32, Mormons 17.6/32 while Black Protestants scored 13.4/32 and Hispanic Catholics 11.6/32. What a range!

I took a mini-version of the test with some of the same questions and scored 14/15 and I really really really should have known that Jonathan Edwards was known for the "Great Awakening" as in high school I used to repeatedly imitate (to the point that my fellow classmates would want to stone me) his famous "Sinners in the hands of an angry God" sermon. How in heaven's name did I get that wrong!? Was I being punished for something?


Pew Forum Religious Knowledge Questions

Questions below have been paraphrased for brevity; most response options were rotated. See topline survey results (Appendix B) for exact wording and question order.

Bible
What is the first book of the Bible? (Open-ended)
What are the names of the first four books of the New Testament, that is, the four Gospels? (Open-ended)
Where, according to the Bible, was Jesus born? Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Nazareth or Jericho?
Which of these is NOT in the Ten Commandments? Do unto others�, no adultery, no stealing, keep Sabbath?
Which figure is associated with remaining obedient to God despite suffering? Job, Elijah, Moses or Abraham?
Which figure is associated with leading the exodus from Egypt? Moses, Job, Elijah or Abraham?
Which figure is associated with willingness to sacrifice his son for God? Abraham, Job, Moses or Elijah?

Elements of Christianity
What is Catholic teaching about bread and wine in Communion? They become body and blood, or are symbols?
Which group traditionally teaches that salvation is through faith alone? Protestants, Catholics, both or neither?
Was Mother Teresa Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu or Mormon?
What is the name of the person whose writings and actions inspired the Reformation? Luther, Aquinas or Wesley?
Who was a preacher during the First Great Awakening? Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney or Billy Graham?

Elements of Judaism
When does the Jewish Sabbath begin? Friday, Saturday or Sunday?
Was Maimonides Jewish, Catholic, Buddhist, Hindu or Mormon?

Elements of Mormonism
When was the Mormon religion founded? After 1800, between 1200 and 1800, or before 1200 A.D.?
The Book of Mormon tells of Jesus appearing to people in what area? The Americas, Middle East or Asia?
Was Joseph Smith Mormon, Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist or Hindu?

World Religions
Is Ramadan the Islamic holy month, the Hindu festival of lights or a Jewish day of atonement?
Do you happen to know the name of the holy book of Islam? (Open-ended)
Which religion aims at nirvana, the state of being free from suffering? Buddhism, Hinduism or Islam?
Is the Dalai Lama Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Catholic or Mormon?
In which religion are Vishnu and Shiva central figures? Hinduism, Islam or Taoism?
What is the religion of most people in India? Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim or Christian?
What is the religion of most people in Pakistan? Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or Christian?
What is the religion of most people in Indonesia? Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or Christian?
Who is the king of Gods in Greek mythology? Zeus, Mars or Apollo?

Atheism and Agnosticism
Is an atheist someone who does NOT believe in God, believes in God, or is unsure whether God exists?
Is an agnostic someone who is unsure whether God exists, does NOT believe in God, or believes in God?

Religion in Public Life
What does Constitution say about religion? Separation of church and state, emphasize Christianity, or nothing?
According to the Supreme Court, can a public school teacher lead a class in prayer?
According to the Supreme Court, can a public school teacher read from the Bible as an example of literature?
According to the Supreme Court, can a public school teacher offer a class comparing the world�s religions?

Regarding the above posts about the "Religious Knowledge " survey, when I write the article about it on more than likely this Friday I am leaning towards focusing on why the top three groups scored significantly higher than the bottom two. Is there anything else or something entirely different that you would like to see included in that article? Please take a look at the above relevant posts before answering.