Maybe there is hope

Kitsune · Post by **Kitsune** » 2005-11-30 11:43am

In the US, there have been polls which appear to show that over half the population of the United States are creationists. I have to wonder that maybe the polling has been selective.

I have met quite a few people who appear to be creationist as well. What I am trying to figure out is this. I am a member of a military discussion group and I put up a general poll on who are creation or evolution supporters. I did the same on spacebattles, a sci-fi group (that most everybody likely knows)

Many of the people in tanknet are relatively conservative. Granted the numbers sampled is not huge yet but tanknet is 96.77 (so far 31 have vote) pro-evolution while spacebattles is at at 91.38% (so far 58 have voted)

That a group which tends to be relatively conservative (I would likely include myself in that category) is so pro-evolution seems to show that there is hope.

Eris · Post by **Eris** » 2005-11-30 11:52am

Perhaps, but it's also a heavily biased straw poll, so don't get your hopes too high I'd say. You've already limited yourself to people who have internet connections, which will plant you in certain economic, and thus certain social demographics. There are also considerations of things like topic and sample size to consider.

Although my big hope is that there is misunderstanding about what that 50%+ figure means. I'm not familiar with the poll(s) that are reference when that number is bandied about, but it seems open to interpretation. Are those all YECs or do we count people who think that (like the Catholic Church) everything started from a Big Bang and went on from there, but God was the cause of the Big Bang. That seems to be a fairly common attempt to blend science with religion and could be called Creationism without being the obnoxious pseudoscientific kind.

The Guid · Post by **The Guid** » 2005-11-30 11:52am

Even over at Protest Warrior the majority were not Creationists if I remember correctly.

Plekhanov · Post by **Plekhanov** » 2005-11-30 01:23pm

The Guid wrote:Even over at Protest Warrior the majority were not Creationists if I remember correctly.

Really because this official sign of theirs:

Would suggest that PW is a Creationist organisation.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2005-11-30 02:16pm

Ever heard the term "hyperbole"?

That sign certainly appeals to the neocon masses, but the actual PW staff I talked to during my time there were quite rational.

Kitsune · Post by **Kitsune** » 2005-11-30 04:14pm

One item that suprises me is a small but still surprisingly large number of 'Fence Sitters", people who don't see to make some sort of answer.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2005-11-30 05:48pm

Sorry, but polling a discussion board is an extremely selective survey method and makes every other method look like perfection by comparison.

felineki · Post by **felineki** » 2005-11-30 05:53pm

Kitsune wrote:One item that suprises me is a small but still surprisingly large number of 'Fence Sitters", people who don't see to make some sort of answer.

I think this might be due to the fact that many people don't have a good understanding of evolution and how it works. The fence-sitters might very well be people who realize the absurdity of literal Creationism, but lack understanding of the theory of evolution or have been misinformed about it.

Kitsune · Post by **Kitsune** » 2005-11-30 06:10pm

Darth Wong wrote:Sorry, but polling a discussion board is an extremely selective survey method and makes every other method look like perfection by comparison.

Why do you see polling a military discussion group as extremely selective.
I could see that with, for example, a science fiction group.

I am not saying the numbers are not skewed but they are higher than I might expect even from a skewed poll.

kheegster · Post by **kheegster** » 2005-11-30 06:19pm

Kitsune wrote:
Darth Wong wrote:Sorry, but polling a discussion board is an extremely selective survey method and makes every other method look like perfection by comparison.
Why do you see polling a military discussion group as extremely selective.
I could see that with, for example, a science fiction group.

I am not saying the numbers are not skewed but they are higher than I might expect even from a skewed poll.

Off the top of my head, here are a few factors that might skew the numbers:

1. These people have access to computers, and hence are more affluent, tech-savvy and have a better education

2. They are interested in the military, which would imply more knowledge of technology and history compared to the average joe.

3. They are probably predominantly male.

4. They are less likely to be married.

And lots other factors. It's might tell you something about the people who frequent the board, but trying to extrapolate it to the wider society is foolish.

Kitsune · Post by **Kitsune** » 2005-11-30 09:22pm

felineki wrote:I think this might be due to the fact that many people don't have a good understanding of evolution and how it works. The fence-sitters might very well be people who realize the absurdity of literal Creationism, but lack understanding of the theory of evolution or have been misinformed about it.

One of their response was "We are no suppose to know"

That to me is insulting...to me, human is to be curious

Kitsune · Post by **Kitsune** » 2005-11-30 09:24pm

kheegan wrote: Off the top of my head, here are a few factors that might skew the numbers:

1. These people have access to computers, and hence are more affluent, tech-savvy and have a better education

2. They are interested in the military, which would imply more knowledge of technology and history compared to the average joe.

3. They are probably predominantly male.

4. They are less likely to be married.

And lots other factors. It's might tell you something about the people who frequent the board, but trying to extrapolate it to the wider society is foolish.

Actually, I am beginning to be scared because the percentage has dropped from around 95% to around 87%.