Creationism in Northern Ireland

[tolman]

Creationism in NI

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7919180.stm

2060 people surveyed in UK, including 60 in NI, of which a quarter were creationists, and 16% believed in intelligent design.

That'll be 15 and 10 people, respectively.

There's nothing quite like having significant results, is there?

[newatheist]

The survey was done by Theos, I am not buying any of it until I can actually read a copy of the complete survey.

[Trinoc]

60 in NI, of which a quarter were creationists, and 16% believed in intelligent design.

That'll be 15 and 10 people, respectively.

There's nothing quite like having significant results, is there?

Surely anyone who believes in creationism also believes in intelligent design. I expect the questions were phrased in a way that forced a choice of one or the other, which is a problem with almost all multiple choice questions.

Who do non-creationist ID-ers think did the designing if not God? Klingons? Surely ID is not so much a belief as an attempt to cloak creationism in a way that makes it look like something other than religious doctrine. Fine if you're fighting for creationism, sorry ID, in a US court, but why would someone who personally believes the universe was created claim to follow ID rather than creationism? Are they ashamed of bringing God into the equation? If so, then maybe they should re-examine their beliefs.

[Croydon Bob]

Who do non-creationist ID-ers think did the designing if not God? Klingons?

I think that the problem is that most people don't know what 'ID' actually is. Most wishy-washy liberal Christians will say that they believe in intelligent design. They just equate it with belief in a god. Then, when you explain what it actually is or point them at the wiki page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_design), they will change their minds. It's a big part of the reason that Creationists invented the phrase, to 'con' mainstream Christianity into supporting them.

[tolman]

It's a big part of the reason that Creationists invented the phrase, to 'con' mainstream Christianity into supporting them.

I thought the fundamental reason was as an attempt to do an end-run around US court judgements that teaching creationism was effectively teaching religion, by pretending that ID wasn't creationism and wasn't religious.

Fortunately, that attempt went fairly spectacularly tits-up in the Dover trial.

[Tim the Mage]

The survey was done by Theos, I am not buying any of it until I can actually read a copy of the complete survey.

Here's the full report (the survey was by ComRes on behalf of Theos):

http://tinyurl.com/d7ux3d

The full tables are not yet available - will post a link when they are. Anthony Wells at UK Polling Report has a post on this survey as well - he's worth reading as he knows his stuff on opinion polling.


http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/1953

[newatheist]

Here's the full report (the survey was by ComRes on behalf of Theos):

http://tinyurl.com/d7ux3d

The full tables are not yet available - will post a link when they are. Anthony Wells at UK Polling Report has a post on this survey as well - he's worth reading as he knows his stuff on opinion polling.


http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/1953

I've read some of it and don't really see any problems, but I do wonder how they distinguish between hardcore AE and softcore AE.

[newatheist]

I would love to see a survey of muslim opinion on evolution, the whole evolution vs creationism debate has not involved the muslim population too much.

And they probably have the highest percentage of creationists in the country.