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The new survey by an American polling firm reports that more Americans believe in the devil, hell and angels than Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Further, a substantial amount of American also believe in ghosts, UFOs, witches, astrology, and personal resurrection.
The survey was conducted by The Harris Poll, which polled 2,126 Americans nationwide.
The poll showed once again the piousness of the American public with 80% professing belief in God, 75% in miracles, 73% in heaven, 71% angels, 70% in the resurrection of Jesus, 68% in an afterlife, 62% in hell, 61% in the Virgin birth of Jesus, and 59% in the devil.
Although only a minority of Americans believe in Evolution, more do so than those with pronounced belief in Creationism; which seeks to find a role for God in the science of the universe and nature. 47% of Americans believe in Evolution while 40% believe in Creationism.
As for numbers on the odd beliefs: 44% believe in ghosts, 36% UFOs, 31% astrology, and 24% in reincarnation.
One interesting fact behind the polls is that even though on matters dealing with God, miracles, heaven and hell, the Virgin Birth, Jesus being the son of God, and other tenets of Christian faith there wasn't any significant gap between Catholics and Protestants, the poll did find, however, that more Catholics than Protestants believe in Evolution. 52% for the former against 32% of the latter.
This is due to the fact that the Vatican under the late Pope John Paul II endorsed the Theory of Evolution as being part of God's plan. In contrast, Evangelical churches in the United States often attack the Theory. 54% of Protestants believe in Creationism as opposed to 46% of Catholics. Catholics are more likely though to believe in ghosts (57% to 41%), UFOs (43% to 31%), and astrology (40% to 28%).
Although Americans are a deeply religious people, the poll did find what others polls have also recorded in the past. That is despite their religiosity, Americans are also greatly illiterate in the field of faith. Even though the Hebrew Torah and the Old Testament are the exact same five books, when asked whether the Torah was the word of God only 26% of respondents agreed. These same respondents than agreed - 55% of them - that the Old Testament was the word of God.
Finally, 23% of Americans describe themselves as "very" religious and 45% as "somewhat". 27% attend Church weekly or even more often, 18% less than once a year and also 18% for never.
