Posted on 11/09/2004 4:28:00 AM PST by TaxRelief
UNC-CH survey finds that nonreligious teens more likely to believe in psychics, astrology -
RALEIGH- A national ongoing study on teenagers and their religious practices found that Mormon youths are least likely to believe in psychics and fortune tellers, while Catholic or nonreligious teens are most willing to believe in them.
According to the National Study on Youth and Religion, Catholic and nonreligious teens also show higher rates of belief in astrology and communication with the dead than do other religious denominations.
The data were culled from a survey of 3,000 Americans between ages 13 and 17, and is part of a four-year research project at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, based at the Odum Institute for Research in Social Science.
The report was based on the following questions from a NSYR telephone survey: "Do you believe in astrology, that stars and planets affect people's fates, definitely, maybe, or not at all," "Do you believe in the possibility of communicating with the dead directly or through séances, definitely, maybe, or not at all,"and "Do you believe in the power of psychics and fortunetellers, definitely, maybe, or not at all?"
Overall few teens, regardless of religious background, said they "definitely" believe in the paranormal. Only 9 percent reported that they definitely believe in astrology or communicating with the dead, while 6 percent believed in fortune-tellers. However, 31 percent said astrology was possible, while 30 percent said communication with the dead might be possible. Youths were more skeptical about soothsayers, with only 21 percent of survey respondents believed in fortune-tellers.
"Most American teens are at least somewhat skeptical of paranormal beliefs; very few of them say they definitely believe in these phenomena," said Dr. Phil Schwadel, a postdoctoral researcher with the NSYR. "Despite their skepticism, however, many of them are open to the possibility of paranormal phenomena."
However, when teens' beliefs are compared based on their churchgoing habits, those who regularly attend religious services are less likely to believe in the paranormal.
"For instance, 44 percent of teens who never attend religious services say they maybe or definitely believe in communicating with the dead, compared to 23 percent of teens who attend more than once a week," NYSR reported. "Likewise, 49 percent of teens who never attend religious services report maybe or definitely believing in astrology, while 35 percent of teens who attend weekly and 22 percent of teens who attend more than once a week say the same."
Across religions and Christian denominations, only 12 percent of Mormon youths said they definitely or might believe in psychics and fortune-tellers, least among all groups measured. At the other extreme, 38 percent of nonreligious teens responded similarly. Among Christianity-based religions, 32 percent of Catholic teen-agers said they may or definitely believe in fortune-tellers and psychics; 26 percent of mainline Protestant youths responded similarly, while 21 percent each of conservative Protestant and black Protestant youths believed in seers.
Fortune-telling, divination, and sorcery are found throughout the Bible, but are condemned practices.
Twenty-eight percent of Jewish teens and 33 percent of teens in other religions reported that they at least might believe in psychics and fortune-tellers.
From a different study - Jewish New Yorkers responded overwhelmingly in the positive when asked if they agreed with the following statement: "I feel good about paying taxes because I know that my contribution is helping people in need."
Is this just another great example of how our tax dollars are "helping people in need?"
Proof that there are aliens on earth!
You can add it to your bookmarks or "favorites"!
Is this the first tax dollar study that has lumped Catholics and nonbelievers together?
I don't believe in astronomy, but there may be something to ESP. Back in high school science class during a color sensory experiment, I freaked out the class by being able to identify construction paper color by merely holding my hand over it while being blind folded. I could also identify playing cards by only looking at the backs (unmarked!) which eventually scared me so much I refuse to try it now.
I'm a strong believer in physics, especially the fourth law of nature - gravity sucks. My dog really likes that one when I drop a slice of ham on the floor. Then the fifth law of physics, written by dogs, kicks in - "It's mine, and watch it disappear in two seconds."
I'd like to see practitioners of physics open parlors on street corners to answer serious questions like: I tossed seven pairs of socks in the washing machine, and now one sock is missing. What law of physics applies, where did it go and are washing machines really fifth dimension portals?
What? It's psychics we're talking about, not physics? Oh, sorry. Never mind...
LOL! Also, how do you start the semester with two chemistry books in your locker, and end the semester with four? What are those books doing, exactly????
... and it's okay for the "dead to vote". snort.
Well, Senator Edward's communicating with the departed certainly fits into that theory.
Well, that's a completely different story, isn't it? I may not believe in Robin, or Bucky, or Kato, but I do believe Gabby Hayes was real, and Jerry Lewis and Lou Costello made fine ones for Dean Martin and Bud Abbott respectively. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby probably argued about which of them was really one, and...
What? It's psychics we're talking about, not sidekicks? Oh, sorry. Never mind...
I cant find the exact scripture right now, but God warns Christians to stay away from the paranormal (not His exact Words).
If God tells us to keep away from it - it must be real, right?
Wow! Look at those results! Wow!
...and this helps anyone, how? Sheesh.
As a Christian and a scientist, this makes me ill. ><
Whoops! Gotta read the whole article, I about barfed after the first few lines, but it got better. :P
Did I miss it? I didn’t see anything about tax dollars being used for the study. It sounds more like a student’s thesis. Not all university studies are done with taxpayer money.
"I don't believe in astronomy"
You meant to say astrology, I presume.
The important point.
Hmm .... they don't really break it down that well (full results of churchgoing Catholics vs. non-churchgoing, etc) but Catholics SHOULD be more likely to say they communicate with the dead because we pray to the saints in Heaven for their intercession and view seances, tarot, etc seriously (in a negative way) because we believe in the existence of of Satan and his minions.
Depends on the meaning of "dead," as Jesus mentioned in last Sunday's Gospel reading.
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