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Posted on 04/30/2008 5:58:37 AM PDT by NYer
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Americans are among the world's most 'Bible-literate' people and Spaniards, French and Italians are among the most ignorant about what the "good book" says, according to a new study released on Monday.
A poll carried out in nine countries -- the United States, Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Russia, Italy, Spain and Poland -- also showed Americans were most willing to donate money to spread the message of the Bible.
The poll for the Catholic Biblical Federation interviewed Christians and non-Christians ahead of a synod of Roman Catholic Bishops on the Bible due to be held at the Vatican in October.
Most respondents in the poll, which was presented at the Vatican, were Christian. Except for in the United States, Britain and Russia, most of the Christians respondents were Catholic.
Asked if they had read a phrase from the Bible in the past 12 months, 75 percents of American respondents said yes, while between 20 percent and 38 percent of respondents in the other eight countries said yes.
The lowest were Spain with 20 percent, France with 21 percent, Italy with 27 percent, and Germany with 28 percent.
Results were similar when respondents were asked if they had read a book with a religious theme in the past 12 months. Fifty-eight percent of Americans said yes. Poland was second with 50 percent and the other countries came in between 22 and 35 percent.
The poll, taken by the GFK-Eurisko research group, showed Americans prayed the most (87 percent) and the French the least (49 percent).
Americans, Britons, Dutch, Germans, Spaniards, Poles and Russian tended to pray "with my own words" whereas Italians and French tended to recite prayers they had memorized.
Germany and the Netherlands had the highest percentage of respondents who said they believed the Bible was not divinely inspired but just "an ancient book made up of legends, historical facts and teachings written by man".
The majority of respondents in all countries believed it was either the direct word of God or inspired by God.
Americans were the largest group who said they had a Bible at home (93 percent) and the French were the lowest (48 percent).
The French were the most opposed to teaching the Bible in schools whereas the Americans were split about evenly.
Poland had the highest percentage of those who said they attended religious services regularly (91 percent), followed by the United States with 77 percent and Russia with 75 percent.
For more on religion, see the FaithWorld blog at blogs.reuters.com/faithworld))
Of course France is among the least Bible literate nations. If the poll was about Koran literacy France would be number one.
Two words: Nancy Pelosi
Though to be fair: the fact that Nancy felt it necessary to wrap her brand of apocryphal Bible-lese around her Nu-Age agenda speaks rather well of the Christian literacy of the US.
According to Rev. Weight, however, it doesn’t seem like Americans are very knowledge or enlightened on “Black Liberation Theology”, though./s
G-Damn Amerikkkka! Oh, wrong thread.
“Poland had the highest percentage of those who said they attended religious services regularly (91 percent), followed by the United States with 77 percent and Russia with 75 percent.”
Speaks volumes, doesn’t it!
WAIT!
I thought Catholics don’t read bibles.
Lurking’
Being literate compared to Old Europe isn't saying much.
“Asked if they had read a phrase from the Bible in the past 12 months,...”
I just read in the Bible in the last 6 minutes before reading this.
“Americans were the largest group who said they had a Bible at home...”
I’ve got three Bibles. That’s what happens when you tell people you need a new Bible.
And I don’t even consider myself very religious. I mean I could be much more religious.
I never read that in the Bible.
I think it's in the koran.
I DO think this is a Catholic/Protestant thing. The Catholics tend to use ritual and priests as an interpreter and Protestants tend to just read. Not bad or good in either direction, both are beautiful in their own way. Protestants can be clumsy and also very knowledgable on their own. Catholics can be rigorous in their faith, but rely on others to learn and speak for them. And France, Spain and Italy are higher percentage of Catholic, right?
Please do not be offended, I do not think bad about either.
The people of Poland have suffered much...and many have learned from it. Good people!
The B-I-B-L-E ... Yes, That's the book for me.
I stand alone on the word of God, The B-I-B-L-E.
Protestants hear the minister speak about different topics from the bible, some take notes, and then they return home to study what was said during the week. Catholics attend mass, hear the scriptures and hopefully go home to meditate on the subject.
:-)
“And France, Spain and Italy are higher percentage of Catholic, right?”
Not any more really. Many will state that they are Catholic...but this is a case of nominal catholicism only. They do not practice their Faith.
“Catholics can be rigorous in their faith, but rely on others to learn and speak for them.”
Absolutely not! We are encouraged to PERSONALLY seek to grow closer to God and to read the Sacred Scriptures prayerfully, asking for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. ;-)
You know, you may be right!
Oh my, the world is in more trouble than I thought.
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