Sacred, Organized, Ignorance.

Gallup poll evolution USA -Dec 2010

40 Percent Of Americans Still Believe In Creationism. _ _ First Posted: 12-20-10 _ _ _ A new Gallup poll, released Dec. 17, reveals that 40 percent of Americans still believe that humans were created by God within the last 10,000 years. This number is slightly down from a previous high of 47 percent in 1993 and 1999. Another 38 percent of respondents believe that humans have evolved from more basic organisms but with God playing a role in the process. A mere 16 percent of respondents subscribed to the belief of "secular evolution": that humans have evolved with no divine guidance. However, this number has nearly doubled from nine percent of respondents in a poll from 1982. The poll also revealed that beliefs in creationism and evolution are strongly related to levels of education attained. When results are narrowed to those with college degrees, only 37 percent of respondents maintain beliefs in creationism. Meanwhile, the belief in evolution without the aid of God rises to 21 percent. With regards to political affiliation, a majority of Republicans (52 percent) subscribe to creationist beliefs. This is compared to only 34 percent among Democrats and Independents. Views on human origins vary based on church attendance. Of those who attend church on a weekly basis, 60 percent believe in creationism while a mere 2 percent subscribe to "secular evolution". These numbers are flipped among those who rarely or never attend religious services. In this group, only 24 percent believe in creationism while 39 percent believe in evolution without divine guidance. This represents the only subset of data reported where "secular evolution" beats out creationism.

Maimonides

Christianity is much worse than Islam according to Maimonides (1135-1204), Jewish philosopher and physician, born in Córdoba, Spain. He was also known as Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, or, from the initials of his name, Rambam. Following the capture of Córdoba in 1148 by the Almohads, who imposed Islam on Christians and Jews alike, Maimonides's family decided to emigrate. After years of wandering they finally settled in Cairo. There Maimonides eventually became the chief rabbi of Cairo and physician to Saladin, sultan of Egypt and Syria. The contributions of Maimonides to the development of Judaism earned him the title “second Moses.” His greatest work in the field of Jewish law is the Mishneh Torah arranged in 14 books and written in Hebrew (1170-80), which he continued to revise until his death. In addition he formulated the Thirteen Articles of Faith, one of several creeds to which many Orthodox Jews still adhere. He is regarded also as the outstanding Jewish philosopher of the Middle Ages. In the Guide for the Perplexed, written in Arabic (circa 1190), Maimonides sought to harmonize faith and reason by reconciling the tenets of rabbinic Judaism with the rationalism of Aristotelian philosophy in its modified Arabic form, which includes elements of Neoplatonism. This work, in which he considers the nature of God and creation, free will, and the problem of good and evil, profoundly influenced such Christian philosophers as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Albertus Magnus. His use of an allegorical method of biblical interpretation, which minimized anthropomorphism, was opposed for several centuries by many Orthodox rabbis; but the issues involved have lost their relevancy in modern times. Maimonides's fame as a physician equaled his fame as a philosopher and authority on Judaic law. He also produced writings on astronomy, logic, and mathematics. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009.