There was one of those articles in The Observer this Sunday that had me pausing in my reading of it from time to time in order to glance through the window just to make sure that the old, familiar world was still out there. It concerned recent surveys on the American world view. By the time I’d reached the end of the piece, my jaw was supported only by the desk top. Here are its findings in summary.
64 per cent of people questioned for a recent poll said they were open to the idea of teaching creationism in addition to evolution in schools, while 38 per cent favoured replacing evolution with creationism.
40 per cent of Americans believe God will eventually intervene in human affairs & bring about an end to life on Earth, according to a survey carried out in 2002. Of those believers, almost half thought this would occur in their lifetime with a return of Jesus from heaven.
1 adult American in five believes that the Sun revolves around the Earth, according to one study carried out last summer.
80 per cent of Americans surveyed by the CNN TV news network believe that their government is hiding evidence of the existence of space aliens.
70 per cent believe it likely that Saddam Hussein was involved personally in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
You, my most civilised & urbane of Stateside friends, must feel that you are a beleaguered minority living in a world recently invaded by bodysnatchers. That cheery mailman – awaiting Rapture? Your neighbourhood druggist – a keen flat-earther? The chief of police – checking his clients for Vulcan blood?
Well, there’s one clear fact of which I was blithely unaware until reading the article: The Simpsons is a documentary…
