I don’t mean to be disrespectful of people’s religious beliefs. Really…I don’t. But this is a problem.

About one-third of the American adult population believes the Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally word for word, a new Gallup poll reveals. This percentage is only slightly lower than several decades ago.

Gallup reports that the majority of those “who don’t believe that the Bible is literally true believe that it is the inspired word of God but that not everything it in should be taken literally.” Finally, about one in five Americans believe the Bible is merely an ancient book of “fables, legends, history, and moral precepts recorded by man.”

Somehow, I gotta believe this number is related:

President Bush Job Approval

RCP Average
Approve
32.8%

Disapprove
61.7%

But don’t worry…there’s hope.

There is also a strong relationship between education and belief in a literal Bible, Gallup explains, with such belief becoming much less prevalent as schooling continues.

Somehow, I gotta believe this number is related.

An in-depth analysis of a series of polls conducted June through September found 48% incorrectly believed that evidence of links between Iraq and al Qaeda have been found, 22% that weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq, and 25% that world public opinion favored the US going to war with Iraq. Overall 60% had at least one of these three misperceptions…

The frequency of Americans’ misperceptions varies significantly depending on their source of news. The percentage of respondents who had one or more of the three misperceptions listed above is shown below.

Friends don’t let friends watch cable news.

As for that idea that the Bible is literally true? Try this one on for size.

Deuteronomy 22:28-29 (King James Version)

28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;

29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

So, the best way to get that wife you always wanted but couldn’t impress? Rape her, and pay her pops fifty shekels in silver. She’s yours. Have fun boys. But remember…no divorce.

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