Pew Report on Religious Knowledge

I was reading MSNBC’s article “Atheists Most Knowledgeable About Religion” and agree. Many atheists were raised in religious households and they know why they don’t believe. Many Christians cannot tell what they do believe. Can you?

Another result was interesting:

"The study also found that many Americans don't understand constitutional restrictions on religion in public schools. While a majority know that public school teachers cannot lead classes in prayer, less than a quarter know that the U.S. Supreme Court has clearly stated that teachers can read from the Bible as an example of literature."

Students may pray, openly in school. Individually, they may say grace over their meals. As an extension of government, school employees cannot force students to pray, but neither can they restrict a student’s prayer. There are several legal organizations prepared to battle in court for these rights. Teachers, as employees of a government agency, cannot impose their religion, or their lack of it, upon their students. It takes involved parents to protect their children’s rights in school.

A recent series of articles by MSNBC focused on home schooling: “Though such students represent an estimated 3 percent of the population, evidence suggests that home-schooling is a growing trend in America. While most say faith is their primary motivation, others choose this path for a variety of reasons that include dissatisfaction with the local school system, caring for special-needs kids, safety concerns, flexibility to travel and the chance to spend more time with their children.”

“Faith is their primary motivation.” I think perhaps that’s part of a “dissatisfaction with the local school system” where dress codes are non-existent, drugs are and teen pregnancies are not unusual. It is not, however, necessary to confine faith-based teachings to one’s home. A simple reading of our nation’s founding documents displays faith in a Creator. American democracy builds on an even older document, the Magna Carta, which also displays faith in God.

These foundations go back to Christ’s words.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)

Which referred to the Law given to Moses, which is based on God’s action.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 KJV)

If you wish to find out where your own religious knowledge base fits, the Pew Forum offers a non-survey quiz where you answer questions given in the national telephone poll. Learning is a good thing.

Oh, how did I do on the quiz? Well, the answer is in the above graphic. I missed one. How did you do?