Thread: Americans' religious knowledge lacking: how do you measure up?

Here's an interesting article I came across - Americans' religious knowledge lacking: study. Oddly, I couldn't find equivalent coverage from a US source.

It turns out Atheists/Agnostics are at the top of the list when it comes to religious knowledge. Go figure.



You can take Pew's shortened test here. I scored 11 out of 15. <pride>

The challenge has gone out. And don't be a cheater.


Edit: I'd better include a link to the study itself, here.

I guess i did really bad on this test, I pretty much had to guess 50% of the questions and got them all wrong.
There is one thing that I do not understand, what does this test actually show? Am I close minded, am I ignorance? I think it simply shows that I don't really care about religious related information and I do not actively learn knowledge about them, I just got pieces of information randomly from watching TV. Furthermore, the questions is, why should we know it anyway?

Originally Posted by s2cuts

It turns out Atheists/Agnostics are at the top of the list when it comes to religious knowledge. Go figure.

Because atheists/agnostics doubt in the first place which is fundemental for learning new things and expanding your knowledge.

Theists on the other hand take the existence of god for granted. They don't feel the need of doubting, thus limiting their knowledge.

Originally Posted by theXader

I guess i did really bad on this test, I pretty much had to guess 50% of the questions and got them all wrong.
There is one thing that I do not understand, what does this test actually show? Am I close minded, am I ignorance? I think it simply shows that I don't really care about religious related information and I do not actively learn knowledge about them, I just got pieces of information randomly from watching TV. Furthermore, the questions is, why should we know it anyway?

The quiz is just a tool to help derive comparative statistics. We do it here for shits and giggles. What's important is the study, here.

Okay did the test. Have to say, those questions are really easy! But, I've read a lot about religions and atheism, so probably explains my score. Score: 14/15

Furthermore, the questions is, why should we know it anyway?

Ever heard of art? Culture? Sociology? Psychology? etc etc

Im Agnostic and I got a 13/15 :D. Have to admit I think I got a lucky guess on two of them.

Catholic(born into it), not that I'm a diehard, but I guess I still consider myself one. I got a 13/15, but honestly some of those questions are almost more historical than religious. I learned a good amount of those from history classes rather than knowing things about religion. Even still a lot of Americans don't understand foreign religions because there aren't many people openly worshipping them here. Of course there are millions and millions of Islamic people in the US, but how often do you walk outside your house and see people praying on the street before they go to work. I was lucky enough to go to Dubai in the UAE, when I got off the airplane into the airport and saw that every worker had full robes on I was like ... But by the time I left I had a whole different viewpoint. It's hard to understand another religion's history and customs unless you're emerged into it for a bit

I scored 11/15.
My background may have helped or hindered me. I'm not quite sure.
I'm an atheist but was raised Anglican-Christian following my mother's beliefs. My father is a Taoist-Buddhist. I also have a personal interest in Buddhism as a philosophy rather than as a religion.

6/15 I suck... I'm not religious but I'm not athiest either.