Gallup poll: Belief in creationism at all-time low

[New Sancai Compilation and First Release] A survey by the American polling company Gallup shows that the proportion of Americans who believe that God created the current form of human beings in the past 10,000 years is the lowest in the past 40 years, but do not believe that God has played a role in human evolution. The proportion of Americans taking any role is the highest on record.​​

The polling organization began soliciting opinions on the issue in 1982.

Other findings from the survey include:

• The largest segment of Americans (37%), albeit at a record low, remain creationist purists who believe God created humanity in its current form within the past 10,000 years.
• The scientific theory of evolution, which holds that humans evolved from less advanced life forms over millions of years without God's involvement, is accepted by 24% of U.S. adults, a record high.
• Thirty-four percent of Americans support both theories, believing that humans evolved under the guidance of God.
• Belief in creationism and God-guided evolution peaked at 47% and 40%, respectively, in 1999 and have been trending downward ever since. Since that same year, support for evolution without divine intervention has nearly tripled.
• Views on human origins still vary widely, depending on people's religious identity, frequency of church attendance, political ideology and education.
• Most American adults who attend religious services at least weekly consider themselves politically conservative, are Protestant, and believe that God created humans in their current form. Nearly half of those who attend religious services weekly or monthly also believe in creationism.
• Most people who say they are not affiliated with any religion believe that humans have evolved over millions of years without God's involvement, as do many people who attend religious services less than once a month and political liberals.
• Many Catholics and college graduates believe that millions of years of evolution have taken place under the guidance of God.

(Compiled by: Wang Jimin)

(Editor: Jiang Qiming)

(Source of the article: Compiled and published by New Sancai)