Poll finds more Americans believe in devil than Darwin

DALLAS (Reuters Life!) - More Americans believe in a literal hell and
the devil than Darwin's theory of evolution, according to a new Harris
poll released on Thursday.

It is the latest survey to highlight America's deep level of
religiosity, a cultural trait that sets it apart from much of the
developed world.

It also helps explain many of its political battles which Europeans find
bewildering, such as efforts to have "Intelligent Design" theory --
which holds life is too complex to have evolved by chance -- taught in
schools alongside evolution.

The poll of 2,455 U.S. adults from Nov 7 to 13 found that 82 percent of
those surveyed believed in God, a figure unchanged since the question
was asked in 2005.

It further found that 79 percent believed in miracles, 75 percent in
heaven, while 72 percent believed that Jesus is God or the Son of God.
Belief in hell and the devil was expressed by 62 percent.

Darwin's theory of evolution met a far more skeptical audience which
might surprise some outsiders as the United States is renowned for its
excellence in scientific research.

Only 42 percent of those surveyed said they believed in Darwin's theory
which largely informs how biology and related sciences are approached.
While often referred to as evolution it is in fact the 19th century
British intellectual's theory of "natural selection."

There are unsurprising differences among religious groups.

"Born-again Christians are more likely to believe in the traditional
elements of Christianity than are Catholics or Protestants. For example,
95 percent believe in miracles, compared to 87 percent and 89 percent
among Catholics and Protestants," according to the poll.

"On the other hand only 16 percent of born-again Christians, compared to
43 percent of Catholics and 30 percent of Protestants, believe in
Darwin's theory of evolution."

What is perhaps surprising is that substantial minorities in America
apparently believe in ghosts, UFOs, witches, astrology and
reincarnation.

The survey, which has a sampling error of plus or minus two percent,
found that 35 percent of the respondents believed in UFOs and 31
percent in witches.

More born-again Christians -- a term which usually refers to evangelical
Protestants who place great emphasis on the conversion experience --
believed in witches at 37 percent than mainline Protestants or
Catholics, both at 32 percent.

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