From: Wim Nusselder (wim.nusselder@antenna.nl)
Date: Mon May 24 2004 - 07:24:48 BST
Dear David B.,
You wrote 21 May 2004 20:33:55 -0600:
'What's the problem? If 53% are Protestant and 28% are Catholic, then 81% of
Americans are some kind of Christian. That leaves plenty of room for the 59%
to take Revelations literally. That would mean that 22% are non-literalistic
Christians. These numbers basically agree with my experience and
understanding of the situation.'
'Being' Protestant/Catholic only refers to (social) affiliation, not to
adherence to beliefs. Your understanding was countered by Platt 12 May 2004
20:26:02 -0400 with:
'A USA Gallup Poll in January 2002 found that 50 percent of Americans call
themselves religious, 33 percent said they were spiritual but not religious,
and 10 percent said they were neither. So the statistic you quoted is
wrong.'
and 15 May 2004 12:04:31 -0400 with:
'Of the 50 percent of Americans who call themselves religious, only the
fundamentalist sects take the bible
literally and they are definitely in the minority. So will "proof" may too
strong, such statistics cast extreme doubt on your 59 percent claim.'
I quoted your information about the popularity of the 'Left Behind' series
as support for the 59% statistic. This didn't convince Platt however. So I
asked you 13 May 2004 08:29:39 +0200:
'Is this "manifest destiny" idea rooted so strongly in your culture that it
even influences people who don't consider themselves religious anymore
(maybe only "spiritual" in the Gallup poll Platt quoted) and is this "end
times" thinking even popular among people who wouldn't think of going to a
church where literal interpretations of Revelations are taught?'
And I asked you
'Do you have more supporting evidence for the strength of manifest destiny
and end time thinking among Americans that could convince Platt that it is
not a product of your (according to Platt 18 May 2004 16:08:37 -0400)
"fevered imagination"?
Platt wrote 15 May 2004 12:04:31 -0400:
"Correct me if I'm wrong but the ^Left Behind^ series consists of at least 8
fictional novels. How 60 million copies sold, (assuming that figure is
correct) supports your 59 percent statistic escapes me. 59 percent of the
total adult American population is 123 million. Neither the figures, nor the
fictional content of the books, support your statistic. Many consider the
books just a good read, not a reflection of their religious beliefs."
I don't know those books nor their popularity, so I ask you whether Platt
has a point there.'
If your understanding really is that there are 123 million literalistic
Christians in America, your experience can hardly be representative, if only
104 million call themselves religious and only a minority of these are
affiliated with fundamentalist churches where a literalist reading of the
Bible is taught (and if only a part of them believes what they are taught).
With friendly greetings,
Wim
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