According to a new Gallup poll, only 16% of Americans believe that humans evolved over millions of years without any involvement of 'a god.' A plurality of respondents, 40% believe that God created humans in their present form about 10,000 years ago.
UPDATE 12/27/10: Archaeological discovery of human remains in Israel counters current evolution theory
-- From "Four in 10 Americans Believe in Strict Creationism" by Frank Newport, Gallup, Inc.
A small minority of Americans hold the "secular evolution" view that humans evolved with no influence from God -- but the number has risen from 9% in 1982 to 16% today. At the same time, the 40% of Americans who hold the "creationist" view that God created humans as is 10,000 years ago is the lowest in Gallup's history of asking this question, and down from a high point of 47% in 1993 and 1999. There has been little change over the years in the percentage holding the "theistic evolution" view that humans evolved under God's guidance.
Americans' views on human origins vary significantly by level of education and religiosity. Those who are less educated are more likely to hold a creationist view. Those with college degrees and postgraduate education [in other words, indoctrinated] are more likely to hold one of the two viewpoints involving evolution.
These views have been generally stable over the last 28 years. Acceptance of the creationist viewpoint has decreased slightly over time, with a concomitant rise in acceptance of a secular evolution perspective. But these shifts have not been large, and the basic structure of beliefs about human beings' origins is generally the same as it was in the early 1980s.
Americans' attitudes about almost anything can and often do have political consequences. Views on the origins of humans are no exception. Debates and clashes over which explanations for human origins should be included in school textbooks have persisted for decades. With 40% of Americans continuing to hold to an anti-evolutionary belief about the origin of humans, it is highly likely that these types of debates will continue.
To read the entire article and view trend graphs, CLICK HERE.
Also read, Poll: Most Americans Believe Intelligent Design over Darwinism
