Most Americans do not accept the theory of

evolution. Instead, 51 percent of Americans say God created humans in their present form, and another three in 10 say that while humans

evolved, God guided the process. Just 15 percent say humans evolved, and that God was not involved.

For

the record, I am with that 15 percent. And, though I sincerely believe in a diversity of views and mutual tolerance, I see that 51

percent as part of a New American Dark Ages (NADA). I know they aren’t all bible-thumping literalists who believe there were dinosaurs

in Eden and on the Ark; but a frightening number of them are and this ignorance is clearly contagious and

spreading.

This poll was conducted among a nationwide random sample of 808 adults, interviewed by

telephone October 3-5, 2005. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage

points.

On the other hand, I’ll believe in god before I put too much stock in divining the views of 300

million people from the responses of 808. Those who trust polls and statistics are welcome to explain their validity in comments. You’ll

find me as hard to move as Jesus on a dinosaur. mjh