Of course, I'm really curious as to how that study was conducted, how the questions were phrased, etc.

I jumped to an opinion in the LA Times that was linked from Wonkette -- the opinion was written by the author of the book ("Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know -- and Doesn't") that Wonkette refers to. The author, Stephen Prothero, is chairman of the religion department at Boston University -- some of the questions come from a religious literacy quiz he gave to undergraduates that he taught.

Other statistics come from studies that he calls "more scientific," though in the LA Times piece, he doesn't get into the details of those studies.

There was a survey a while back in which people were asked if a certain quote (taken from the Bill of Rights) was from the Bill of Rights or the Communist Manifesto, and the majority of Americans picked Communist Manifesto.

Maybe we do get the government we deserve....

I just don't get people who lack intellectual curiosity. How can you not want to know things about things?!

I will say, I somehow made it to college under the vague impression that the Crucifixion had happened in Rome. (I mean, the Pope is there, right??) But, you know, not actually a religious person, so, I didn't feel so bad at being corrected.

Still, let us say that college students are not the most clueful people on this earth.

Dude! It's the Sermon on the Mount!

The above said, just on a multiple-choice basis, you should be able to guess. How many people in the Bible were actual, at-the-time preachers (i.e. excepting people like Paul who wrote preachy letters)? Like, do you think it was Whoeverech son of Nobodiah from the eastern suburbs of Ur? Your choices are basically Moses and Jesus, and Moses was busy with the big stone tablet thingie.

I just don't get people who lack intellectual curiosity. How can you not want to know things about things?!

Seriously.

I will say, I somehow made it to college under the vague impression that the Crucifixion had happened in Rome.

Romans were involved, so that's not insane.

I know I shouldn't be astonished at what people don't know - the things that always stick with me are the fact that a large percentage of American high school graduates can't find France on a map, and a women I knew who was a Barnard student and was on a flight to Italy next to me looked at the map of Europe and said, "I didn't realize England was an island!" - but it still shocks me every single time.

That said, I could not recite the ten commandments or the bill or rights off the top of my head. I think I could pass a multiple choice test, though. (The Right To Bear Arms is a commandment, right?)

I feel like ASS. I want to go home, but will have to settle for leaving at 2:30 and then working from home.

I'm very concerned about Prof. Prothero's (author of the LA Times article that Teppy linked) solution -- to allow Bible classes in public schools. A number of religions have been very influential in shaping the world as it is today, and I don't see how teaching only Christianity (even if it's possible to give an academic focus without proselytizing, which I'll give Prof. Prothero the benefit of the doubt on) creates any benefit.

A comparative religions class would make a lot more sense.

I can recite neither the Bill of Rights nor the Ten Commandments. But I know what the Bill of Rights is, and I can tell you more or less what's in there. I know what the language of it sounds like, so I can tell you "thou shalt not" is something that doesn't happen in the Bill of Rights, and "a well-regulated militia" is something that doesn't happen in the Ten Commandments (no matter what translation you use!).

Then again, I know there are people on this planet who think the Bible was originally written in King James's English, as if Jesus had been wearing a ruff collar and hose.

Breaking my no board at work rule to make sure we all see this: [link]