This was the lead story on the website of our local cage liner. My wife saw it before I did. It took her five minutes to convince herself that she hadn’t accidentally clicked over to The Onion.
Poll: God’s approval rating at 52 percent
More than half of U.S. voters approve of God’s job performance, according to a new poll, making God more popular than all members of Congress.
The poll — which was conducted by the Democratic research firm Public Policy Polling (PPP) — surveyed 928 people and found that 52 percent of Americans approved of God’s overall dealings, while only 9 percent disapproved.
Questions about God were asked as part of a larger survey assessing American opinions of congressional leaders in the midst of the ongoing debt ceiling debate in Washington.
[...]
The poll also gauged God’s handling of specific “issues.” When asked to rate God on the creation of the universe, 71 percent of voters approved and only 5 percent disapproved. Respondents were also generally appreciative of God’s governance of the “animal kingdom,” with 56 percent approving and 11 percent disapproving.
Younger respondents were more critical of God’s handling of natural disasters, with those ages 18-29 expressing a 26 percent disapproval rating, compared to 12 percent disapproval among those 65 and older.
I’m … it’s just … the sheer inanity of this has robbed me of my normal snark. You’ll have to fill it in yourselves. You can view the survey instrument at the PPP site (PDF). I guess it should be said that every question about God begins, “If God exists, do you approve of …”
There was also this, “God also polled significantly higher than the scandal-ridden media baron Rupert Murdoch: only 12 percent of those polled viewed him favorably, compared to 49 percent who viewed him unfavorably.” I’d kinda like to see how well Rupert would poll against Satan. I’m guessing Old Scratch would beat him out by a few points.
Thank Jesus for this incisive poll.
Well, if he’d choose his frontmen a little more carefully….
So, 48% of respondents are ignoring the admonition not to criticize God. It’s a baby step in the right direction. I wish they had included the question “Are you afraid God will punish you for having negative thoughts about him?”
I think you can make fun of the article as much as you want (and should!) but I have a strong suspicion that the question was probably included on the survey for calibration. Think about it: the U.S. is one of the most religious of the industrial democracies, god is supposedly infinitely good, makes football teams win, saves puppies and lost children (on the rare occasion s/he bothers, anyway), and is generally viewed as the source of all morality and worth for a human being. As such, god’s approval rating should be more or less as high as anything can realistically get. So, hypothetically, if god polls with a 52% approval rating and Obama polls with a 51% approval rating, that tells us something about how people really view the president. As a substantive question it’s stupid, but as a methodological tool, it makes perfect sense.
Bah, in the Bible, God kills everyone in the world twice, and slaughters millions besides that. Satan kills 4. In my book, Satan wins every time.
Your opinion is that of one who lacks understanding. Satan is a sly fox!! who is so cunning….he can even decieve you!!!….obviously.
That’s… interesting. Claiming someone else’s lack of understanding while demonstrating your own. I would suggest you read your holy book more carefully next time (and I mean all of it, not only the parts that make you feel warm and fuzzy inside). While the numbers shift around a bit, it is generally agreed that Satan kills 10 people, while God kills over 2 million (counting only those where specific numbers are given in the bible). And before you answer with the standard “But he gave us life, he can take it away”, let me remind you of two things:
1) To use that line of argumentation, you need to prove that God exists, and that he created us (no, the bible is not a legitimate source book), and
2) that giving something life allows you to kill it. (Hint: Might does not make right, even with God.
I hate god and disapprove of him completely. And I also believe that fear towards this disgusting troll is the reason why his approval was that high to begin with. Disease, poverty, disasters, addiction and depression (just to scratch the surface) and this freak thinks he deserves the world’s praise????? A supposed son that died for my sins so I may have everlasting life???? Freakin idiot, billions of people have died since. Kiss my a$$ god. How you like that approval. Toodles..
Why are you so angry???? do you know best??? have you ever tried running the world??? i’d like to see you try running the world with billions of people with attitudes like yours! maybe instead of all this judgement you could ask God to give you understanding…..and you’d better pray God doesn’t judge you the way you’ve judged him….at the end of the day he has the power to throw you into hell, so wise up and change your high minded opinion of yourself!!
Or the way you are judging.
God has the power to throw you in hell if you don’t calm the fuck down. You could ask god to give you the understanding. I don’t know, try it.
Here are a few questions for you, Joanne:
1) Why did you reply something that relates to a post that was put up 138(!) days earlier?
2) Why didn’t you use the ‘Reply’ button?
3) Why do you use triple question marks?
4) Why are the first word in your post (“Why”) and “God” the only two words you bother to capitalize? Your shift key seems to be working fine.
5) Are you serious? According to your religious beliefs, your god is an omnipotent being, and he gets stressed out from running only one measly planet. And he’s so omnibenevolent that he tortures you for eternity if you dare to criticize him? I am glad that this god most likely doesn’t exist.
Honestly Joanne … just fuck off as you’re not only boring but grade A stupid – I dread to think what education standard you obtained, but it’s low isn’t it?
If you’ve got something interesting to say – and let’s be truthful here, you’ve never had an interesting thought in your boring little stupid worthless life – then do so. Of course a far more useful action on you part would be to donate your organs to someone who actually has something to add to humanity. Oh and did I say just fuck off … checks, yes I did but just to make it clear – fuck off.