ANGELS: do you believe in them?

[Anonymous]

(Ok so maybe I'll be reagrded as persona non grata for bringing up something I read in The Skeptic on the Fortean Times message board, but here goes nothing...)

Scripps Howard News Service and the EW Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University are reported to have recently conducted a survey of 1127 adult residents of the United States, and have found that a whopping great 77% of them believe in Angels. Haloes, wings, harps, intervening in human affairs and the whole bit.

So I reckoned it would be kind of interesting to see how a similar poll would work out here, where the respondents would likely be mainly Brits with a few other nationalities thrown in.

Of course, we can't go into the depth of detail here that the Scripps survey did, with the unavoidable result that however 'scientific' the Scripps survey might be, this one won't be 'scientific' at all. (Not enough options in the questions and the sample size won't be large enough.)

I'll post the results of the Scripps survey after we've had a few responses here so we can compare.

 

[marion]

Would non religious guardian type angels be included ?

 

[Anonymous]

Would non religious guardian type angels be included ?

What, you mean like those red-bereted types on the underground?

Seriously though, why not. Any kind of Angel so long as it's paranormal rather than mortal.

 

[fiktishus]

The angels I believe in are the guardian angel type such as the spirits of departed relatives looking out for you.

 

[stu neville]

The angels I believe in are the guardian angel type such as the spirits of departed relatives looking out for you.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Guardians, definitely. Haloes and wings? Dunno.

Maybe.

I never discount anything totally (except doing anything constructive today )

Stu

 

[Anonymous]

Doesn't the biblical 'angel' simply mean a messenger (from God)? And weren't halos and wings medieval inventions?

It's human nature to beleive that there's someone or something out there looking after us - whether that be god, angels, aliens, faries, whatever. Sorry, but if you ask me it's all just wishful thinking.

But if they do exist there's an awful lot of unsuccessful guardian angels out there. .....

 

[Anonymous]

As promised, here're the details of the original survey Stateside.

"Do you believe angels, that is, some kind of heavenly beings who visit Earth, in fact exist?"

Yes: 77% No: 17% Don't Know: 6%

"Do you believe angels come into the world even in these modern days?"

Yes: 73% No: 19% Don't know: 8%

"Have you ever seen an angel or know anyone who has?"

Yes: 21% No: 75% Don't know: 4%

And here's that first one again, broken down by category:

"Do you believe angels, that is, some kind of heavenly beings who visit Earth, in fact exist?" Those answering "Yes."

Men: 73%
Women: 81%
Age 18-24: 83%
Age 25-44: 78%
Age 45-64: 77%
Age 65+: 72%
Attended church recently: 90%
Not attended recently: 65%
Born Again: 92%
Not Born Again: 68%
Protestant: 83%
Catholic: 82%
Orthodox: 88%
Jewish: 32%
No religious preference: 47%
White: 76%
African-American: 87%
Hispanic: 76%
Asian-American: 57%
Other: 83%
Didn't graduate high school: 77%
Graduated high school: 80%
Attended some college: 82%
College graduate: 74%
Post-graduate studies: 63%
Income below $25K: 83%
$25K to $40K: 81%
$40K to $60K: 77%
$60K to $80K: 74%
$80K+: 64%
Northeast: 71%
South: 83%
Midwest: 77%
West: 73%
Lives in a major city: 78%
Small city: 78%
Suburb: 75%
Rural area: 76%
Single, no kids: 73%
Married, no kids: 70%
Single, with kids: 82%
Married, with kids: 78%

"(...Telephone poll conducted Oct. 21 through Nov. 1 among 1127 adults living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia...Households selected randomly by computer...Survey has a 4% margin of error.)"

 

[Anonymous]

Scripps Howard News Service and the EW Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University are reported to have recently conducted a survey of 1127 adult residents of the United States, and have found that a whopping great 77% of them believe in Angels. Haloes, wings, harps, intervening in human affairs and the whole bit.

Last night, I heard an evangelical interviewer for Christian Broadcasting Network say that in a Gallop Poll on religious denominations done last year, 38% of those Americans asked about their religious affiliations, said they were evangelicals. That worries more than the 77% of Americans, who said they believed in angels, somehow.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, so 77% believe in angels, but 75% have never seen one nor know anyone who's seen one. Definitely wishful thinking....

(though I'm a bit worried about the 21% who have seen angel. Perhaps next time they could send me a photo?)

 

[ruffready]

angels

highly evolved beings whos powers are age knowledge wisdom of being..Who are the celestrials that even the angels won't mess with ,that they warn mankind about in 2nd Peter ??

 

[Beakmoo]

The really really frightening statistic there is 92% born again. :eek!!!!: Though as only 90% had attended church recently perhaps they have a more liberal interpretation of the words "born again" than I at first assumed.

 

[Anonymous]

If the question is do I believe in the biblical angels then the answer is no, but If you mean non religious beings visiting us from the stars then yes I do. I believe that these Angels we have all have etched into our minds could possibly be the explanation of a less advanced generation for present day extraterrestials. The biblical Angels put me in mind of the Nordic type E.Ts that are said to exist. They supposidly have very fair skin, blonde hair, blue eys and are slim and tall. Cant explain the wings tho

 

[ruffready]

Re evolved

You are on a roll! so that raps it up forme, on this post..

 

[Anonymous]

Angels where mean B's.

Think about it. They went about starting fights, razing cities and desimation populations for a verry angry god.

How come they ended up being bringers of light, fluffy winged and beautifull?

Bloody new agers.

 

[Anonymous]

Angels where mean B's.

True, Angels were feared back in the day and this reflects in Medieval art which usually depicts Angels as brandishing swords and cutting up us mortals. Perhaps the good/loving image came from such paintings like Raphaels cupid?

 

[Anonymous]

The process of clensing christianity of it's medivalism was a worthy one (Raphiel ect) but the new age obsesion with clensing any belief sistim of it's darkness is disdurbing.

They take any little titbit they can from folklore and major world religions (a bit of Budahism here, a fairy there, Oh! let's have some angels) and weave them into a belief systim that asks nothing of it's celebrants.

Belief is a two edged sword. Unless you'r a new ager.

Rant over, must go and lie down now.

 

[Anonymous]

True james, the ethnic cleansing that the christians have done centurys past isnt the kind of lessons you get a Sunday School. I do find it disturbing the way peoples lives can revolve round something they know almost nothing about. Christianity today for example is nothing like it was a few hundred years ago.

 

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by beakboo
The really really frightening statistic there is 92% born again.

You're reading the stat wrong, Beak. It says 92% of those considering themselves Born Again believe in angels, or that 8% of those do not believe in angels. I would think 100% of those calling themselves Born Again would reply yes, since angels are portrayed as fact in their Holy Book. I'm sure it's liberating to be able to just pick and choose one's beliefs, but it seems to cheapen the entire belief system when it happens.

I definitely do not believe in harps and such. There's one place in the Bible that speaks of an angel sitting beside a river weeping, worn out from this celestial civil war going on. That's an angel I can believe in.

 

[Anonymous]

The really really frightening statistic there is 92% born again. :eek!!!!: Though as only 90% had attended church recently perhaps they have a more liberal interpretation of the words "born again" than I at first assumed.

In a sample size of only 1127 it is entirely possible that the 2% disparity could be the result of these specific Born Agains missing church through personal ill-health; or through having to attend to loved ones being rushed to hospital; as the result of temporary incarceration; or simply because of having fallen out with their preacher over whatever or whoever; or because of being unable to get out of the house past the Feds camping outside, etc. It's only 18 people after all. (In more or less increasing order of unlikelihood.)

 

[Anonymous]

True james, the ethnic cleansing that the christians have done centurys past isnt the kind of lessons you get a Sunday School. I do find it disturbing the way peoples lives can revolve round something they know almost nothing about. Christianity today for example is nothing like it was a few hundred years ago.

As long as you meen mainstream christianity and not fundamentalist idiots then the changes are more than welcome.

However Catholisism these days is more like it was several hundred years ago. Hopefully the new pope (J.P. hasn't long to go) will be forward looking. Hopefully.

 

[Beakmoo]

or because of being unable to get out of the house past the Feds camping outside, etc.

Yes, that's what I like to believe, call me prejudiced if you will. :hmph: