- Atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons are among the highest-scoring groups in a 32-question survey of religious knowledge by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. On average, Americans got 16 of the 32 questions correct. Atheists and agnostics got an average of 20.9 correct answers. Jews (20.5) and Mormons (20.3). Protestants got 16 correct answers on average, while Catholics got 14.7 questions right.
How will you do on the quiz?
- Staff
I'm not surprised that Atheists, Jews, and Mormons did the best on this. Most everyone will know your standard Catholic answers, and progressively fewer people will know about reformation, religious rights, and alternate world religions. Minority religious groups are more likely to know the questions about their minority religion, but still know the "basic" questions about Christianity and religious rights. Atheists have often done a "religious walkabout" and have some bare-bones knowledge of most world religions. In my experience, they also care about religion in government more than religious people. Basically, it seems like this test was designed to produce the results it did. I don't think you find any meaningful facts from the performance of different religious groups.
I think it has to do with having a minority belief system and being thoughtful about religion.
and here's a fantastic painting by my cousin, titled "Nascar Jesus"
Although I will say that the test was severely biased towards judeao-Christian belief systems. The level of detailed knowledge the questions demanded was much greater for the western religions, asking about specific books within the collections of holy books, multiple questions about specific characters and practices, whereas the eastern and ancient religions just get questions about who the main god(s) is or whatever. If you are a Hindu taking this quiz you're going to skew lower because of the way it is written.
. . . . For the record I only got 28 out of 32.
Whose writings inspired the Protestant Reform -Got it wrong. First great awakening - Got it wrong The question early on about salvation through faith - Got it wrong. Like ecib, I was 29 of 32. Agnostic reporting for duty Sir! 91% -Not too shabby. Now time for me to read up on the great awakening and the Protestant reform.