House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) sudden and unexpected elevation to the top job in the chamber last week meant that a lot of political observers (and more than a few politicians) were left playing catch-up. In the hours and days that followed his election as speaker, Americans learned a lot more about Johnson’s past rhetoric and advocacy, a background that sits squarely within the overlap of conservative and religious beliefs.
One particular vignette came up repeatedly. Over the past decade, Johnson has worked and advocated for a religious theme park in Kentucky, one centered around a re-creation of the ark described in the Bible. The theme park elevates the idea that the world was created in its present form by God several thousand years ago; that there was no evolution involved in the emergence of different life forms, including humans.
Polling released this week by Suffolk University for USA Today indicates that this comports with the views of nearly 4 in 10 Americans — more than say either that human evolution was steered by God or that humans evolved without any divine intervention.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… Americans are generally religiously brain-damaged and intentionally science-illiterate… and sadly, the more “Evangelical” they are, the more they barely register above sheep in intelligence, or register above serial murderer in compassion or empathy.
So, what are your thoughts on this truly sad and depressing statistic?