More than 40 per cent of Americans believe Jesus Christ will return to Earth by 2050, according to a poll.
Fascinating stats from the Pew Forum, although, the sample is quite small (1546 adults via telephone interview) and they put the total margin of error at plus or minus 3 percentage points. The error attributable to sampling would be expected at the 95% level of confidence.
Predictions about whether Jesus Christ will return to earth in the next 40 years divide along religious lines. Fully 58% of white evangelical Christians say Jesus Christ will definitely or probably return to earth in this period, by far the highest percentage in any religious group. Only about a third of Catholics (32%), and even fewer white mainline Protestants (27%) and the religiously unaffiliated (20%) predict Jesus Christ’s return to earth.
In addition, those with no college experience (59%) are much more likely than those with some college experience (35%) and college graduates (19%) to expect Jesus Christ’s return. By region, those in the South (52%) are the most likely to predict a Second Coming by 2050.
On a related subject, 65% of Americans say that religion in the United States will be about as important as it is now in 40 years; 30% say religion will become less important. Majorities across all religious groups, including the unaffiliated, see religion continuing to be about as important as it is now in the coming decades.
Here are some links to the study:
Section 1: Science, Technology and the Environment
Tags: Education, Science & Medical
June 23rd, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Does the disparity between those who have a college education (19%) and those who don’t (59%) mean that education reduces people’s faith?
June 23rd, 2010 at 12:41 pm
[...] reports on a Pew poll indicating that more than 40% of Americans believe Jesus will return by 2050. I think every generation of Christians has been convinced that Jesus would return in their [...]
June 23rd, 2010 at 4:58 pm
If they believe and they are not hurting or persecuting others for not believing this, what’s wrong.
June 23rd, 2010 at 6:55 pm
If Christians would study their bible they will plainly see when Jesus will be coming. He will come when The Father God sends Him.
“Of that day and hour knows no one. Not even the angels or the Son, but the Father alone”.
The signs are clear. The question is not wether Jesus is ready, but is His Bride?
August 23rd, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Does the disparity between those who have a college education (19%) and those who don’t (59%) mean that education reduces people’s faith?
The short answer is yes.
With education, peope become more aware of the bigger picture, if you will. I’ve read studies like this before and these studies suggest that with higher eduation, people start to become more self-aware of their surrounding and tend to ask questions. Such as, quesitoning organized religion and the possibility of a higher power? Those with lower than some college education, tend to believe in a higher power due to lack of education.
This type of study isn’t to disprove beliefs in a higher power, just a general trend which is progressively happening now.
Also, the arguement could be made of whether being associated with a particular religious denominination is causing harm. IE, wars based off religions; historically. And, radical religous ideology which is taken to an extreme; such as, terrorism.
This is from a sociological stand point of course.