You’ve Got To Believe In Something

Democrats see dead people

“He who does not believe in God will believe in anything.”

That’s the famous quote always attributed to the well known christian writer G.K. Chesterton.  I’ve attempted to google this maxim’s origins, but with no real success.  The best we have so far is that it’s probably a combination of two separate epigrams of Chesterton’s.  No matter.  If he didn’t say it, then I did and you can quote me instead.

A new study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life reveals some startling differences between Republicans and Democrats on issues of spirituality and supernatural phenomenon.

The report is not specifically about partisan differences, but the results of the study are broken down by party affiliation, among many other categories.  And the news on that front is that Democrats are far more likely to believe in supernatural phenomenon than Republicans.  Conservatives and Republicans report fewer experiences than liberals or Democrats communicating with the dead, seeing ghosts and consulting fortunetellers or psychics,” the Pew study says.

For example, 21 percent of Republicans report that they have been in touch with someone who is dead, while 36 percent of Democrats say they have done so.

Eleven percent of Republicans say they have seen a ghost, while 21 percent of Democrats say so.

And nine percent of Republicans say they have consulted a fortuneteller, while 22 percent of Democrats have.

There’s more. Seventeen percent of Republicans say they believe in reincarnation, while 30 percent of Democrats do.

Fourteen percent of Republicans say they believe in astrology, while 31 percent of Democrats do.

Fifteen percent of Republicans say they view yoga as a spiritual practice, while 31 percent of Democrats do.

Seventeen percent of Republicans say they believe in spiritual energy, while 30 percent of Democrats do.

So Bob Dylan and Chesterton agree.  You’ve Got to Believe in Something.

You believe in God, they believe in ghosts.  You believe in prayer, they believe in fortune tellers.  You go to church, they go to seances.  You are skeptical on global warming, while they embrace it wholeheartedly without question.  But don’t ever forget, my gentle readers, as good God-fearing christians, you are anti-science!