Saturday, June 13, 2015

NBC Poll Message


I recently received one of my most often-repeated messages over the email circuit again.  I'm certain that you have also seen it numerous times, but just in case you missed it, here it is:

NBC POLL

Do you believe in God?

NBC this morning had a poll on this question. They had the highest Number of responses that they have ever had for one of their polls, and the Percentage was the same as this:

86% to keep the words, IN God We Trust and God in the Pledge of Allegiance 14% against.

That is a pretty 'commanding' public response.

I was asked to send this on if I agreed or delete if I didn't .

Now it is your turn . .. It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God. Therefore, I have a very hard time understanding why there is such a mess about having "In God We Trust" on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Why is the world catering to this 14%?

AMEN!

If you agree, pass this on, if not, simply delete.

I have seen this message literally hundreds of times over the past ten or so years, it is always NBC that takes the poll "that morning" and the results have never varied even one-percent . . . It is always 86% for and 14% against.  In fact, those same percentages come up frequently in other polls that are sent over the email circuit, usually having to do with some religious subject.

I ask myself what the true question was.  Was it "Do you believe in God?" as stated in the second line and again referenced in the next paragraph, or was it "Do you want to keep the words, 'IN (sic) God We Trust' and 'God' in the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Does that even make any sense?  "In God we trust" isn't in the Pledge of Allegiance!

Is it possible that 86% of Americans are deeply religious Christians, and only 14% belong to some other religion, or are possibly Atheists.  It certainly doesn't seem to be the case, based on the behavior and culture in America today.  I'd say it might be just the opposite.

The "Pledge of Allegiance" was made up in 1892 by some fool who was promoting his Boys Life Magazine.  It got adopted by the American schools, eventually spread to other public meetings and venues and has undergone several revisions to the wording, but  
we are one of only two nations that has such an instrument.  That in itself should be enough to make it weird and silly.  With all the other insane changes we've seen in America over the past few decades, I'm surprised anyone still recites it.

Regarding that 14% negative poll result, (Why does NBC get to be the network that gets picked on, by the way?) we cater to a mere 2% of our population that is LGBT, so why not give in to the wishes of a whopping 14% that want the "God words" taken out of our Pledge  of Allegiance and our currency?  If it's good enough for the lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders, it should be good enough for the devils.

While we're on the subject, let's have a poll (maybe ABC or CBS could conduct this one) to see how many people would like to quit singing the National Anthem.  After all, it is very offensive to the Brits, and the melody is taken from a song that refers to "Heaven".
Besides, it is really, really hard to sing.  I'll wager that if we did take that poll, 86% of respondents would opt to keep it and 14% would want it replaced by Kumbaya or I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing.

In case you're wondering, I didn't forward that message.  NBC has apparently been conducting that poll every single day since sometime in 2004.  That was when Snopes first got word of it and debunked it for the first time. 

Oh, The Philippines is the other country that has a pledge, and they borrowed it from us when they were a United States Protectorate.  How silly is that?!