What is it about America? Does America's education system just suck?

[Justtristo]

Here in the UK theres almost noone who still believes in creationism, and the majority of young people are atheists.

If you go to church you just find it full of old and middle aged people, and some captive kids who are forced to go. I guess we're smarter than our parents generation.

What is it about America that so many people still believe in the virtually literal word of the Bible and are such strong Christians.

Do they actually teach kids science and evolution in American schools?

It makes me think either Americans are genetically stupider than other countries or their education system must be absolutely terrible.

Well it is usually accepted that an UK A-Level is about the same as a US college Associate Degree. Much the same can be said for the Australian Higher School Certificate (HSC).

I might add that the higher levels of religious observance in the United States, could be due to the fact the United States never had a state supported church (unlike the countries of Europe). So different churches competed with each other for adherents and those with theologies that could attract more people thrived, at the expense of others whose theologies did not attract people. Hence the Evangelical Christianity which is so prevalent in America today is a totally different beast to the sort of Christianity the Calvinist Puritans brought to New England.