美國民衆認爲極端天氣暗示世界末日將至

Nearly four in 10 US residents say the severity of recent natural disasters such as Superstorm Sandy is evidence the world is coming to an end, as predicted by the Bible, while More than six in 10 blame it on climate change, according to a poll released on Thursday.

本週四公佈的一項最新調查顯示，近四成美國居民表示，最近發生的桑迪颶風等自然災害的嚴重性正是世界末日即將到來的證據，就像《聖經》中預言的那樣。而超過六成的受訪者認爲這是氣候變化所致。

The survey by the Public Religion Research Institute in partnership with the Religion News Service found political and religious disagreement on what is behind severe weather, which this year has included extreme heat and drought.

公衆宗教研究機構與宗教新聞通訊社聯合開展的這項調查顯示，不同政治派別和不同宗教信仰的人們對於惡劣天氣的觀念存在分歧，今年已經發生了多起嚴重的高溫和乾旱災害。

Most Catholics (60 percent) and white non-evangelical Protestants (65 percent) say they believe disasters like hurricanes and floods are the result of climate change.

多數天主教徒（60%）和非福音派白人新教徒（65%）表示，他們相信颶風和洪災等自然災害是氣候變化所致。

But nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of white evangelical Protestants say they think the storms are evidence of the "end times" as predicted by the Bible.

但近2/3（65%）的福音派白人新教徒認爲這些暴風雨是“末日”即將到來的證據，就如《聖經》中預言的那樣。

Overall, 36 percent point to end times and 63 percent to climate change.

總體來看，36%的人相信末日論，而63%的人相信是氣候變化的結果。

PRRI research director Daniel Cox said that some respondents - including 75 percent of non-white Protestants - believe extreme weather is both evidence of end times and the result of climate change.

PRRI研究總監丹尼爾-考克斯說，一些受訪者（包括75%的非白人新教徒）相信惡劣天氣既是末日論的證據，也是氣候變化的結果。

"No one really knows how (end times) would look and how God would bring it about," Cox said.

考克斯說：“沒人真正知道末日是什麼樣子的，上帝又會如何讓末日降臨。”

Politics also color perceptions of the weather, the survey found. More than three-quarters of Democrats and six in 10 independents believe that the weather has become more extreme over the last few years, while less than half of Republicans say they have perceived such a shift.

政治也對氣候的認知有所影響，超過3/4的民主黨人和六成獨立派人士認爲在過去幾年中氣候越來越極端，而不到半數共和黨人認同這種轉變。

"Their political leanings are even affecting how they experience weather, which is pretty fascinating," said Cox.

考克斯說：“人們的政治傾向甚至影響到他們對氣候的認知，這真有趣。”

The January-to-November period in the United States this year was the warmest first 11 months of any year on record for the contiguous states. And 2012 will likely surpass 1998 as the warmest year on record for the nation, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

根據美國海洋和大氣管理局的數據，美國本土今年1月至11月的氣溫是有史以來每年前11個月的最高記錄。2012年還將超過1998年，成爲美國有記錄以來最熱的一年。