What Australians really think about religion

[Occams Barber]

What Australians really think about religion

The Australia Talks National Survey asked nearly 55,000 Australians from every state, territory and federal electorate about their attitudes, behaviours and experiences on a range of topics. The survey was developed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in conjunction with data scientists and a range of academic partners.

Included in the almost 500 questions were a number covering attitudes related to religion.

This is a summary of some of the results of the survey, based on this ABC article:

• 71% of Australians agree that religious discrimination happens “occasionally” or “often”. This view was fairly consistent across all religious and non-religious groups.

• A 60% majority of Australians believe that it is better to keep religion as a private affair

• 35% of Protestants believe that Australia would be better off if more women stayed home to look after children compared with only 14% of the non-religious

• Religion was rated as the least important of eight attributes defining Australians’ sense of who they are (attributes included politics, nationality, gender, language, job, sexual orientation, ethnicity and religious belief)

• 84% of respondents said they mix socially with people of different religious beliefs

• Only 15% of respondents thought the country would be better off if more people were religious

• Religious leaders were distrusted by 70% of the population. 35% did not trust them “at all”

OB

 

[Aussie Pete]

What Australians really think about religion

The Australia Talks National Survey asked nearly 55,000 Australians from every state, territory and federal electorate about their attitudes, behaviours and experiences on a range of topics. The survey was developed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in conjunction with data scientists and a range of academic partners.

Included in the almost 500 questions were a number covering attitudes related to religion.

This is a summary of some of the results of the survey, based on this ABC article:

• 71% of Australians agree that religious discrimination happens “occasionally” or “often”. This view was fairly consistent across all religious and non-religious groups.

• A 60% majority of Australians believe that it is better to keep religion as a private affair

• 35% of Protestants believe that Australia would be better off if more women stayed home to look after children compared with only 14% of the non-religious

• Religion was rated as the least important of eight attributes defining Australians’ sense of who they are (attributes included politics, nationality, gender, language, job, sexual orientation, ethnicity and religious belief)

• 84% of respondents said they mix socially with people of different religious beliefs

• Only 15% of respondents thought the country would be better off if more people were religious

• Religious leaders were distrusted by 70% of the population. 35% did not trust them “at all”

OB

Yes, I read the ABC report as well. As a Christian, I am not surprised. We are in the last days and this kind of indifference was prophesied 2,000 years ago. Best get saved or put on your fireproof suit. You'll need one or the other.

 

[Occams Barber]

Yes, I read the ABC report as well. As a Christian, I am not surprised. We are in the last days and this kind of indifference was prophesied 2,000 years ago. Best get saved or put on your fireproof suit. You'll need one or the other.

It's ok.
I'm an atheist.
We all carry fire extinguishers.
OB

 

[Not David]

Atheists don't have that many children while religious people do. With immigration, that data might change.

 

[Occams Barber]

Duplicate

 

[Occams Barber]

Atheists don't have that many children while religious people do. With immigration, that data might change.

I don't know about other atheists but I've done my bit to populate the country.

Immigration to Australia has been going on for decades. We are a nation of migrants from all over the world. What data do you expect to change if we have more of the same?

OB

 

[dqhall]

Atheists don't have that many children while religious people do. With immigration, that data might change.

China has 1.3 billion people. Most of them are atheist or agnostic. They made many children, not making any more land.

 

[tturt]

Praying God for revival

 

[essentialsaltes]

Atheists don't have that many children while religious people do. With immigration, that data might change.

Religion is not genetic.

 

[Not David]

China has 1.3 billion people. Most of them are atheist or agnostic. They made many children, not making any more land.

Yeah, because they were influenced by Communism and most religions are not looked very well upon.

 

[Not David]

Religion is not genetic.

It's a social fact.

 

[Occams Barber]

Praying God for revival

In the 1966 Census 88% of Australians identified as Christian. In 1991 this had dropped to 74%. By 2011 Christians were 61% of the population. According to the 2016 Census result, Christians were at a low of 50.2% - a massive 11% drop over 5 years.

The obvious question is ”Where did all the Christians go?”

The answer is - ‘No Religion’. In the 1966 Census a tiny 0.8% of Australians ticked the ‘No Religion’ option. By 1991 this had jumped to 12.9%. By 2011 it was 22.3%.

In the 2016 Census ‘No religion’ jumped by 2.2 million people to 30.1% of the population. ‘No Religion’ is now the biggest single ‘religious’ group in Australia, distantly followed by Catholics, at 22.6%, and Anglicans (13.3%).

Based on this trend Christians will be well under 50% of the population by the next Census due in 2021.

A revival appears unlikely.
OB

 

[Of the Kingdom]

A revival appears unlikely.

"With man, it is impossible -- but with God, all things are possible."

 

[dqhall]

In the 1966 Census 88% of Australians identified as Christian. In 1991 this had dropped to 74%. By 2011 Christians were 61% of the population. According to the 2016 Census result, Christians were at a low of 50.2% - a massive 11% drop over 5 years.

The obvious question is ”Where did all the Christians go?”

The answer is - ‘No Religion’. In the 1966 Census a tiny 0.8% of Australians ticked the ‘No Religion’ option. By 1991 this had jumped to 12.9%. By 2011 it was 22.3%.

In the 2016 Census ‘No religion’ jumped by 2.2 million people to 30.1% of the population. ‘No Religion’ is now the biggest single ‘religious’ group in Australia, distantly followed by Catholics, at 22.6%, and Anglicans (13.3%).

Based on this trend Christians will be well under 50% of the population by the next Census due in 2021.

A revival appears unlikely.
OB

There were only a few who believed in Jesus c. 34 AD. Many people have been blessed by the Lord since.

 

[Occams Barber]

There were only a few who believed in Jesus c. 34 AD. Many people have been blessed by the Lord since.

Christianity's best friends appear to be struggling economies and poor education so I expect it will continue to grow in poorer countries.

In the wealthier Western nations Christianity is on the decline although there will always be a [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] congregation of adherents, What is also changing is the influence of Christianity as a moral authority. As you can see in the OP, religious leaders are not trusted by 70% of the Australian population and only 15% believe the country would be better off if more people were religious . This suggests that Christianity is becoming increasingly irrelevant here.

This, in my opinion, is a good thing.

OB

 

[Not David]

Christianity's best friends appear to be struggling economies and poor education so I expect it will continue to grow in poorer countries.

In the wealthier Western nations Christianity is on the decline although there will always be a [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] congregation of adherents, What is also changing is the influence of Christianity as a moral authority. As you can see in the OP, religious leaders are not trusted by 70% of the Australian population and only 15% believe the country would be better off if more people were religious . This suggests that Christianity is becoming increasingly irrelevant here.

This, in my opinion, is a good thing.

OB

I love when atheists believe they are intellectuals and Christians Neanderthals, it just show how deep in peeled they can be.

 

[Occams Barber]

I love when atheists believe they are intellectuals and Christians Neanderthals, it just show how deep in peeled they can be.

deep in peeled?

The growth of Christianity (or other religions) in poorer countries has nothing to do with intelligence. Poor education limits access to opportunity. Add low economic development and you have a population where personal security or day to day survival is a problem. This can often be exacerbated by political instability.

Religion, particularly Christianity, promotes itself as a religion reaching out to those in trouble and offering the security of a benevolent God. This makes it attractive to those in difficulties. Belief in God provides, rightly or wrongly, some sense of control and security as well as the promise of a better (after)life.
OB

 

[Not David]

deep in peeled?

The growth of Christianity (or other religions) in poorer countries has nothing to do with intelligence. Poor education limits access to opportunity. Add low economic development and you have a population where personal security or day to day survival is a problem. This can often be exacerbated by political instability.

Religion, particularly Christianity, promotes itself as a religion reaching out to those in trouble and offering the security of a benevolent God. This makes it attractive to those in difficulties. Belief in God provides, rightly or wrongly, some sense of control and security as well as the promise of a better (after)life.
OB

*prelest

And being poor does not mean you will rely on God, a lot of low-class Latin Americans are into communist stuff.

 

[Occams Barber]

*prelest

And being poor does not mean you will rely on God, a lot of low-class Latin Americans are into communist stuff.

The promise of security can be offered in many different ways. Pure Communism does the same thing by offering a different access to security via the promise of equality. In this case The State substitutes for God:

"From each according to his ability
To each according to his needs"
(Karl Marx)​

OB

 

[Paidiske]

As you can see in the OP, religious leaders are not trusted by 70% of the Australian population and only 15% believe the country would be better off if more people were religious . This suggests that Christianity is becoming increasingly irrelevant here.

I think two very big things have driven this over the last five years or so; the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, and its findings and recommendations, and responses to them. And the process for changing the law to allow same-sex marriage and how all of that played out. Many, many people who, before that, would have identified as (to quote one friend of mine) not-quite-not-Christian have pulled back from Christianity in disgust at the way both of those things played out.

I think we've shot ourselves in the foot (feet?) for at least a generation, until there is the possibility of a different narrative and a new impression of faith communities.

I don't think that's quite the same thing as Christianity being irrelevant, but the kind of Christianity that seeks to express itself in terms of social control is simply not going to be tolerated any more.