Census - "Religion" question

secretsam

Just wondering how people feel about this, and the still-constant prevalence of religion in key elements of society (schools, govt, etc), despite the majority of the population not worshipping or even having a firm belief (which is different to being raised in particular faith)?

rick_chasey

Feel about what, exactly?

secretsam

There was a question on the census asking people to state their religion. To me, it's no more relevant than favourite sport or whether or not you believe in the Easter Bunny, but I was curious to see others' interpretation of the role of religion in society.

Maybe I should have worded the question better.

rick_chasey

Gotcha. It's still quite important to lots of people, even if they're now probably in the minority.

IF you think the census is there to spot social trends and inform policy, it helps to know if say x has a high concentration of y religion etc.

joe2019

secretsam said:

There was a question on the census asking people to state their religion. To me, it's no more relevant than favourite sport or whether or not you believe in the Easter Bunny, but I was curious to see others' interpretation of the role of religion in society.

Maybe I should have worded the question better.

I think it was possibly the only question that was optional to answer.

kingstongraham

There's a "no religion" option.

First.Aspect

Cuts both ways perhaps. If you dont ask the question, the status quo is more likely. If you do ask the question and find that jedi is more popular than the CofE, that might help ultimately reduce the influence of the church.

It is not as bad as the US, but certainly religious observance as a virtue is over represented in politics in my view.

orraloon

First.Aspect said:

It is not as bad as the US, but certainly religious observance as a virtue is over represented in politics in my view.

That's observance of certain brands of religion not others, natch.

Pross

First.Aspect said:

Cuts both ways perhaps. If you dont ask the question, the status quo is more likely. If you do ask the question and find that jedi is more popular than the CofE, that might help ultimately reduce the influence of the church.

It is not as bad as the US, but certainly religious observance as a virtue is over represented in politics in my view.

This. The whole point of the census is to pick up changes in attitude and allow policies to reflect that (assuming Governments don't just create policies to suit themselves and their donors of course).

rjsterry

secretsam said:

There was a question on the census asking people to state their religion. To me, it's no more relevant than favourite sport or whether or not you believe in the Easter Bunny, but I was curious to see others' interpretation of the role of religion in society.

Maybe I should have worded the question better.

To other people - those who hold religious beliefs of one sort or another - it is pretty relevant, and even if overall in the minority, the numbers are pretty significant. I can't see why you wouldn't want this information in a census regardless of your own personal beliefs.

Ben6899

What do we think the majority answer will be, this time around?

First.Aspect

orraloon said:

First.Aspect said:

It is not as bad as the US, but certainly religious observance as a virtue is over represented in politics in my view.

That's observance of certain brands of religion not others, natch.

Sure. Any weird religions like Islam are viewed as suspicious in the US.

Personally I am predisposed to mistrust any politician who is overly religious, either (a) because they are being incincere about it for political gain, or (b) because they actually believe in a god.

kingstongraham

Ben6899 said:

What do we think the majority answer will be, this time around?

No religion.

blazing_saddles

joe2019 said:

secretsam said:

There was a question on the census asking people to state their religion. To me, it's no more relevant than favourite sport or whether or not you believe in the Easter Bunny, but I was curious to see others' interpretation of the role of religion in society.

Maybe I should have worded the question better.

I think it was possibly the only question that was optional to answer.

The sexual orientation bit was voluntary.

As Rick says, religion is still quite important to lots of people.

briantrumpet

I was actually pleasantly surprised that "No religion" was at the top on the options, rather than tucked away at the end as some kind of embarrassing perversion.

First.Aspect

kingstongraham said:

Ben6899 said:

What do we think the majority answer will be, this time around?

No religion.

Pastafarianism

secretsam

rjsterry said:

secretsam said:

There was a question on the census asking people to state their religion. To me, it's no more relevant than favourite sport or whether or not you believe in the Easter Bunny, but I was curious to see others' interpretation of the role of religion in society.

Maybe I should have worded the question better.

To other people - those who hold religious beliefs of one sort or another - it is pretty relevant, and even if overall in the minority, the numbers are pretty significant. I can't see why you wouldn't want this information in a census regardless of your own personal beliefs.

Actually, now you put it like that, it's absolutely fair to ask. The trouble is, do we really think that if the majority put answer "x" (eg "I am Jedi"), then will anything really change?

singleton

It's an interesting point as I suspect many people in the world will consider the UK to be a "Christian" country, insofar as many of our laws are based on biblical law and our national holiday calendar is based on the Christian holidays of Christmas, Easter etc.

This is in contrast to other countries such as Israel or Saudi Arabia to pick just two.

However, the cultural norms that underpin our society may not be the same as individual belief or observance.

First.Aspect

secretsam said:

rjsterry said:

secretsam said:

There was a question on the census asking people to state their religion. To me, it's no more relevant than favourite sport or whether or not you believe in the Easter Bunny, but I was curious to see others' interpretation of the role of religion in society.

Maybe I should have worded the question better.

To other people - those who hold religious beliefs of one sort or another - it is pretty relevant, and even if overall in the minority, the numbers are pretty significant. I can't see why you wouldn't want this information in a census regardless of your own personal beliefs.

Actually, now you put it like that, it's absolutely fair to ask. The trouble is, do we really think that if the majority put answer "x" (eg "I am Jedi"), then will anything really change?

They would teach Star Wars in school. Which isn't greatly different to my own experience of RE.

secretsam

singleton said:

It's an interesting point as I suspect many people in the world will consider the UK to be a "Christian" country, insofar as many of our laws are based on biblical law and our national holiday calendar is based on the Christian holidays of Christmas, Easter etc.

Christmas and Easter are actually based around Pagan festivals - the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox

Ben6899

kingstongraham said:

Ben6899 said:

What do we think the majority answer will be, this time around?

No religion.

You see, I think it will be Christianity. Because even those people who don't observe anything more than being gluttonous at Christmas* and eating chocolate at Easter**, well... tHiS iS a ChRiStIaN cOuNtRy.

*I do this
** and this

(selected No Religion)

joe2019

blazing_saddles said:

joe2019 said:

secretsam said:

There was a question on the census asking people to state their religion. To me, it's no more relevant than favourite sport or whether or not you believe in the Easter Bunny, but I was curious to see others' interpretation of the role of religion in society.

Maybe I should have worded the question better.

I think it was possibly the only question that was optional to answer.

The sexual orientation bit was voluntary.

As Rick says, religion is still quite important to lots of people.

Yes, of course, that was too.

rick_chasey

So I had a disagreement with my wife over what religion to put for my toddler child.

My wife wanted to put Christian, I wanted no religion, not because I am atheist but because it should be up to my child to decide what religion they are or not.

rjsterry

First.Aspect said:

Cuts both ways perhaps. If you dont ask the question, the status quo is more likely. If you do ask the question and find that jedi is more popular than the CofE, that might help ultimately reduce the influence of the church.

It is not as bad as the US, but certainly religious observance as a virtue is over represented in politics in my view.

While in theory the CofE has some influence on the way the country is governed I think the practical effects are pretty minimal at least in Westminster . The objections to religious involvement in politics seem to be mostly ideological - it just shouldn't be involved - rather than objecting to any specific malign influence. I agree there's no great virtue in holding religious beliefs, but neither is there in being an ardent atheist.

First.Aspect

secretsam said:

singleton said:

It's an interesting point as I suspect many people in the world will consider the UK to be a "Christian" country, insofar as many of our laws are based on biblical law and our national holiday calendar is based on the Christian holidays of Christmas, Easter etc.

Christmas and Easter are actually based around Pagan festivals - the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox

Which in turn are based around the seasons. There is the what else is there to do festival and the weather is getting warmer festival. In late October we also have the I'm not looking forward to winter festival.

Ben6899

rick_chasey said:

So I had a disagreement with my wife over what religion to put for my toddler child.

My wife wanted to put Christian, I wanted no religion, not because I am atheist but because it should be up to my child to decide what religion they are or not.

Is your wife Christian? Because I can see how that would easily lead to heated debate!

john80

I put Jedi. But joking aside given schools are funded by the state almost exclusively I think that the religious criteria for religious schools should be banned. If they want to call them a catholic school that is fine but they should just accept the closest kids regardless of beliefs as lets face it for a secondary it is 1 to 2 hours a week of RE at most. This distorts the school market when lets face it most white people are claiming they are religious purely for the school place which certainly disadvantages those that are not of this religion as ascertained by looking at them.

rick_chasey

Never attended church. Didn't have a religious wedding.

She's just frightened in a "what if I'm wrong" way.

Ben6899

rick_chasey said:

Never attended church. Didn't have a religious wedding.

She's just frightened in a "what if I'm wrong?" way.

Correct it in 10years?

I mean, local government moves that slowly, nothing will be happen anyway!

rick_chasey

No as in, at the pearly gates.

capt_slog

kingstongraham said:

Ben6899 said:

What do we think the majority answer will be, this time around?

No religion.

Imagine.